Pristine Clean’s Ken Wilson explains how to power wash right
By Mimi Vanderhaven
Power washing your home is more complicated than many people understand. In the wrong hands, a pressure washer can damage siding, windows, landscaping, and even rip open human skin. This is why it’s so important to choose a qualified company—one with modern equipment, safe and effective products, and a trained, experienced staff— to perform the task.
Contacting an under-qualified guy in a truck with a dinosaur machine (or renting one and doing it yourself) often results in a poorly performed job and even property damage.
Here’s what you should know:
High Pressure vs. Soft Wash
“They call it ‘power washing’ or ‘pressure washing’ because of the pressure of the water coming out of the machine’s nozzle,” explains Ken Wilson, founder of the locally owned Pristine Clean. “Inexperienced operators or antiquated equipment rely on really high pressure to remove grime, mold, and mildew. But you shouldn’t just blast it away like that. That’s how damage occurs.”
Here’s what Ken recommends instead:
“We use a procedure known as a ‘soft wash.’ That means our brand-new equipment relies on greater water volume rather than high pressure to get the job done. We also treat your home with a safe and effective mildewcide that softens the mold, mildew and grime before we even turn on the machines. The result is a beautiful clean home without the dangers of pressure that is too high.”
Experience Is Essential
“As with any powerful equipment, it’s important to know how to use it,” Ken says. “You shouldn’t just point a power washer at something and start firing away. That’s a recipe for injury and property damage. Our technicians undergo both classroom and in-the-field training, including a comprehensive apprenticeship program. This is how important it is.”
Pristine is also fully insured and holds multiple certifications in pressure washing from the PWNA (Power Washers of North America).
Using the Right Sealant
After you turn off the equipment, the power washing job isn’t over. Now comes the important task of sealing your siding, roof or concrete surfaces.
“It’s best to use only the highest quality sealers and protectants,” Ken says. “For your siding, we use a surface protectant that acts as a barrier on the home to help it look and stay cleaner longer. For our concrete washing and sealing service, we use the highest quality Silane/Siloxane sealer, which penetrates deep into the concrete aggregate to protect it from within. And for your roof, our team can apply a soy-based shingle rejuvenation that will bring your shingles back to their original flexibility and function. That service is called Roof Renew.”
Quality and Respect
All this attention to quality and safety is one reason the company has grown to become the largest locally owned power washing company in Northeast Ohio and has almost 1,000 Google reviews with an average rating of 4.9 stars.
Another reason is a culture of respect.
“Thousands of families rely on us every year to wash their homes and we take that responsibility seriously,” Ken says. “We value and respect you, your family, your pets, your property, as well as the safety and dignity of our employees. And that’s also why we offer a flat-rate, upfront quote based on the square footage of the job. That means everyone gets the same low rate. You pay what your neighbors pay.”
Headquartered in Berea, Pristine Clean beautifies homes throughout Northeast Ohio. It is highly rated on Google, Facebook, and HomeAdvisor, and rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Call 440-454-7041 to arrange for a free estimate or visit PristineClean.com. All technicians are bonded, insured, and certified by the Power Washers of North America.