Face it, blasting dirt and grime off surfaces is fun, especially when you're using something as powerful as a high-pressure power washer. These fun little cleaning devices usually come with their basic components: high pressure pump, reservoir, electrical cord, hose and nozzle. To start blasting away, you only need to fill the reservoir, and plug the entire assembly in. Small electrical units are capable of sprays of over 1400 PSI, which is enough to cause a considerable amount of bodily harm if not handled properly. That said, it is a good idea to limit your blasting to only inanimate objects.

Let's talk pressure, then. It is important that to get the right pressure unit for your chosen task. Use a unit that is capable of too much pressure, and you will be accidentally ripping paint off surfaces with your washer. A friend of mine actually did this while he was trying to clean his in-laws' cars, so don't say that I didn't warn you of the dangers. Wood is an especially vulnerable surface to the ravages of exceedingly high pressures. Be sure to test your washer out on an inconspicuous area of a wooden surface first, lest you end up carving the surface into something else.

Gas washers are the way to go for serious washers. These versions simply overpower their electric counterparts, blasting away all forms of stains until only the gleaming metal beneath remains. Gas washers, for those of you who like numbers, are capable of around 3,000 PSI blasts, more than double the capacity of some electric washers. This is enough pressure to strip paint and carve wood (but only if you wanted to do so, of course).

There are hot and cold water versions for gas pressure washers. Hot water versions are particularly useful for areas where greasy, grimy stains regularly accumulate, such as vehicle repair stations and food processing plants (due to their machinery). Hot water units simply can't be topped when you need to clean tough stains as quickly as possible, as hot water does a better job at dissolving than cold water does.

Hot water is not useful in all cleaning situations, however. Take, for example, dirty stadium seating, where heating the required volume of water is economically out of the question. Cold water and soap will do just fine in these situations. This also rings true for fencing, sidewalks and other large surfaces, also removing dirt from those hard to reach nooks and crannies.

Hot or cold, just make sure that you have the appropriate attachments for the appropriate PSI rating unit, as different attachments handle different pressures and are used for different jobs. Visit a manufacturer or go to his website and do your research about these to save you time and money in the long run.

There are a wide variety of special attachments for more unique cleaning situations. There are water brooms for cleaning floors, multiple nozzles for varying your spray area depending on your task, and so on. Get the right ones, and save yourself the time and effort.