You ever look at the price of those tiny bottles of power washer soap and just... sigh? I mean, come on. Half the time, they feel like watered-down dish soap with a fancy label and a price tag to match. And don't get me started on the "specialty" ones – one for siding, one for driveways, one for who-knows-what-else. It's a whole industry built on making you buy more bottles.

So, naturally, I thought, "There's gotta be a better way. I'm making my own." That's where the fun, and a bit of a mess, began. I went down the internet rabbit hole, of course. And let me tell you, some of the suggestions out there are wild. People throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. I wasn't looking to brew up some kind of hazardous waste, just something to cut through the grime on my patio and the green stuff growing on the north side of the house.

My First Few Tries... and Fails

My initial attempts were, well, humbling. I figured, "How hard can it be?" Famous last words. First, I tried just a squirt of regular dish soap. Big mistake. Suds EVERYWHERE. Looked like a foam party exploded in my backyard, and honestly, it didn't clean all that great once the bubbles died down. Plus, I read later that some dish soaps can leave a residue or even be a bit tough on the power washer pump seals over time. Who knew?

Then I thought, maybe something stronger. But I was wary of anything too harsh. I didn't want to strip paint or kill my sad-looking excuse for a lawn. Some folks online were talking about using bleach, but that just sounded like a recipe for disaster if I wasn't super careful, especially mixing it with other stuff. My power washer manual also had some pretty stern warnings about what not to run through it.

Finding the Sweet Spot

After a bit more tinkering and reading, I landed on a combination that actually works pretty well for general cleaning. It's nothing fancy, which is kind of the point, right? Here’s what I ended up using for a decent batch, enough for a typical cleaning session around the house:

• Warm water: About a gallon. I just use hot tap water in a clean bucket.
• Borax: Around half a cup. This stuff is great for boosting cleaning power and tackling mildew. Old school, but it works.
• Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate): Another half cup. Good for cutting grease and heavy dirt. You gotta be a bit careful with this as it's stronger than baking soda, so gloves are a good idea when mixing.
• A bit of liquid laundry detergent (the simple kind): Maybe two tablespoons. Not too much, or you're back in foam city. I pick one that’s low-sudsing and biodegradable if I can find it. This helps lift the dirt and gives a little bit of that satisfying soapiness without going overboard. Some people use dish soap here, but I've had better luck with laundry detergent for the power washer.

How I mix it up: I get a clean bucket, pour in the warm water first. Then I slowly add the Borax and washing soda, stirring until they dissolve. You really want them dissolved, otherwise, you might clog your washer's nozzle. Then, I stir in the laundry detergent. I just mix it gently. No need to whip it into a froth.

Putting it to the Test

Then, I just pour this concoction into the detergent tank on my power washer. Or, if your washer has one of those siphon tubes, I stick that right into the bucket. It’s not super thick like some commercial soaps, but it doesn't need to be.

And honestly? It does the trick for most things. Cleans up the green gunk on the vinyl siding, gets the winter grime off the concrete patio, and even helps with the deck before I re-stain it. It’s not some miracle super-strength degreaser for caked-on engine oil, mind you. For that, you might still need something more specialized. But for 90% of the stuff I need to clean around the house, this DIY mix is brilliant.

The best part? It costs pennies to make compared to the store-bought stuff. Plus, I know exactly what's in it. No mystery chemicals. I always do a little test spot first, especially on painted surfaces or wood, just to be safe. But so far, so good.

So yeah, that's my journey into DIY power washer soap. A little trial and error, but definitely worth it. Saves me money and gets the job done. Maybe it’s not for everyone, some folks just want to grab a bottle and go, and that's fine. But if you're a bit like me and enjoy figuring things out and saving a buck, give it a shot. Just don't blame me if you have a minor foam incident on your first try!