Alright, so I finally decided to tackle the grime on my patio. It was getting seriously out of hand, you know? Green stuff everywhere, dirt caked on – the works. So, I got myself one of these electric pressure cleaner doohickeys.

Getting Started with this Thing

The box arrived, and first things first, I had to unbox this contraption. It wasn’t too heavy, which was a good start. I pulled out all the bits and pieces: the main unit, the hose, the spray gun, and a few different nozzles. Laying it all out on the garage floor, I figured assembly couldn't be too hard.

Putting it together was mostly straightforward. Click this here, screw that on there. The instructions were… well, they were pictures mostly. I’m more of a “figure it out as I go” kind of guy anyway. Had a bit of a moment trying to get the high-pressure hose connected just right to the gun – needed a bit more oomph than I first thought to make sure it was snug and wouldn’t spray water all over me instead of the patio.

The First Blast

So, I hooked up the garden hose for the water supply, plugged the power cord in (making sure the outlet was GFCI, safety first, right?), and picked a nozzle that looked like it meant business. I think it was the general-purpose one. My old man always used to say, "start gentle, you can always go harder," but with cleaning, sometimes you just gotta go for it.

I pointed it at a particularly nasty patch of green slime on the concrete and squeezed the trigger. Whoa! The kick wasn't massive, but the water jet was pretty potent. It was actually satisfying watching the dirt just peel away. Like one of those cleaning videos you see online, but this time it was me doing it!

• First pass, a lot of the surface dirt came right off.
• Then I tried a narrower, more focused nozzle for some stubborn spots. That thing really concentrated the power.
• Had to be careful around the edges of the paving stones, didn't want to blast out all the sand between them.

The Nitty-Gritty of the Clean

I spent a good couple of hours out there. My back was telling me about it afterwards, let me tell you. Moving the machine around wasn't too bad, it’s got wheels, but managing the power cord and the two hoses – the water inlet hose and the pressure hose – that was a bit of a dance. You're constantly making sure you don't trip or get them tangled. That’s always the downside with these electric ones, cords everywhere.

I also decided to try it on the plastic garden chairs. They were looking a bit sad, covered in dust and cobwebs. Switched to a wider spray nozzle for that, less intense. Worked a treat! They came up looking almost new. Just had to be careful not to get too close or stay in one spot too long, didn't want to etch the plastic or something.

One thing I learned pretty quick was to wear old clothes and some safety glasses. The spray-back, especially when you hit a dirty spot, can send bits of muck flying everywhere. My shoes were soaked, and I definitely got a face full of gritty water a couple of times. My wife came out at one point, saw the state of me, and just shook her head and went back inside. Typical.

Was it Worth It?

So, after all that, the patio looks a million times better. Seriously, the difference is night and day. The chairs are clean. It took some effort, sure, and I was a bit achy the next day. But seeing that clean concrete, it felt good.

The machine itself did what it was supposed to do. It’s not like those monster gas-powered ones the professionals use, but for home stuff, it packed enough punch. The biggest hassle, honestly, is the setup and pack-away. Rolling up the hoses, draining the water, finding a spot for it in the already crowded garage. It’s a bit of a chore you conveniently forget about when you’re admiring your clean patio.

Still, beats scrubbing with a brush and bucket, which is what I was doing before. That nearly killed me last year. So yeah, overall, a decent bit of kit for the job. Just gotta remember to wear a raincoat next time.