Unpopular opinion: You don't need to spend $500 on a patio cleaner attachment

I've been pressure washing for 10 years, and last month I finally tried something different on my own backyard pour. Instead of buying that fancy $200 rotary surface cleaner, I just used a 3 inch wide flat nozzle and worked in slow, overlapping passes. My concrete was covered in 8 years of moss and algae from the Pacific Northwest rain. Spent about 2 hours total, same as a normal job, but the lines were way cleaner with zero swirl marks. The key I figured out is keeping the tip exactly 2 inches off the surface and moving at a steady walking pace. Anyone else have luck skipping the expensive attachments?

3 comments

3 Comments

markh8522d ago

Did you try the 15 degree tip instead? That's what I've been using.

the_wesley22d ago

Gotta push back a little on this one. The flat nozzle method works fine for small jobs but it's not the same as a rotary for a big driveway or patio. I've seen guys try that slow overlap trick and they end up with uneven cleaning and missed spots because your arm gets tired and you start drifting. That 2 inch height thing is nice in theory but hard to keep consistent for two hours straight. A $200 surface cleaner pays for itself in time saved on the first big job. Plus the way it keeps the water from splashing back on you is worth something too. Different tools for different jobs is all I'm saying.

thomas_torres22d ago

Start pacing that tip at exactly 2 inches and you'll see the difference. It reminds me of how people always think they need the newest phone or the fanciest kitchen gadget when the old one works fine if you just take the time to learn it right. I've noticed this whole pattern where we buy expensive stuff to skip the learning curve (kinda like buying a digital camera and expecting pro photos without studying composition). Your slow overlap method is the same as my dad teaching me to sharpen a lawnmower blade by hand instead of buying a new one every season. The real trick is just getting the basics down perfectly, not throwing money at the problem.