Thanks to Ryobi Outdoors for partnering with me to bring you this pressure washing post. I never even realized our exterior spaces were so dirty. And I’m not referring to a little brown dirt. I’m talking about mold, slime, furry green moss things growing where they definitely should not be growing. I’m so embarrassed to even show these before and after comparison photos but they are proof that pressure washing makes a difference.
Make a huge difference in your outdoor spaces with pressure washing. Once you start you will want to pressure wash all the things!
Just look at how green, slimy and moldy the left side of the step was in the photo above! I cannot even believe I let my home’s exterior get so gross. Today I’m sharing how I made a massive difference to our exterior spaces using a pressure washer.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Let’s start on the lower level exterior wall which is stucco. Using the foam blaster attachment I pressure washed the stucco. This attachment would also would be great for washing your car.
First let me show you the pressure washer I’m using. It’s a Ryobi 3100 PSI Gas Pressure Washer and it’s amazing.
It does run off of gasoline but Ryobi makes many pressure washer models so if you want a plug-in pressure washer that is also an option. However, the gas operated pressure washers are definitely going to give you more power and if you have heavy debris, thick mold and dirt it’s worth considering the higher PSI pressure washers. All that force makes for super quick cleaning.
Exterior areas to tackle:
- driveway
- deck
- windows
- walls
- patio
- concrete steps
Check out this before and after of our stucco wall below:
Again I’m hanging my head in shame with the realization our poor house was so dirty.
Fresh out of the box the Ryobi 3100 gas pressure washer comes with all the necessary parts you see below (except the red gasoline can).
Simply follow the easy set up instructions and you’ll be ready to pressure wash in about 20 minutes.
After I finished the stucco wall I went to work on our wood deck. This pressure washer is equipped with a 5-in-1 quick-connect nozzle so you can alter the spray pattern to fit your surface. For the wood deck I suggest the 40 degree wide pattern.
Then just sweep across the deck boards and you will be amazed at the difference!
All that dirt, mold and green goop is super slippery when wet so this deck was a serious safety issue. It’s worth noting the Ryobi 3100 gas pressure washer does come with an on-board detergent tank so you can use soap while washing if desired.
I opted to pressure wash the deck without soap because this deck wraps around our pool and all that excess soap going into the pool water probably isn’t a good idea.
Even with water alone you can see the fierce power of the pressure washer. It really gets into the grain of the wood and removes all that caked in dirt and debris. Below is a good before and after photo of the pool deck:
My kids used to slip and fall continuously around the pool but now with the wood deck clean everyone is safe.
If you haven’t already gathered I am now a pressure washing addict. Once you get going it’s so hard to stop! I want to pressure wash all the surfaces.
So I tackled our front patio:
Honestly I never realized it was almost blackened with dirt and grime, so unappealing.
The difference is like night and day. These photos have not been altered, this is exactly how they came off my camera.
I saved the biggest and worst area for last. Our back patio takes quite a beating with a huge tree hanging above providing constant shade. I opted to attach the surface cleaner head to the pressure washer and below are the results:
Oh my stars it’s so gorgeous I don’t want to put the patio furniture back! The surface cleaner is very easy to operate, my only wish is the pole was a bit longer but it’s very similar to vacuuming. The power and force of the water is spread around versus the very precise nozzle so it’s perfect for large flat areas like our patio.
One last little spot I almost forgot to include, the front steps:
The side of the steps before looked terrible, like ‘I want to replace those steps’ it’s that bad but after a few minutes with the pressure washer it’s all good as new again.
I couldn’t be happier with the Ryobi 3100 PSI gas pressure washer and I would highly recommend it to anyone with multiple larger surface areas to clean.
Be sure to check out the outdoor equipment, tools and project ideas at the Ryobi Landscapes page here. You’ll find inspiration, tips and how-tos to easily boost your home’s curb appeal.
We can now enjoy all our outdoor spaces even more so because they are clean and free of dirt and debris. If you need me I’ll be putting the patio furniture back where it belongs except this time on top of clean, pretty bluestone.
Addictive, isn't it! I get started and don't want to stop. Crazy results.
Glad I'm not the only one!
Amazing difference!
Agree!! Maybe it's a good thing I let it get soooo dirty and slimy first 😉 – makes my afters photos look more dramatic that's for sure.
You did a great job on this project! Thank you for the crisp before and after pictures. We use solely Ryobi pressure washing equipment and love to see it being put to good use. We believe its the best brand for lots of different surface areas, in both the residential and commercial space. Appreciate the post!