Step 1.

Bring out your pressure washer into a spot that’s going to be the most convenient for you so you don’t have to worry about it moving around while you are using it.

Step 2.

Bring out the garden hose that will be used to supply water from your outside water source to the pressure washer.

Step 3.

Thread in the garden hose to your outside water source on one end and on the other end to your pressure washer. An easier way to set up your inlet hose is to use “QDs” (which stands for quick disconnects). The QDs you need for the inlet of your pressure washer are Stainless Steel Garden Hose 3/4” Female QD Couplers and Stainless Steel Garden Hose 3/4” Male QD Plugs. Make sure you thread in the QD coupler to the garden hose spigot and the QD plug to the hose end. See our Support Article on setting up Garden Hose QDs.

Step 4.

Now attach the supplied high-pressure hose that came with your pressure washer and thread that into the outlet on the machine. This is usually an M22 14mm or 15mm connection. Active, Comet, SunJoe, and AR Blue Clean’s consumer line all have M22 15mm outlets. Kranzle, AR630-TSS, Karcher, Ryobi and Greenworks have M22 14mm outlets which is the standard type of outlet. The other end of the hose will thread into the sprayer and wand that came with your pressure washer. To make connecting the high-pressure hose easy, check out our section of QDs for various pressure washers here. You can also upgrade to the best pressure washer hose in the market, the KobraJet hose here.

Step 5.

Now is the time to plug your pressure washer into an electrical outlet. Ensure the GFCI is set, and it’s not an electric outlet currently shared with other high-load electronics. Depending on your machine's capabilities, you will be drawing close to 15-20A of current.

Step 6.

Please select the high-pressure nozzle that works best for your cleaning task. To learn how to select what nozzle you need, you can check out this article: Pressure Washer Fittings 103: Spray Nozzles. If you are washing your vehicle, the appropriate amount of pressure to use when washing the vehicle should be between 950-1100 PSI. Check out the Pressure Washer Spreadsheet for our tested pressure washing models.

Pull the collar on the end of the gun and the wand assembly to install. Attach the nozzle and release the collar, ensuring it snaps into place, securing the nozzle.

Step 7.

Turn on the water. Make sure there aren’t any leaks. If you do have leaks, the pressure washer might start to short-cycle (pulsating on and off) when turned on. Remove and re-thread connections on your connection points. If you have QDs installed and they are leaking, double-check to see if the o-rings are still seated inside the coupler. Check out this article for more info: Why is my 3/8" coupler leaking from the end? See the image below for the o-ring location.

Step 8.

The power washer and hose will fill with water, so it is important to purge the system of any excess air before starting the unit by pressing the trigger on the sprayer.

Step 9.

You are now ready to start the motor of your pressure washer! Find the “ON” button or switch to your machine.

Step 10.

Enjoy the cleaning power of your pressure washer! Be conscious of the surface you are cleaning. At this point, the water coming from the nozzle will be around 500-2500psi, depending on the capabilities of your pressure washer.

Bonus Step:

Foaming your car is a great way to pre-clean your car before breaking out your buckets and washing mitts. Check out this article to learn more: How To: Get the most foam out of a foam cannon.

Cleaning a car with a pressure washer is a great way to keep your car clean. Using the right equipment makes the pressure washing experience an enjoyable one.