So, you've got a big cleaning job on your hands: perhaps it's that wood deck with a winter's worth of dirt on it; or the family van with tons of road salt and road spatter. Or maybe it's the dirty third-floor windows of your home. There are some situations where everyday cleaning methods just won't cut it - and that's where pressure washers can help you out.

What makes pressure washers so wonderful and effective in cleaning is that they literally 'blast' the dirt and sludge away by forcing water out at a very high pressure. Whatever outdoor surface that needs to be cleaned around the home can probably be cleaned with a pressure washer - outdoor furniture, house windows, outdoor equipment like the BBQ, the air conditioner, you name it. In the past you could only find pressure washers in factories and other industrial locations. Today there are many models built just for use around the home.

When you get your new pressure washer home, you will find that there are several basic parts to it: a pumping unit, one or more hoses, and one or more spray nozzles that fit into a trigger gun. The homeowner units are not nearly as heavy and difficult to move as their industrial counterparts.

Pressure washers for use by the consumer around the home typically pump water at high pressure without changing the temperature. These units are usually powered by electricity, and can be plugged into any household electric outlet. In contrast, professional, heavy-duty models oftentimes will heat the water to a very high temperature to effectively clean heavy oil and grease build-up.

Don't ever think that your pressure washer is just a toy! Don't fool around with it and play with it like squirting water at others - the high pressure can cause injuries to skin (literally tearing away the flesh!), to eyes (causing blindness), and can cause bruises and welts. Serious injuries can occur!

When you use your pressure washer, make sure that you wear safety goggles or glasses, to protect your eyes. Of course, never point the stream at any person or animal. And if you are cleaning any surface with stones, wood chips or other loose items, be careful that the spray stream does not cause those items to hit other people who might be standing nearby. If you are using one of the professional models that heats the water, make sure that you do not burn yourself, or others nearby.

Perhaps you've been thinking about buying a pressure washer but are wondering just where you could use it? Well, you can use a consumer model pressure washer for such tasks as cleaning driveways, automobiles, trucks, SUV's and vans (especially underneath), car engines, walkways, basement floors, pools, windows, air conditioners and heat pump units. Once you begin using it, you will think of many more uses.

Most of the pressure washers you are likely to see or use are powered by electricity. This electric power runs a pump that squirts out the water at a high pressure. Steam-type models are sometimes used in industry that are more effective in those environments. If you're short on cash, you can look into purchasing a refurbished unit that looks and performs just like newly-manufactured model.