Car washers aren't there to look pretty (although an attractive design is always welcome). They have a job to do, cleaning grit and grime from your car with only a minimum of effort from you. Yet pressure car washers can also be highly effective cleaning other things too.
First, the Jargon
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Pressure. Measured in bars, the higher the rating the more force in the pressurized water jet for dislodging stubborn dirt. Choose your washer pressure from 100 to 160 bars.
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Power. Measured in watts, a higher rating means your pressure washer will consume more electricity, but will also more easily deliver full rated water pressure.Car washers can range from 1400 to 4000 watts power rating.
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Flow. Measured in litres per hour, higher numbers mean there’ll be more water to carry away the dirt, but power consumption will also go up in parallel. Can range from 300 to 800 litres/hour.
Multiple Uses
A high pressure water jet can also clean barbecues, rubbish containers, bicycles, boats, fences, swimming pools, brickwork and concrete driveways. 100 bars may be enough for a barbecue set, but by the time you graduate to concrete driveways, 130 bars may be more realistic.realistic. Karcher and Bosch offer models going up to 160 bars.
Portability and Flexibility
Robust wheels and solid handles are a boon for moving your car washer around, especially for higher specification models that tend to also to be heavier. Alternatively, choose a lighter model from Skil for example. Flexible pressure delivery means being able to adjust the force of the water jet to avoid damage when you’re washing less robust articles.
Car Washer Accessories
How about automatically cleaning your car with detergent at the same time as water? A detergent injector provided as standard could be just the thing. Longer pressure hoses let you avoid having to move the washer around too often. Variable pressure lances, 90-degree nozzles for hard-to-reach places, and integrated cleaning brushes can all be useful.
Safety First!
With their cleaning power, car washers also require safe handling (never point the water jet at anybody, for example). A large, easy-to-operate on/off switch is a good safety feature. And car washers with storage space for all their accessories are a good idea too. That way you won’t have to leave your pressure washer unattended while you look for that special pressure attachment.
