What else can I use a pressure washer for?

You bought a pressure washer¹ for your car, and now this powerful machine is just sitting in your garage. You feel like you're not getting your money's worth out of this expensive tool.

A pressure washer¹’s use extends far beyond cars. Depending on its pressure level, it can be used for gentle garden watering², medium-pressure rinsing³ of patios and kitchens, or high-pressure deep cleaning⁴ of stubborn grime⁵, moss, and siding.

When people hear "pressure washer¹," they usually picture one specific, powerful machine. But in my 15 years of manufacturing cleaning tools⁶, I've learned the term is much broader. The real question isn't just what you can clean, but which tool is right for the job. We produce a whole range of products, from simple garden hose nozzle⁷s to powerful 3000 PSI washers. Using the wrong one can be ineffective at best and destructive at worst. Understanding the different pressure tiers⁸ is the key to unlocking a world of cleaning possibilities around your home, so let's explore what each type is designed for.

Is a pressure washer safe for watering my garden?

You have a powerful cleaning tool, but your delicate flowers and vegetable plants need a gentle touch. You're worried that one wrong move with a pressure washer could shred your entire garden.

No, you should never use a high-pressure washer⁹r](https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/pressure-washer-buying-guide/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90befdde0a)%%%FOOTNOTE_REF_1%%% on plants. Instead, use a low-pressure garden hose nozzle⁷. These tools offer multiple spray patterns, like shower or mist, designed to water plants safely and effectively without causing any damage.

This is the very first tier of "pressure washing," though we usually just call them garden spray guns. These tools don't use a motor to generate high pressure; they rely solely on your home's standard water pressure. As a manufacturer, we design these nozzles with versatility in mind. The goal isn't to blast anything, but to control the flow of water for specific gardening tasks. You can switch from a wide, gentle shower for watering flowerbeds to a more focused stream for reaching hanging baskets. The core idea is control, not force. Using a true high-pressure washer on your garden would be a disaster, instantly destroying leaves and blossoms. So, for all your gardening needs, a simple, multi-pattern hose nozzle is the correct and only safe tool for the job.

Common Garden Nozzle Patterns

How can I rinse large areas like a patio quickly?

Your patio, driveway, or even your large kitchen floor is covered in dirt and sludge. A high-pressure washer⁹r](https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/pressure-washer-buying-guide/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90befdde0a)%%%FOOTNOTE_REF_1%%% seems like overkill and just blasts the mess everywhere, but a simple hose isn't enough.

For rinsing large surfaces, a medium-pressure, high-volume washer¹⁰ is ideal. A tool around 350 PSI provides enough force to dislodge dirt without being destructive, while its high water flow¹¹ efficiently washes the debris away.

This is a category of cleaning tool people often overlook. It sits between a garden hose and a high-pressure washer⁹r](https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/pressure-washer-buying-guide/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90befdde0a)%%%FOOTNOTE_REF_1%%%. I've seen many customers make the mistake of thinking more pressure is always better for cleaning a patio. In reality, for loose dirt, mud, and general grime, water volume is more important than water pressure. Think of it like a river—a large, slow-moving river can carry away far more sediment than a tiny, fast-moving stream. These medium-pressure tools are designed on that principle. They have a slightly larger nozzle opening than high-pressure machines, which allows for greater water flow¹¹. This flow is perfect for herding dirt off a driveway, rinsing down a commercial kitchen floor, or washing out a muddy garage without the risk of etching concrete or blasting grout out from between tiles.

When do I need a true high-pressure washer⁹r](https://www.homedepot.com/c/ab/pressure-washer-buying-guide/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90befdde0a)%%%FOOTNOTE_REF_1%%%?

You're facing tough, caked-on grime, stubborn green moss on your pavers, or peeling paint on a fence you want to refinish. You know a regular hose won't make a dent in it.

You need a high-pressure washer, from 800 to 3000 PSI, for challenging cleaning tasks. Its intense, focused stream is necessary for stripping away tough materials like moss, algae, deep-set dirt, and old paint.

This is where the real power comes into play. High-pressure washer¹s achieve their immense force through a simple but effective design: a powerful motor pressurizes the water, which is then forced through a very small nozzle orifice, typically between 0.8mm and 1.2mm. This tiny opening concentrates all that force into a razor-thin, powerful jet of water. It’s this concentration of power that allows it to act like a chisel, blasting away things that have bonded to a surface. This is the tool you bring out for the most difficult jobs: removing years of built-up grime from a concrete driveway, cleaning stubborn green algae from the north side of your house, or preparing a wooden deck for re-staining. It's a specialized tool for when nothing else is strong enough.

Conclusion

The term "pressure washer¹" covers a range of tools. Matching the pressure level—low for gardens, medium for rinsing, or high for deep cleaning—to your task is key to effective and safe cleaning.