Alright, so let me tell you about my little adventure with this pressure washer hydro jet attachment thingy. My main drain line, the one leading out from the house, has been giving me grief for a while. You know how it is, slow draining, that gurgling sound – the usual signs of trouble brewing. I’ve poured all sorts of stuff down there over the years, probably not the smartest, but here we are. I was really dreading calling a plumber, 'cause that’s always a hit to the wallet.

So, I’m scrolling online, as you do, and I stumble upon these hydro jet attachments for pressure washers. Figured, hey, I’ve got a pressure washer gathering dust in the garage, why not give this a shot? Seemed like a decent gamble. Ordered one, didn’t go for the fanciest, just something that looked like it might do the job.

Getting Started - Or Trying To

The package arrived. Pulled it out. It’s basically a long, thin hose with a special nozzle on the end. The nozzle has a few jets pointing backward and one pointing forward. The idea is the backward jets pull the hose down the pipe while the forward one blasts the blockage. Simple enough, right? Well, the instructions were, let's say, minimal. More like a suggestion slip than actual instructions.

First job was to dig out my pressure washer. Had to dust it off, check the oil, the usual pre-flight checks. Got it hooked up to the water supply. Then, I unscrewed the regular spray wand from the pressure washer gun and tried to attach the hydro jet hose. The fittings, well, they looked like they should match. Took a bit of fiddling, a bit of that "am I cross-threading this?" feeling, but eventually, it seemed to snug up okay. Always a bit nervous with these universal attachment things.

The Main Event - Into the Guts of the Drain

I found the main cleanout access for the drain line outside. Pulled the cap off – phew, always a pleasant smell there. I started feeding the nozzle end of the hydro jet hose into the pipe. Just pushed it in as far as I could by hand first, maybe a few feet. Then, I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger on the pressure washer gun.

And let me tell you, that thing took off! The backward jets really do work, pulling the hose down into the drain like it’s on a mission. I was surprised, actually. I had to hold on and just guide it, let it feed itself. It was kind of satisfying, watching that hose disappear into the darkness. I could feel it hitting spots where it slowed down, probably hitting some gunk or a bend in the pipe. I’d let it work on that spot for a bit, pulling it back a few inches and then letting it go forward again. Water started backing up a little around the cleanout opening, a bit messy, but that’s part of the game, I guess.

• Felt some serious blockages about 20 feet in.
• Had to work the hose back and forth quite a bit.
• Got splashed a fair amount. Definitely wear old clothes!

I kept at it for a good half hour, maybe more. Fed out most of the hose, which was like 50 feet or something. Just working it back and forth, letting those jets do their thing. Slowly, I started to notice the water that was splashing back out looked a bit clearer, less full of… well, you know. Nasty stuff.

The Aftermath and Was It Worth It?

After I felt like I’d given it a good go, I slowly pulled the hose back out. Bit of a mucky job, that part. Rinsed everything off, put the cap back on the cleanout. Then, the moment of truth. Went inside, ran the kitchen sink full blast, flushed a couple of toilets. And you know what? Success! The water was flowing freely. No more gurgle, no more slow drain. It actually worked!

So, yeah, this hydro jet attachment. For what it cost, compared to a plumber? Absolutely worth it. It wasn't a clean job, and it took a bit of effort, but it got the drain cleared. I reckon I’ll be doing this as a bit of preventative maintenance every year or so now. Beats waiting 'til it’s a full-blown emergency, that’s for sure. If you’ve got a pressure washer and some stubborn drains, I’d say give one of these attachments a try. Just be prepared to get a little dirty.