Power washing and pressure cleaning are often used interchangeably, but there are different types of pressure cleaners that have different purposes. Most of us have seen the typical power washing equipment used to remove graffiti, clean up driveways and sidewalks, or to bring colour back to aluminium or vinyl siding and fences, but this type of pressure cleaner is often complemented with surface cleaning equipment as well.
What’s the difference between a traditional pressure cleaner and a purpose-built surface cleaner?
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Shape and Handling
Most surface cleaners look like a large disc with a long forked handle (for two hands to hold it on either side of the body), about 50cm in diameter. Rather than spraying from a single focussed nozzle as with pressure cleaners, surface cleaners use a rotating bar with two nozzles not dissimilar from how a dishwasher operates.
In terms of handling, surface cleaners operate a little like commercial floor waxers. Slow, sweeping motions back and forth with the equipment allows everything inside of the disc to be subjected to intense water pressure, which provides a uniformly clean surface as the machine makes its passes.
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Applications
Pressure cleaners can be used for just about any job residentially and for most commercial business applications as well. Industrial-grade equipment with adjustable nozzles and pressure settings allow users to clean anything from concrete driveways to windows (with care, of course).
Surface cleaners, as their name implies, are only to be used for cleaning floors and ground-level surfaces. When compared to pressure washers, however, surface cleaners can achieve a more thorough clean in a shorter time due to their wide diameter and surface area.
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Quality of Cleaning
With the right equipment and technique, all pressure washing equipment is capable of achieving a perfectly good quality of cleaning for just about any surface. Pressure washers are at a slight disadvantage for flat surfaces, however.
Since pressure washers are held in the hand at a distance from the surface, minute variations in this distance will affect the amount of pressure given to larger surfaces over time. Even with a steady hand, driveways and walking paths won’t come out perfectly uniform.
Surface cleaners, on the other hand, are always at a uniform distance from the surface, with predictable uniformity as the result. If you’re trying to get a uniformly clean driveway, nothing beats a good surface cleaner.
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Ergonomics and Safety
There are plenty of dangers associated with pressure washing. Traditional pressure washers, even when used properly, may create lots of lower back strain when working on large areas. This is why surface cleaners are so useful. With ergonomic movements and the ability to cover large areas with ease, surface cleaners are preferable over pressure washers for these types of applications.
Pressure Cleaning Sydney
Whether you’re looking to have your home driveway and property pressure cleaned or your business is in need of a fresh, clean look, contact Pressure Cleaning Sydney. Our pressure cleaning experts have the tools and expertise to get all sorts of surfaces squeaky clean.