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9 Pressure Washer Attachments: Which Do You Actually Need?

pressure washing the driveway

pressure washer

The pressure washer is an effective and efficient tool in itself, but with the addition of one or more attachments, it offers even further benefit.

If you use your pressure washer to wash a flat pavement or patio, or relatively low walls on your house, you won’t need any additional pressure, the addition of soap and detergent to the mix, or other features. As such, you are unlikely to need any extra attachments.

On the other hand, if you want to wash the exterior of your entire house or you want to use your Ryobi pressure washer to soap up the car, you could benefit from one of the following 9 pressure washer attachments.

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1. Surface Cleaner

A surface cleaner has the single goal of making it easier to clean larger areas, more quickly. The simple attachment is available for a few dollars, although the better-quality ones will evenly disperse the water and tend to be more durable and easier to attach and detach. All these devices are basically the same, however, and are essentially just a disk-shaped attachment that fits on the end of the wand.

The size of the surface cleaner head determines how much space the sprayer will cover, but if you choose one that is too big for the pressure of your washer, it will not clear dirt and debris away effectively. Don’t get carried away with head size.


2. Water Broom

The water broom is similar to a surface cleaner. It has a pair of wheels and three spray nozzles, which means that the water will cover a greater area. The wheels are beneficial because they reduce user fatigue from having to hold the wand. They also make it possible to roll the wand head and sprayer under vehicles and other low surfaces to clean underneath.


3. Turbo Nozzle

A standard nozzle is a 0° nozzle, which means that the water is fired straight out of the front of the sprayer. It will clean what is directly in front of the nozzle, but nothing more. This setup gives the standard nozzle plenty of pressure and power. A turbo nozzle does not increase the spray arc, but it does rotate, which means that it gives you the coverage of a 25° nozzle while retaining the pressure of a 0° head. It makes shorter work of dirty surfaces without leaving streaks and dirty patches behind.


4. Adjustable Soap Cannon

Your pressure washer probably included a soap dispensing nozzle. These nozzles are lower pressure than standard nozzles, which allows for the thicker mix of water and detergent to pass through without being fired too far or too wildly. The soap gun or foam gun is a pressure washer attachment that mixes water with detergent by applying highly pressurized water via the pressure washer.

There is some debate whether this is more beneficial than simply applying detergent, but soap guns certainly have an impact and some people do swear by them. If you’re a regular car washer, then this is a useful tool, especially if your vehicle gets caked in mud and dirt.

An adjustable model lets you choose the pressure at which you wash, and it will let you alternate between soapy, detergent-filled water, and clean water to wash it away.


5. Wand Extension

Most wands extend a few feet from the trigger: just far enough to reach the ground or to reach a wall in front of you as you hold the device out. The length of the wand not only impacts how far you can reach but also has a direct impact on the pressure of the water as it is ejected from the nozzle. A longer wand reduces the eventual pressure. With that said, a basic wand extension is useful if access to the surface you’re trying to clean is limited.

Ideal for washing windows and cleaning taller buildings. this basic attachment can add a few extra feet to the length of the hose and shouldn’t negatively impact the pressure of the water too badly.


6. Telescopic Spray Wand

Telescopic spray wands do a similar job to the wand extension but they offer a much greater reach. When fully extended, some of these wands can reach 25 feet or further, although this may have a noticeable impact on the pressure of the water from the gun. It can still be useful to clean windows in the upstairs of a property, though.


7. Pivoting Nozzle

Another way to improve the range of access you can enjoy is with a pivoting nozzle. This can be turned and rotated and is useful if you want to clean the underside of a car. Another use for this type of nozzle is on the end of a wand extension. By the time the wand reaches 20 feet away, you can’t get enough clearance to be able to fire the water at the area you want to spray. With a pivoting nozzle, you can achieve the direction of spray you want.


8. Pressure Control Valve

Ryobi Pressure Washer Flow Control Valve
Image Credit: Amazon

A pressure washer typically operates at a single level of pressure, although some washers do have variable settings or a graded trigger. However, not all jobs benefit from the maximum amount of pressure available. Washing the car takes a gentler approach than clearing moss from the patio slabs, for example. The pressure of one of these devices can range from 1,600 to 3,300 PSI.


9. 5-in-1 Nozzle

The ROP Shop New 5-in-1 Spray Nozzle
Image Credit: Amazon

In the same way that a single pressure isn’t the best choice for all pressure washer jobs, the same spray pattern won’t give the best results in all circumstances either. A 5-in-1 nozzle lets you quickly and easily switch between different settings and patterns, without having to completely replace and change the nozzle you use. Choose between settings that cover a large area with less pressure or less area with high pressure.

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Choosing Pressure Washer Attachments

Pressure washer attachments can enhance and improve the way that you use your pressure washer. They can be used to improve your reach and access, give you greater control, and to enhance the different ways in which you can use the washer. Choose according to the type of pressure washer tasks you undertake and the pressure washer and attachments you already have.

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Featured Image Credit: Virrage Images, Shutterstock

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