Okay, so the patio was looking grim. Like, really grim. Moss, dirt, who knows what else. Figured it was time to haul out the pressure washer.

First thing, dragged it out of the shed. Thing weighs a ton, seriously. Had to wrestle it onto the patio.

Getting Started

Hooked up the garden hose first. Made sure the connection was tight – don’t want water spraying everywhere except where you aim it. Plugged the electric cord in, using that heavy-duty outdoor extension lead. Double-checked the water was turned on full blast at the tap before I even thought about hitting the power switch.

Switched it on. That familiar hum started up. Grabbed the wand, felt that initial kickback. Always surprises me a little.

The Actual Work

Started with a wider fan nozzle, just to get a feel for it again. You gotta sweep back and forth, steady-like. It’s kinda satisfying, watching the dirt just peel away. You see the clean concrete underneath, makes you feel like you’re actually getting somewhere.

Worked my way across the slabs. Some spots were tougher, especially where the green stuff had really taken hold. Had to switch to a slightly narrower nozzle for more power on those bits. You gotta be careful though, get too close or use too strong a stream, and you can chew up the surface a bit. Learned that the hard way on a couple of paving stones last year.

• Swept side to side.
• Overlapped each pass a little.
• Paid extra attention to the edges and corners.

Someone mentioned once you could maybe use detergent in these things. I even read somewhere that diluted laundry soap might work? Didn't have any proper pressure washer fluid. Found some old liquid laundry stuff in the garage. Mixed a tiny bit, like really watered down, in a bucket and used the siphon tube thingy for a stubborn oil patch near the BBQ. Seemed to help lift it a bit? Didn't seem to break the machine, so that's a win I guess. Mostly stuck to plain water though.

Finishing Up

Took a good hour, maybe more. Back was starting to ache a bit. But man, the difference! The patio looked almost new. Rinsed everything down one last time with the widest nozzle to get rid of the loose crud.

Then the cleanup part. Turned off the machine, unplugged it. Turned off the tap. Squeezed the trigger on the wand to get the last bit of pressure out – important step, that one. Disconnected the hoses, drained everything as best I could. Wiped the machine down with a rag.

Rolled it back to the shed. Coiled the hoses and cord. Felt pretty knackered, but job done. It’s a good tool, does what it says on the tin, but it definitely takes some effort to use.