If you are getting ready to clean up around the yard using your pressure washer, you will want to use the best pressure washer soap/detergent for the job.
It needs to wash away surface dirt and help to loosen ground in grease and oils. Perhaps you have noticed mold in a shady part of the yard. Your detergent or soap must be able to tackle these stubborn stains.
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3 Top Pressure Washer Soap And Detergents Comparison Chart
We have brought together a collection of the best pressure washer detergent and soaps designed to get your home looking great with the least amount of effort.
Read on to learn how you can get the results you desire with the right pressure washer soap or detergent.
What Is The Difference Between Soap And Detergent?
In all reality soap and detergents are two different things. Soaps are derived from naturally occurring compounds including fats and oils. Detergents are chemically engineered to remove oil and grease from a surface.
A true soap will take dirt, sugar, and foods off of your skin without drying. A detergent is needed to remove the grease from dishes, floors, cars, sidewalks–you name it.
However, in daily life, the two terms are often used as one and the same-even by retailers hoping you will buy their product. The best cleaning products not only have a quality detergent, but they also are bio-degradable and non-toxic.
Features To Consider When Buying The Best Pressure Washer Soap Or Detergent
You need to know what you want to clean with your pressure washer and then make sure the cleaning soap or detergent is engineered to actually do the job.
- Mold and mildew are organic and require a cleaner capable of killing them in order to remove the stains caused by them. If the soap or detergent is able to kill mold, it will likely kill your landscaping. Read the label completely.
- Some cleaners can harm concrete by degrading the binding agent while removing the unsightly dirt.
- A good wood cleaner will not work as effectively on vinyl.
- Make sure to completely follow the instructions to get the most out of your pressure washer and detergent.
- Some cleaners need to sit for a while to react with the grease, stains, and dirt before rinsing it off with another sweep of your pressure washer.
- Beware that some cleaners include surfactants that can bind to plants and kill them if the chemical is not sufficiently rinsed away after cleaning your siding or driveways.
- Check the concentration of your pressure washer soap or detergent and set your pressure washer to the appropriate setting
- Strong smelling cleaners often contain chemicals that are harmful to the health of your family, pets, and garden. Look for low odor on the label.
5 Best Pressure Washer Soap and Detergent Reviews
Here’s a list of the best pressure washer soap/detergents we found:
1. Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner Concentrate 1 Gallon Bottle
Simple Green has built a reputation for creating eco-friendly cleaners that are fully biodegradable and are safe to use around pets and children.
Their PRO HD heavy-duty cleaner is really a more concentrated version of the popular green bottle and is formulated for your pressure washer.
It excels at removing grease and dirt from a wide range of surfaces including wood, masonry, siding, metal, and even your car.
The one-gallon bottle has a 5 to 1 concentration and is ready to get down to cleaning your patio, deck furniture, and even the gutters.
It features a mild odor that dissipated quickly after use and will wash out of your work clothes with just one run through the machine. Your neighbors won’t be bothered, either, making this an excellent option as the best pressure washer cleaner.
It is not formulated to kill mold or mildew, but you might be surprised at how much grime is simply dirt. Heavy build up on your car will not rinse off and will need some extra elbow grease for the best results.
In the end, it is a versatile pressure washer detergent and soap that will become your go-to product when it’s time to clean up the yard and house.
Pros:
- Made by Simple Green which has a great reputation for quality biodegradable cleaners
- Works for wide variety of applications
- Concentrated for easy storage
- Low odor
Cons:
- Will not kill mold or mildew
- Not effective as a car wash as indicated on the bottle
2. Simple Green Concrete And Driveway Cleaner, 1 Gallon Bottle
Once again, Simple Green produces an excellent pressure washer detergent/soap formulated specifically for concrete, masonry, brick and other porous surfaces.
The Concrete and Driveway Cleaner quickly penetrates the dirty surface and works to minimize the appearance of stains by breaking down the oils in the blemish.
This particular bottle of product is very popular with users as it has a mild scent that quickly disappears after use.
It comes in an 11 to 1 concentrate, so the bottle is able to clean up your entire driveway at a very reasonable price. It is a non-toxic formula that won’t damage your lawn from any runoff.
Some users have noted that heavy rubber marks left by constant traffic will not come up without lots of extra scrubbing. Even an oil stain that has had the chance to seep into the pavement won’t simply disappear.
However, this pressure washer detergent/soap will not harm your asphalt or concrete driveway and in the end, you will end up with an attractive and clean approach to your home or business.
