Okay, so I messed around with my power washer the other day, trying to figure out the best soap situation. Here’s how it went down.

Getting Started: The Soap Dilemma

First off, I grabbed a couple different types of soap. I had some car wash soap, some general purpose cleaner, and even some dish soap lying around. Figured I'd see what foamed up the best and cleaned the most grime.

The Experiment Begins

Started by hooking up the car wash soap to the power washer’s soap dispenser. Followed the instructions on the bottle, diluted it with water like it said, and then went to town on my dirty patio furniture. Honestly? The foam was kinda weak. Didn’t really cling to the surfaces, and I felt like I was just spraying soapy water around.

Next up was the general purpose cleaner. I mixed that up in the soap dispenser the same way, gave it a shot. A little better than the car wash soap, but still not what I was hoping for. The foam was still kinda thin, and I had to get real close to the furniture to see any real cleaning action.

Then I got a little crazy. I know, I know, dish soap isn’t really made for power washers. But I was curious! So I put a little bit (and I mean little) of dish soap in the dispenser, diluted it way down with water. And boom! Suds city! It foamed up like crazy, almost too much. The problem? It rinsed off super fast, and I was worried about leaving residue behind.

The "Aha!" Moment (Almost)

After that, I decided to look for actual power washer soap. Headed to the hardware store, picked up a jug of soap specifically designed for power washers. Figured this would be the magic bullet, right?

Got home, filled up the soap dispenser with the power washer soap concentrate, adjusted the nozzle for the right pressure, and started spraying. It was better! The foam was thicker, it clung to the surfaces longer, and it seemed to lift the dirt away easier. But…it still wasn’t perfect. I felt like I was using a ton of soap to get the job done.

My Messy Conclusion

So, here’s where I’m at. Using proper power washer soap definitely makes a difference. But, and this is a big but, I think the key is really finding the right dilution ratio and nozzle setting for your power washer and your specific cleaning job. I’m still experimenting with that. Also, rinsing thoroughly is super important, especially if you’re using something that suds up a lot.

• Car wash soap: Okay, but kinda weak.
• General purpose cleaner: A little better, but not great.
• Dish soap: Too foamy, risky residue.
• Power washer soap: The best so far, but still needs tweaking.

My next step? I’m gonna try a foam cannon. I've heard those things are amazing for creating thick, clinging foam. Stay tuned for the next update!