A strong pressure washer can remove unsightly peeling paint.
Pressure washing exterior painting can be tricky -- too many pounds per square inch of pressure, and you risk tearing the paint from its surface; too few psi, and dirt won't budge. No matter how many layers of paint or how fresh the coat is, never use more than 1,800 psi if you want to keep the paint intact. If you are removing cracked or peeling paint, a power washer with more than 2,000 psi will usually get the job done. The method is the same for both purposes. The psi holds the key to whether you will have clean paint or no paint left on your exterior.
Instructions
1. Clear lawn furniture, potted plants and other movable objects from the area immediately surrounding the exterior that's about to be washed.
2. Douse immobile plants, bushes and flowers with lukewarm water to prevent detergent and paint flakes from sticking to them once pressure washing has begun.
3. Affix a hose to the pressure washer. Leave the spigot off.
4. Fill the detergent tank with soap if you are using the pressure washer to clean a painted surface. If you are using the pressure washer to remove paint, no soap is necessary. Some pressure washers do not have detergent tanks. Instead, they have a special nozzle for applying soap. If the pressure washer does not have a detergent tank, affix the soap nozzle to the pressure washer and ensure its detergent tube is fully immersed.
5. Turn the water spigot on. Start the pressure washer by following the manufacturer's instructions. Some pressure washers have a pull cord similar to the pull cord on a lawn mower, while others have a simple switch.
6. Squeeze the trigger on the nozzle. If you are using soap, hold the trigger down until you see soap coming from the nozzle to ensure the pressure washer is working properly.
7. Spray the painted surface, using even, sweeping motions. Begin spraying at the bottom of the surface. Spraying from the bottom and working your way up will prevent dirty water from streaking through unwashed areas. If you are removing paint, starting at the bottom will prevent paint flakes from sticking to dry surfaces, which may be difficult to clean later.
8. Remove the source of soap and squeeze the trigger on the nozzle until the water runs clear. Rinse each section of the project as soon as you reach the uppermost area you are spraying to prevent soap from drying on the surface. Dried soap is more difficult to remove than wet soap.
9. Sweep the spray of water across the washed area, starting at the top. Spray rinse water until soap bubbles are no longer visible; move down the painted surface until you have reached the bottom.
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