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Choosing a pressure washer for a concrete driveway
Updated
A concrete driveway is the one home job where more cleaning units really pay off. Any electric washer will clean it, but a machine near 2,400 cleaning units takes a lot longer than one over 3,000. Use a 15 degree tip (often yellow) or a turbo nozzle, keep it moving, and think about a surface cleaner attachment for large areas.
How much can an electric washer do?
A standard 15 amp, 120 volt outlet caps an electric washer at about 4,100 cleaning units even with zero losses. Real machines land well under that. Here is where our picks sit.
- Karcher K17002,040 cleaning units
- Westinghouse ePX35002,400 cleaning units
- Sun Joe SPX30002,436 cleaning units
- Greenworks 3000 PSI3,300 cleaning units
- Outlet ceiling4,100 cleaning units
The Greenworks 3000 PSI states 3,300 cleaning units, certified under the PWMA program per its listing. That is about 1.4 times the 2,400 of the Westinghouse ePX3500. As a rough rule, that means more square feet cleaned for each pass you make.
Which tip for concrete
- 15 degree: Generac lists it for stains on hard, porous surfaces like concrete driveways, garage floors and brick patios.
- Turbo: a narrow jet that spins in a circle. Kärcher's paver guide says to hold the rotating jet almost straight down and about 15 cm, roughly 6 inches, from the ground, moving slowly.
- 0 degree: skip it. It can etch soft or new concrete if you pause.
Surface cleaners
A surface cleaner is a round hood with a spinning bar under it. It keeps the distance even, so you do not get stripes, and it keeps spray off your legs. Kärcher's guide calls it a good choice for flat areas. Check that the one you buy matches your wand fitting and is rated for your machine's PSI and GPM.
Pavers are different
If your driveway is pavers, the spray will wash out some joint sand. Kärcher's guide says you may need to refill the joints with sand afterward.
Our picks for driveways
- Greenworks 3000 PSI: the most cleaning units here, a turbo tip and a 25 ft hose. The catch is 51.7 pounds and owner reports of units that quit early.
- Sun Joe SPX3000: 2,436 cleaning units with 0 and 15 degree tips, fine for a short driveway. The catch is it takes longer on a big one.
Check any listing's numbers with the cleaning units calculator, or see all five machines on our picks page.
Wear closed shoes and eye protection. Chips of concrete and grit come back at you, and the spray can cut skin through a sneaker.