Alright, so you're wondering, "what is a good psi for a pressure washer?" Man, I went down this rabbit hole myself a while back. Got myself one of those fancy pressure washers, thought I was gonna be Mr. Clean, you know? But then I looked at all the numbers and settings and was like, "Whoa, what am I even doing here?"

My First Goof-Ups

So, picture this: I unbox the thing, all excited. First target? The driveway. It was looking pretty grim. I cranked that sucker up – didn't really know what PSI meant, just thought "more power, better clean, right?" Wrong. Well, kinda wrong. The driveway looked okay, but then I moved on to my wooden garden bench. Still had it on a pretty high setting. Let me tell you, I nearly etched my name into that wood permanently. It looked like a cat had used it as a scratching post after I was done. That was my first lesson: PSI isn't a one-size-fits-all deal.

Then I tried washing the car. I'd seen those videos, looked so satisfying. I toned it down a bit, thankfully, but I still wasn't sure. I was so worried about stripping the paint, I probably used a setting that was too low at first. The caked-on mud just kinda laughed at me. It was a real learning curve.

Figuring Things Out, Bit by Bit

So, I started actually paying attention. I didn't go full scientist mode, but I did some experimenting. I realized my pressure washer had different nozzles, and those changed things too, but the PSI, that pressure setting, was key.

Here’s what I sort of landed on through trial and error for my common chores:

• For the car: I found that something around 1200 to 1900 PSI was pretty good. You gotta be careful, though. I always start with the nozzle further away and then move a bit closer. And I definitely keep it away from any loose paint or delicate bits. For really stuck-on bugs, I let the soap soak first. Lower PSI, more patience.
• For my wooden deck and fence: After the bench incident, I got real cautious. I stick to the lower end, maybe 500 to 800 PSI, sometimes up to 1200 if it’s tough old wood and I’m using a wider fan nozzle. You really, really don't want to splinter the wood. I always test a small, hidden spot first. Always.
• For concrete driveways and sidewalks: This is where I can usually go a bit higher. Something in the 2000 to 3000 PSI range seems to do the trick for most grime and mildew. It can handle it. But even then, I don't just blast one spot for too long.
• For house siding (vinyl): This one made me nervous. I learned you gotta be gentle here too. Too much pressure and you can force water up behind the siding, and that’s a whole other can of worms. I keep it pretty low, like 1300 to 1600 PSI, and use a wide spray pattern, never pointing it upwards at the seams.

My Two Cents on PSI

So, what's a "good" PSI? It totally depends on what you're cleaning. There's no magic number. My big takeaway was to always start lower than you think you need, especially on a new surface, and then gradually increase if needed. It’s way easier to go up in pressure than it is to undo damage from going too high right off the bat.

And honestly, reading the manual for your specific pressure washer helps. I know, I know, who reads manuals? But for this, it actually had some decent starting points for different tasks. Combine that with a bit of common sense and testing on a small area, and you’ll figure out what works for your machine and your stuff.

It took me a few weekends of messing around, making a few mistakes, and getting a bit wet, but now I feel pretty comfortable with it. It’s not rocket science, just a bit of practical learning. Good luck with yours!