A Prissy Girl’s Guide to Power Washing

7 Tips for Chicks to Pressure Wash Their House

People who meet me, but don’t really know me, are always surprised to discover what a tomboy I am. I can hammer, paint and pressure wash with the guys any day.

Those who do know me, aren’t surprised I just couldn’t wait another day to remove the green moss and black “goo” that was built up on the new house.

While the front and half of each side are a beautiful brick, the back half of the sides and all across the back are sided in what should have been white.

I know right? Hardly white…

I’ll tell you, there are a few things I learned about pressure washing the hard way.

My first attempt at power washing was in early April. Pops and I had to power wash my historic home. We were getting ready to put in on the market and that was the last thing left on my mile long “TO DO” list.

We did a pretty decent job right? For a house built in 1908, it was pretty darn…pretty!

That was my first attempt at pressure washing.

Pops had hurt his back and that left yours truly to try to do it under his supervision  one afternoon when it was supposed to be “nice” weather.

Let me clarify by saying, April in the Midwest, can be a little more than chilly. So “nice weather” still meant in the 40s.

And power washing such a tall house with three different porches and patios takes time… Time means the water gets colder and colder and colder. All while the temperature is dropping.

This is how I learned the first lesson.

Lesson #1: Pick a warm day to power wash

We didn’t. I was just out of time since we wanted to get our house on the market in late April so we could get this posse moved north by the end of August.

I was soaked down to my pretty little Victoria’s Secret unmentionables.

My sneakers were so muddy and water-logged they actually mildewed before they dried.

It took all the hot water in the tank for me to shower long enough to be warm again.

So this time around, we picked a hot, sunny, blue sky Michigan day…

Lesson #2: Shoes matter

No more loosing my favorite running shoes to mildew…

I broke out the Mary Jane Crocs. They can be easily washed in the sink in the laundry room.

As a side note, if you are a “tan in a can” kind of girl like me, yeah for you!

No worries of skin cancer in later years. But the over spray from pressure washing will destroy your pretty tan… So wait to spray until after you power wash.

Lesson #3: Wear sunglasses and pull your hair up

Whip your hair up in a messy but cute bun, and throw on your biggest sunglasses.

Sure the macho guys that do this all the time may make fun of you but who cares?

The dirt and water that rains down on you is nuts!

Lesson #4: Have a wheel man (or woman)

Pops was my wheel man. As I was working my way around the house, he was pulling the pressure washer and hoses for me.

And refilling the gas tank on the pressure washer. Like using power saws, no one in my crew trusts me with this task.

Lesson #5: Cover plants and move furniture

Because the yard of this house had been neglected so long before we bought it, the plants in the borders were mostly dead already. Boo hoo.

But we did move the furniture away from the reach of the water.

Lesson #6: Hang on tight

They call it “power” washing for a reason, gals…

Hang on to that sprayer with both hands.

I’m not a very big person, and there were a few times I thought the hose might just lift me off the ground

And make sure you and your wing man keep the hose from tangling around your feet.

Along these same lines, watch what you spray.

One of the pretty little birds on the fountain I got when my little southern grandma passed on, lost his beak to my attempt at power washing him clean.

Lesson #7: Stand to the side as you work

I’m fairly convinced a gal on the shorter side— like yours truly — could actually drown from all that water…

If you step to the side though, you avoid a lot of the spray. Not all of it, but enough that you don’t feel like you will need CPR to survive.

Which leads me to the next tip…

Lesson #7: Start at the bottom and work side to side as you clean

Can you believe how well these babies clean? That green was just gone with a few swipes!

We follow the experts advice and start at the bottom…work side to side… all the way to the top.

The final result? Glad you asked!

Our House AFTER Power Washing

(The right corner of the photo above is the fountain with the “beak-less” bird…)

If you are remodeling or renovating a house and feeling like you aren’t making any progress, this is an instant gratification project that may make you feel better…

After a long, hot shower and a quick spray tan!

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XO

Shelley

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