You know, it's funny. I spend all this time blasting dirt off the car, the patio, whatever, and the tool doing all the work ends up looking like it's been through a mud wrestling match itself. Irony, I guess. So today, I figured, alright, gun, it's your turn for a spa day. A very manly spa day, mind you, not one of those cucumber-on-the-eyes deals.

First, I disconnected everything. Safety first, right? Even though it wasn't plugged into the main unit, I just don't like taking chances. Old habit from way back. Then I laid out my arsenal. Didn't need much, to be honest. Some all-purpose cleaner I had under the sink – probably been there for ages, but hey, it still sprays. A couple of microfiber cloths, because I’m fancy like that sometimes, and an old toothbrush. Can't beat a toothbrush for getting into the fiddly bits, you know?

Getting Started - The Initial Wipe Down

So, I gave the whole gun a good spray with the cleaner. Let it sit for a minute or two. You gotta let the stuff do its work, otherwise you're just scrubbing for no reason, wearing yourself out. I probably just stared at it, waiting. Then I took one of the cloths and just wiped off the main grime. You'd be surprised how much gunk just comes right off. Or maybe you wouldn't, if your tools look like mine usually do before I get one of these cleaning urges.

Tackling the Gritty Details

Then came the real work, the nitty-gritty. That trigger area? Always a mess. Full of who-knows-what. So, toothbrush time. Sprayed a bit more cleaner right on the brush and went to town. It’s amazing where dirt can hide. Little crevices, seams in the plastic, everywhere. I was pretty thorough, or at least I tried to be. Felt like a detective looking for clues, except the only crime was neglect. My neglect, mostly, I have to admit.

• The handle grip was another spot. Gets all sticky and gross from your hands. Gave that a good scrub.
• The quick-connect fitting for the lance, that thing was surprisingly dirty inside. Used the toothbrush there too, gently.
• Even the little recesses where the screws are, I tried to get in there with the tip of the brush.

I didn't take the whole thing apart, mind you. I'm not an engineer, and I’ve learned my lesson. Just wanted to get the outside and the easily reachable bits clean. Last time I tried to 'fix' something by taking it completely apart, well, let's just say I ended up with a few 'spare' parts when I put it back together. We've all been there, right? Or maybe it's just me.

The Rinse and Final Touches

After all the scrubbing, I took a clean, damp cloth – just water on this one – and wiped everything down again. Wanted to get rid of any cleaner residue. Didn't want it getting sticky or attracting more dirt later on. Then a final dry-off with another clean, dry cloth. Stood back and had a look. Okay, 'admired' might be a strong word for a pressure washer gun, but it looked a heck of a lot better. Shiny, even, in a plastic-tool kind of way.

It's not like it's gonna win any beauty contests, it's a work tool. But it feels good to use a clean tool, you know? And honestly, it probably helps it last longer, not having all that crap caked on it, getting into the moving parts. Plus, it only took me, what, maybe half an hour? Time well spent, I'd say. Better than scrolling through my phone, anyway. Now, what to clean next... that's always the question once you get started.