In recent years more and more home and business owners have discovered pressure washing and begun using it to clean aspects of their property that used to be uncleanable. Grimey driveways, mold-covered walkways, cladding and other things that used to resist cleaning have succumbed to the power of the pressure wash. But as its popularity has increased so have questions about whether it poses any danger to people, plants and resources and, if so, is there an eco-friendly way to carry out a power wash? That’s exactly what we’ll look at in this guide.
The Impact of a Standard Power Wash on the Environment
Before we go too far let’s first discuss what risks, if any, a standard power wash poses to the environment. The environmental issues raised by using a power washer mostly involve water and electricity usage. There is also the popular argument that runoff from the washing process poisons the surrounding soil and even the local water supply.
The truth is there has not been a single scientific study linking this type of cleaning with poisoned groundwater (not 1), nor have there been any negative health effects linked directly to the power washer. By contrast, rain poses a significant risk to health and water security because it brings countless airborne pollutants down to earth. Also, street cleaning machines produce a type of runoff many times more noxious than any pressure wash and on a scale that dwarfs what power washers produce.
That said, the issues of excessive water and power usage have some merit and anything that can be done to reduce any type of runoff is no doubt a good thing. So let’s examine whether eco-friendly high-pressure cleaning is even possible.
What Constitutes Eco-friendly Pressure Washing
The environment has been on everyone’s mind lately and rightfully so. We only have 1 earth and we need to do a better job taking care of it. In recent years everything has been put under the environmental microscope, including the power washer. We outlined the alleged environmental issues with this type of cleaning above. So below we’ll look at what constitutes eco-friendly high-pressure cleaning.
Characteristics of an eco-friendly power wash are…
- Reduced water consumption
- Reduced energy usage
- Refined practices that minimize runoff
- The use of biodegradable detergents
There is no doubt that the new generation of pressure washers use less water, but exactly how much less typically depends on the skills of the technician operating the device. Some know how to make the most of the more water-efficient equipment, while others might overcompensate for less water coming out the nozzle by taking longer to clean the surface, ultimately using as much water as they would have if they’d worked faster with a less efficient machine.
“With the efficacy and speed of pressure washing tools, it uses less water to power wash any surface than it uses when replicating the same action with a water hose. For example, if you intend to clean a patio and your other alternative is a garden hose, using pressure washing will allow you to use about 70% to 75% less water.”
Blue & Green Tomorrow
Reduced energy usage
Virtually every type of electronic device has benefitted from greater energy efficiency in recent years and the latest iterations of the pressure washer are no exception. In order to take full advantage of this greater efficiency the technician needs to be properly trained, else they may run the machine longer to achieve the same level of clean they used to achieve with older machines. And that extra running time will negate any advances in energy efficiency.
Refined practices
It is a fair question to ask if eco-friendly methods of high pressure cleaning reduce the effectiveness of the process. The answer is that some new eco-friendly pressure cleaning devices don’t work as well as their traditional counterparts. Others, however, do and whether any environmental benefits are to be gained from those devices again depends almost entirely on the technician being properly trained in the most effective way to operate the machine.
Biodegradable detergents
One of the most talked about benefits of eco-friendly high-pressure cleaning is that it features biodegradable detergents. And while that sounds great the fact is Majestic Windows has always strived to use only the most environmentally friendly, biodegradable detergents and to limit the use of whatever detergents we use. These detergents are as good as their predecessors at cutting through grime while minimizing any impact on the surrounding soil.
The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Power Washing
While eco-friendly high-powered washing outside seems like a revolutionary development, it has actually been occurring incrementally over the past several years as machines get more energy efficient with each new model, the amount of water needed is gradually reduced and the use of biodegradable detergents becomes widespread. All this momentum toward eco-friendliness has produced some very real benefits, including:
Financial benefits
The financial benefits of eco-friendly high-powered washing will be enjoyed mostly by the customer. After all, the power washer is plugging into the customer’s electrical system and tapping into their water system. So as long as the technicians are properly trained the customer stands to enjoy savings on water and power usage during the process of cleaning their property. Lower pressure cleaning is also likely to extend the lifespan of surfaces such as concrete slabs, interlocking pavers and home cladding which will lead to less need for repair and replacement over time.
Peace of mind
Everyone wants to know they are doing their part to help save the environment so they can pass it along intact to future generations. While eco-friendly high-powered washing techniques are not going to save the natural world all by themselves every bit counts. Because of advancements in technology and the refined practices of those wielding the equipment you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your clean driveway did not contribute to environmental degradation.
Environmental benefits
The environmental benefits of these developments include reduced runoff, less energy used to run the machines, and reduced water usage. And while pressure cleaning has never been a big contributor to groundwater pollution any reduction in that area is welcome. The most obvious benefits are reduced energy and water usage. But as we said above, whether those benefits manifest will depend on the training of the technician performing the work.
Contact Us for Eco-Friendly Pressure Washing
If you want to make sure your next power wash is performed by a highly-trained team using eco-friendly equipment make sure you choose Majestic Windows & Exterior Cleaning. We’re easy to reach, simply search for “pressure washing services near me”.
And while you have us on the phone don’t forget to schedule industry-best window cleaning for your home or business.








