8 “Super” Benefits of Owning a Pressure Washer

Pressure washers.

They’re like the superhero version of garden hoses: powerful, mesmerizing to watch in operation, and they can make the world a better—cleaner—place. (Plus, fighting crime and fighting grime even sound almost identical.)

Who doesn’t want in on that action?

If you’re a homeowner who’s been thinking about purchasing a pressure washer but you aren’t quite ready to commit, let’s see if we can convince you. Read on for eight ways you can benefit from owning a pressure washer.

1. Pressure Washing Saves Water

You might be concerned that owning a pressure washer will bring your water consumption up. Surely you can’t get an area that spotless without using a ton of water…right?

However, as long as you’re using it responsibly, using a pressure washer instead of a garden hose can actually save a lot of water.

For example, let’s say that you own a pressure washer that produces 2 gallons of water per minute, and you want to clean your driveway. If the job takes 30 minutes, you’d use 60 gallons of water.

That might seem like a lot, but it’s much less than it would take to do the same job with a garden hose, which uses somewhere around 8-10 gallons of water a minute.¹

Using a garden hose would therefore take up to 300 gallons of water. And that’s assuming you could do the job in the same amount of time with a garden hose, which is unlikely.

Realistically, the job would take longer using a regular garden hose since it has far less force than a pressure washer—around 40 PSI vs the 1500 or more PSI that a pressure washer produces.¹

The key to a pressure washer’s performance is, as the name suggests, pressure. It’s important to have an adequate volume of water for a job, but it’s the force of that water that gives you the ability to lift dirt from a surface so it can be washed away.

Without that force, the job will take longer to complete, and more time equals more water used.

2. You'll breathe easier

3. You’ll save money compared to renting or hiring one

If you’ve ever spent money on pressure washing in the past, you may find that investing in a pressure washer can be a good financial decision.

For example, as of 2024, the average cost of hiring someone to pressure wash your home is $308, while the cost of renting a pressure washer (the equipment, not the person) ranges from $35 to $175 a day.³

However, residential pressure washers are available for only a few hundred dollars. If you think you’ll use it more than a few times a year, purchasing a pressure washer starts to make a lot more financial sense.

Plus, by getting your own pressure washer instead of renting one, you’ll be rid of the pressure (no pun intended) to complete a task within a day or two. You can work at your own pace without draining the bank, so there’s no worries if something pops up just as you're getting into the groove of your cleaning project.

4. It’ll speed up your cleaning jobs

We live in a busy world.

Who has time to clean a patio or a driveway with a garden hose (remember that mere 40 PSI?) when you could do it much faster using a pressure washer?

Let’s be honest: if you've got to make that patio sparkle, would you rather

1. Scrub your driveway on your hands and knees
2. Rinse it to clear away the dirt you loosened
3. (Probably) repeat the above once or twice

OR would you prefer to blast that grime with a stream of water powerful enough to do the job on its own?

One estimate claims that using a pressure washer instead of a garden hose can get a job done 4-5 times faster.⁴

That means you’ll have time to spend getting in some swings on the golf course, relaxing with your family, or cleaning just one more thing with your new equipment (once you start, it can be hard to stop).

5. Your property will look nicer

Who couldn’t use a little boost in curb appeal?

There are a variety of places you can use your pressure washer around your house and yard to improve its appearance:

• Patio
• Driveway
• Siding
• Outdoor furniture
• Gutters
• Fences

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so don’t feel limited by it.

Just be sure to start slowly on any surfaces you’re unsure of—use a low-pressure setting and spray in an inconspicuous spot until you’re sure you won’t harm it.

6. You can adapt it to fit your needs

There are all sorts of ways that you can increase a pressure washer’s versatility.

Spray nozzles? You can adjust them as needed for those sticky (high pressure-required) situations or for the ones when you need a gentler hand.

Want to use soap for extra cleaning power? Many pressure washers come with detergent tanks. (Just be sure to use the proper soap tip, or else the detergent may not siphon.)

Want to clean large, flat areas more efficiently? You can invest in a surface cleaner so you can easily get that driveway sparkling.

With the right attachments and accessories, pressure washers can become an extremely handy cleaning tool for a variety of surfaces and situations.

7. It can open doors to a new source of income

It’s not for everyone, but if you enjoy operating a pressure washer and have a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit, you can turn your equipment investment into a cash stream.

Of course, if you decide to take this step, you’ll want to take the proper steps regarding things like insurance and taxes so that everything’s above board.

However, if you’re not daunted by the challenge, why not try it? We could all use a few extra dollars in our pockets. (And if you need some ways to market your new pressure washing business, we have some ideas)

Don’t forget to be safe

While there are a lot of benefits to having a pressure washer, we’d be remiss not to mention the importance of safety whenever you use one.

Like all outdoor power equipment, pressure washers come with inherent risks, and you should always be responsible when using one.

To learn more, you can check out this article from the CDC about pressure washer safety. We also have some safety information for you in our article about DIY pressure washing tips and tricks.

Feeling the pressure yet?

If you like the idea of being in a clean environment, saving water and money, and having fun at the same time, then a pressure washer might be just the superhero your home needs. The next step? Check out our guide to purchasing a pressure washer.

Now, if your new pressure washer breaks…well, that’s not great. But we’ve got your back with our wide selection of replacement parts for pressure washers. (Plus, we offer free shipping to the Lower 48 States.)