If you’ve been using a pressure washer for some time now, you’ll probably agree that pressure washer detergent can be quite expensive. You may have wondered whether you can create your own detergent to do the same job, and the good news is that you can. Pressure washer detergent is necessary for shifting really stubborn grime, and this means you cannot just use any type of detergent. You want something that can be used to remove permanent stains, and also one that works to prevent long term issues with mold or lichen. So to save money and get effective cleaning results, you can make your own detergent, but you need to make sure that you follow the necessary steps if you’re to make a successful product, and not just something that looks or smells the part.
Materials Required
- Standard laundry powder (100ml)
- General household cleaner powder, or soda powder (200ml)
- Bleach 1 litre
- Water 5 litres
- Large bucket or bin
- Safety goggles, gloves, and face mask
- Baton or spoon for stirring
- Funnel
Step One – Combine Powders
The first step on making your own detergent is mixing the powdered detergents. You need about 100ml of powdered laundry soap plus around 200ml of the household cleaner powder. Stir the mixture thoroughly, and leave overnight. Once the mixture has settled, you need to transfer it to a larger bucket if the container you are using currently is small. Once you do this, it’s time to wear protective gear, such as goggles, gloves and face mask.
Step Two – Bleach and Water
You will need to add a litre of liquid bleach together with around 5 litres of water to. Begin to slowly add the powder elements from the previous step, ensuring that the mixture is well stirred as you do so. Make sure that the contents don’t settle as you pour them in, keep on stirring the mixture until it is properly blended. Try to be consistent with the speed at which you stir the mixture, and avoid allowing soap suds to form, if they do you’ll once again need to allow the mixture to settle before proceeding to the next step.
Final Step – Use your Detergent
Once the mixture is ready, all you need to do is put in in your pressure washer and get cracking. Before you can use the detergent, be sure to cover any vulnerable and critical surfaces (such as prize plants!), so as to prevent any damage by the bleach. Once you’ve applied the detergent on the surface you want to clean, it’s best to throw a bucket of water over it to wash off any excess grime and detergent.
And that’s it! If you don’t finish using all the detergent after use, make sure that you properly store it for use in the near future. Keep it safe from easy access by other people – especially small children, and be sure to label the container accordingly. Before you use the detergent again, stir it gently so as to get all contents back together, and you should find it performs just as well, if not better than the commercially available equivalent.