Pros:
- Low odor
- Super concentrated to tackle heavy-duty cleaning tasks
- Safe for lawns, pets, and landscaping
Cons:
- Struggles to remove rubber build-up
- Set-in stains will remain
3. Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap For Pressure Washers, 1 Quart
Did you know that you can use your pressure washer to clean your car?
Karcher brings you their Car Wash & Wax specifically formulated to work with your pressure washer. It is guaranteed not to harm your clear coat and never leaves a film behind, like some other inexpensive car cleaners.
The bottle is designed to measure out exactly the amount of soap you need to create a foam that lifts away dirt and grime from your car’s body, windows, and bumpers.
Adding extra soap to your pressure washer will only result in more foam that takes time to rinse away.
You will want to purchase a special foam nozzle and check the pressure settings on your washer for the best results. If your car has lots of rubber build-up from commuting on crowded roads, you will still need to roll up your sleeves to get it off.
However, for a fast wash and wax, the Karcher Car Wash & Wax product is an excellent option. You will need to completely flush out your pressure washer before using it with other cleaning products.
Pros:
- Formulated specifically for car finishes
- Leaves no film
- Easy-to-use measuring cup to save money
Cons:
- Requires hand washing for built-up grime
- Requires additional foam nozzle for pressure washer
- Hard to eliminate the product from the pressure washer reservoir
4. Krud Kutter DF01 Blue Pressure Washer Deck and Fence Cleaner
If you are looking for the best pressure washer soap/detergent for your wood deck or fence, Krud Kutter Blue is the answer to your problems.
Since wood is organic, it is susceptible to mold. Krud Kutter includes Sporex in their pressure washer cleaners that binds to mold and mildew and kills it.
It is also efficient at removing moss, algae, and another organic build-up from the shady side of your fencing.
First, apply Krud Kutter to the deck or fence with your pressure washer and let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes. This allows the detergent and Sporex to get to work by soaking into the wood fibers. Finally, rinse off thoroughly.
Krud Kutter does use surfactants which leave behind a fine film after the chemical dries unless you completely rinse it off.
You will want to completely water down any area of the lawn that received runoff from your pressure washing adventure. Krud Kutter is more expensive than Simple Green, but it is designed to actually tackle organic stains.
Pros:
- Sporex will kill mold and mildew
- Designed specifically for wood–soaks into fibers for a deep clean
- Effective at removing organic stains
Cons:
- Expensive compared to other products
- Requires extensive rinsing to remove surfactants
- Can be damaging to plants–follow the directions!
5. Krud Kutter HS01 Green Pressure Washer Concentrate House And Siding Cleaner
If you are hunting for the best pressure washer detergent/soap for washing down the house or other painted surfaces, check out Krud Kutter Green.
This compound is designed to work on non-porous finishes like vinyl siding, deck furniture, yard equipment, or other items found around the house. It comes in an economical 10 to 1 concentration.
You only need to set your pressure washer to 10 in order to apply the appropriate mix. For particularly difficult spots, simply lower the mix number for a more heavy duty detergent.
The bottle will wash up to 2,000 square feet making it a good return for your investment.
Like the Krud Kutter Blue, it is compounded to work on organic stains and dirt. It has more trouble removing grease and oil but still has those surfactants that linger if you don’t fully rinse down after applying the soap.
You will likely need two bottles to clean your averaged sized home and for the best effect, you need to let the first application sit before power washing it down.
In the end, it is an excellent choice as a quality pressure washer soap/detergent.
Pros:
- Works on vinyl, aluminum, and painted wood
- Simple! Just set pressure washer concentrate mixer to 10
- Economical price compared to competitors
Cons:
- Takes time to fully work
- Will not remove grease or oily build up
- Will need more than one bottle to get the whole house done
So, Which One Is The Best Pressure Washer Soap/Detergent For Me?
For most pressure washing projects around the home, the best bet is the Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner Concentrate. This cleaner starts with an eco-friendly cleaner that works well on most surfaces including siding, sidewalks, masonry, lawn equipment, and even your car. You can use it knowing it is safe for your pets and kids to be around and won’t damage your pressure washer.
However, if you want to use your pressure washer for a specific heavy-duty cleaning job like cleaning your deck, consider Krud Kutter DF01 Blue Pressure Washer Deck and Fence Cleaner that is able to eat away those stubborn molds and mildew stains.
For best results when washing down your ride with a pressure washer, Karcher Car Wash & Wax for Pressure Washers will get your car completely clean.
We hope you enjoyed our informative product review for the best pressure washer soap/detergent.
If you have any experience using these products, please share your thoughts in the comments section below or on your own social media page.
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