Offering power washing, or pressure washing, services can be a good source of extra income. Many will welcome your services as they do their spring cleaning or get their homes and yards ready for sale or summer barbeques.

Retail stores, banks, office buildings, and other establishments regularly use power washing to keep their outdoor areas spruced up for their customers. These clients can be very lucrative, providing you with repeat business several times per year.

What is a Power Washer?

A power washer is a machine that sprays water under pressure to clean driveways, sidewalks, sides of houses or other buildings, and more. Power washers can often remove stains, dirt, and mildew left behind by other cleaning methods, so outdoor areas look clean and refreshed.

Services You Can Offer

You can provide your clients an array of services.

Consider these different ways that you can make money with your power washer:

✓ Driveways – Quickly remove stains and other types of debris.

✓ Patios – Get rid of the dirt from winter storms or spruce up a patio for outdoor parties.

✓ Gutters – You can clean the gutters of a home or one-story business when you have the extension or telescope wand accessory for your pressure washer. This will allow you to get the inside and outside of the gutters as clean as possible, even removing leaves that have become stuck over time.

✓ Outdoor Furniture – Cleaning outdoor furniture is a breeze with a power washer. For best results, keep the pressurized water quickly moving across the furniture so it doesn’t damage it.

✓ Grills – Get the grime off of barbeque grills in preparation for parties or to clean them before covering them for the winter. The power washer makes it easy.

✓ Decks –It won’t take you much time to make small or large decks look great.

✓ Siding – Make the siding of homes and other buildings look like new again with a power wash clean.

✓ Sidewalks– A power washer is excellent for cleaning off sidewalks. The dirt and grime that gets embedded in them over time darkens the cement. Your pressure washer can easily clean and brighten the concrete.

✓ Boats – A power washer is especially good for cleaning boats.

✓ Vehicles – Cleaning vehicles is also a breeze with your pressure washer.

Getting Started

Starting your power washer business will be an exciting adventure.

Follow these steps to get started:

1. Check for license or certificate requirements. Some areas require a business license or registration with the local water supply company.

2. Make space in your home office with a desk and filing cabinet. Keep all important papers, contracts, and receipts related to your business together in your filing cabinet from the outset.. You’ll probably want to store your equipment in your garage. Set up your home office with a desk and filing cabinet. Keep all important papers, contracts, and receipts related to your business together in your filing cabinet from the outset.

3. Develop a list of services that you’ll offer to your clients. Determine your prices with some research into what local companies are charging for similar services.

4. Acquire promotional materials. Have business cards and flyers printed or make them yourself on your computer. Be sure to include all your contact information.

5. Make a contact list. Include friends, family, neighbors, and local businesses that might be interested in your services.

6. Buy a pressure washer and supplies. Get the proper equipment for the types of services that you’re offering. Shop around for the best prices.

7. Learn how to use your equipment. Using a power washer will take some time to get used to. Read the directions thoroughly and practice your technique.

Equipment and Supplies

Equipment and Supplies

Prices for power washers will depend on several different factors. The size, shape, and model that you decide to purchase will determine your price. An average price for a pressure washer is $120. An extra washer will run another $15.

Accessories

These accessories will make your job easier, give you a great edge, and allow you to offer more services:

✓ A good long washer. A 50 foot washer is the size that most people get. There are 25 foot washers for smaller jobs, and it will be handy to have one of each for the ultimate performance.

✓ Wand. The wand is the part that goes on the end of the washer in order to clean certain surfaces.

✓ Gutter cleaner. The gutter cleaner will come in handy for you. You’ll be able to get the gutters uncluttered so they drain properly.

✓ Dirt blaster. The dirt blaster goes on the end of the wand and rotates to clean surfaces better.

✓ Telescope or extension wand. The telescope or extension wand will allow you to clean surfaces that are located higher up on the house or business that you’re cleaning. It’s a good idea to have one of these so that you’ll be able to get the most use out of your power washer.

✓ Rotating nozzles. Rotating nozzles allow you to clean surfaces quickly. When there are two nozzles rotating at a time, you’ll be able to clean bigger surfaces.

Tips for Using a Pressure Washer

You’ll want to get the surfaces for your clients as clean as possible without causing damage.

For best results, follow these tips:

1. Test. Always test-spray a part of the surface that you’re cleaning. There are several different sized washers, and testing will allow you to find the one that will work the best for your situation

2. Spray from the bottom up on vertical surfaces. Rinse from the top of the surface down for the maximum cleaning effect.

3. Use a wider nozzle. The smaller one may damage the surface area of what you are trying to clean

4. Keep the washer moving. Because of the pressure, the water can cut into the surface if you keep it in one spot.

5. Keep your distance. To avoid damaging the surface you’re cleaning, position yourself a short distance away and hold the power washer nozzle at an angle from the surface.

6. Store your equipment properly. For greater safety, efficiency, and to keep your pressure washer and accessories working properly, it’s important to follow the directions when putting away your equipment.

A Few Words of Caution

Remember that a power washer is a machine. It has to be used properly in order to operate correctly. Children should not be permitted to use it nor be around it because they can be injured.  

Cleaning the power washer properly is also necessary, so it’s important to pay attention to the information that is given with the model you purchase. This can make a huge difference in how it continues to operate. Take care of it well and it will last a long time for you.

Tips for Success

1. Ask for referrals before you leave. An opportune time to ask for referrals is right after you finish a job and the customer sees your excellent results.

2. Leave your business card. Always leave your business card so that clients can contact you for repeat business and also recommend you to others. Word of mouth is an excellent way to acquire more business.

3. Market your business online and offline. Make use of every venue you can to let others know about your services.

✓ Use Wordpress software – free at wordpress.org – to put up an attractive website with your contact information, services, before-and-after pictures of some of your jobs, and good reviews from your customers.

✓ Use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to spread the word about your services and let your customers and clients know when you’re running specials.

✓ Arrange with business owners to leave your flyers at local businesses frequented by those who might be interested in your services.

✓ Call or visit local businesses and chat with the owners about how nice you can make their outdoor areas look. Make a portfolio of before-and-after pictures of some of your jobs and take it with you to show the owners what you can do for them.

✓ Contract your services for repeat business. Get local businesses to sign a contract for you to come several times a year. Make some premium packages for those who want the very best.

✓ You’ll show professionalism, pride in your business, and increase your profits.

✓ Schedule clients appropriately. Line up your clients so that you can complete their jobs in a reasonable amount of time. Avoid overbooking yourself because you want to ensure that you keep your clients happy.

If working outdoors appeals to you, you just might want to try setting up a power washing business. You’ll make money from both homeowners and business owners from offering these valuable services.

~Go forth and prosper, CJ Wallace