Do Pressure Washers Use a Lot of Water?

Pressure washers are powerful tools that make cleaning dirt and grime off surfaces fast and easy, and even a little fun.

You can use them to clean dirt from your car, home exterior, sidewalk, decking, garage, driveway and more.

The powerful blast of water provides an easy solution to clean stubborn stains and dirt — so do pressure washers use a lot of water?

No one wants the surprise of a hefty water bill, so let’s take a look at the average pressure washer’s water consumption.

Do pressure washers use a lot of water?

It’s understandable to think that a pressure washer must use an immense amount of water. After all, it emits a high-powered jet of water that’s capable of cleaning serious dirt and grime.

The volume of pressure from a pressure washer is measured in gallons per minute. The average pressure washer uses 1.24 gallons of water per minute (GPM).

Comparatively, the typical garden hose uses 8.55 GPM of water. That’s right — a pressure washer uses up to 80% less water than a regular garden hose. Clearly this can lead to big savings on your water bill.

Why doesn’t a pressure washer use a lot of water?

A pressure washer has a much smaller opening nozzle than a water hose. Instead of more gently flowing out like with a hose, the water is forced through a smaller hole so its power is intensified.

This design gives pressure washes a much more forceful jet of water that’s capable of dislodging dirt, grime, algae, etc.

Additionally, the use of a pressure washer charges the water molecules as they’re sprayed out, helping them better stick to dirt so it can be washed away without using chemical cleaning agents.

Accordingly, the energy produced by a power washer creates a more eco-friendly way of cleaning.

How to maximize your water savings

Consider your water temperature

Inexperienced pressure washer users may not realize these tools can be used with hot or cold water. So how to know what temperature water to use?

Think of it like your washing machine: While cold water will do for simple cleaning jobs, warm or hot water helps get rid of serious dirt, grime and oil.

When it comes to pressure washing, using warm or hot water for part or all of your cleaning task can cut back the amount of water you use overall.

If you’re really looking to maximize your water savings, consider using hot or warm water for some of your cleaning tasks if you’re dealing with stubborn stains.

Adjust the pressure setting as needed

Also, pressure washers are adjustable so you’ll want to use only as much pressure as you actually need.

By carefully selecting the amount of pressure you use, you’ll ensure you don’t damage your car’s paint job or your concrete driveway.

Ready to invest in a pressure washer?

Now that you know the answer to the question “Do pressure washers use a lot of water?” is an emphatic NO, you can see the value these powerful tools bring to the table.

If you’re ready to shop for a pressure water to take care of your home and garden cleaning needs, check out our Best Pressure Washer Reviews of 2021.

As you become a pro at pressure washing, you’ll likely also want to invest in these must-have pressure washer accessories to maximize your efficiency.

Now go forth and pressure wash your way to a sparkling clean garage floor!