How To Make Homemade Pressure Washer Detergent? (6 Different Methods)

A pressure washer can save you a lot of cleaning time, reduce the hard work, and achieve better cleaning. And since the job is much easier and quicker now, we can do it more frequently (I know a few people who get particularly lazy in this domain *definitely not me*).

One of the best things about a pressure washer is its versatility, which means it can be used on various surfaces to make the cleaning job more efficient, frequent, and effortless. However, no cleaning job is complete without the use of a cleaning agent.

Unfortunately, a detergent, even if explicitly made for a pressure washer, doesn’t mean it will work on multiple surfaces such as vinyl siding, concrete, or wood.

The good news is you can make DIY homemade pressure washer detergent for different use cases. We all know pressure washers aren’t cheap, but thankfully, we can achieve a much better cost-to-benefit ratio by using a homemade pressure washer detergent.

So, read on ahead to find out how you can make pressure washer detergent from ingredients you would probably have in your house. You will also find different combinations of homemade ingredients for different surfaces, including vinyl siding, concrete floor, and wooden decking.   

Homemade Pressure Washer Detergent For Siding

Homemade sidings are popularly used to provide extra protection to the house and enhance its beauty. Additionally, the materials used in the siding – for example, vinyl – are meant to be low maintenance. But they still require some maintenance – usually in the form of cleaning – to maintain the siding’s characteristic properties.

While the pressure washer will make the job easier, you will still need to use some soap or detergent for better cleaning, especially when there are dirt, mold, or chances of mold buildup.

So, here’s our recipe for a simple homemade siding cleaner for a pressure washer that you can use for multiple surfaces.

Plain and Simple Cleaner

• 1/3 cup or 2.7 ounces trisodium phosphate (TSP)
• 1/3 cup or 2.7 ounces powdered laundry detergent
• 1 gallon of hot water

TSP is a heavy-duty cleaning agent that removes grease and dirt and inhibits mold growth. It used to be popular in many commercial stores, but nowadays you might need to look for it. This is because it contains some chemicals that can damage the environment or affect water quality. You can use Borax in place of TSP, which is also a popular cleaning agent but without harmful elements.

Cleaner for Tough Dirt and Stubborn Stains

While the basic cleaner will work in most circumstances but if you’re dealing with tough dirt or stubborn stains, you can use white vinegar and water to get rid of them. Here’s what you need:

• 7 cups or 56 ounces of vinegar
• 1 gallon of water

Bleach-Based Solution for Mold and Mildew

Molds and mildew are always a pain when it comes to cleaning them. But with this homemade pressure washer detergent, you can clean them effortlessly and also inhibit their growth until the next cleaning season.

• ½ cup or 4 ounces of trisodium phosphate (TSP)
• 1/3 cup or 2.7 ounces powdered laundry detergent
• 1 quart or 32 ounces of household chlorine beach
• 1 gallon of water

Homemade Pressure Washer Detergent for Concrete

A concrete floor becomes tough to clean when dirt and stains settle inside the pores like annoying tenants. A pressure washer can, however, reach these pores, but water alone isn’t enough to bring the shine and freshness back to your concrete floor. You need some detergent to go with your pressure washer to properly clean the concrete floor.

Here’s how you make detergent for your concrete floor from ingredients you most likely have in your home.

• ½ cup or 4 ounces of borax
• ½ cup or 4 ounces of laundry detergent powder
• 1 tablespoon or 0.5 ounces (~5.7gms) liquid dish soap
• 1 gallon of water

It is preferable to mix your dry ingredients first and let them rest overnight. On the following day, mix wet ingredients and stir slowly. The homemade pressure washer detergent for concrete is now ready to use.

The detergent might not clean as efficiently if you have non-grease or non-fat stains – usually from spilled fruit juice or mold or mildew. You can then add around a quart of bleach, and voila, the persistent stains will be removed in a minute. Do make sure to add bleach in a well-ventilated area.

Homemade Pressure Washer Detergent For Wood

Wooden decking and floors bring a nice aesthetic look to our homes. However, that’s only as long as we maintain their look with regular cleaning. And if left unattended for long periods, especially after a stormy winter, your natural wood deck will be covered with algae and slime. So it is a great idea to wash wood deck with pressure washer.

Now, just being dirty is something that is still somewhat tolerable, but under no condition can any of us tolerate the gross slime and algae.

The good news is that we already have a pressure washer. And with homemade pressure washer detergent for wood, cleaning is as easy as holding up the magic wand and muttering some cleaning spells. (If you think about it, the analogy is not that far-fetched, considering the pressure washer does feel like a magic wand in our hands.)

So, here’s how you make homemade pressure washer detergent for wood:

• 6 tablespoons or 3 ounces (~85gms) of white vinegar
• 8 tablespoons or 4 ounces (~113gms) of soda crystals
• 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce (~28gms) cleaning liquid
• 1 liter or around a quarter gallon of hot water

Now all you have to do is combine all the ingredients with the foam sprayer attachment of your pressure washer. Cover the maximum wood area and let the detergent sit for 10-15 minutes. Consider scrubbing as well for algae-infested regions. When all’s done, clean adequately with your pressure washer and wash away the detergent.

Here’s another slightly easier method to make homemade pressure washer detergent for wood:

• 1/3 cup or 2.7 ounces powdered laundry detergent
• 2/3 cup or 5.3 ounces all-purpose household cleaner (can also use borax)
• 1 quart or 32 ounces of household chlorine beach
• 1 gallon of water

FAQs

What is a good homemade cleaner for vinyl siding?

Usually, powdered laundry detergent with trisodium phosphate (TSP) mixed in water will do an excellent job of cleaning your vinyl siding. For tougher stains, vinegar mixed with water work best. However, you want to avoid solvents containing chlorine bleach (unless necessary for mold, but only in small volumes) because they can damage the vinyl surface with extended usage.

What kind of soap do you use to pressure wash a house?

You can find plenty of soaps and detergents to pressure wash your house at any commercial store. However, ensure they have the label or some indication that they can be used with a pressure washer. You can also make homemade soap for the pressure washer with different combinations of ingredients that involve powdered laundry detergent, TSP, borax, vinegar, chlorine bleach, and water.

What can I use to clean my siding with a pressure washer?

To clean your siding with a pressure washer you can make homemade soap by combining TSP, laundry detergent powder, and water. For mold and mildew, you can add chlorine bleach but avoid using it for an extended time as it can damage vinyl sidings. For tougher stains, another mixture of 7 cups of vinegar mixed with a gallon of water will do the job.

Can I use Dawn dish soap in my pressure washer?

Yes, you can use dish wash soap in the pressure washer, but you need to dilute it properly with hot water so it doesn’t clog up your pressure washer. Also, the dish wash soap doesn’t work as effectively to clean your house, so you might need to combine it with other ingredients such as powdered laundry detergent or TSP.

Conclusion

Pressure washers are very versatile equipment that we can use for various purposes. In this guide, we tried to cover some of the basics of how to make pressure washer detergent to clean different surfaces of your home. We discussed some recipes for pressure washing siding, concrete floors, and wooden decking/floors.

Pressure washers don’t come cheap, but they can be used for different purposes, and that too, for the long term. All you have to do is make sure that pressure washer detergents don’t clog up the pores of the washer.

Did you know you can also use a pressure washer to clean your cars? You will have to be careful, and always choose the right PSI or best nozzle for the car’s surface. Click here to read about how you can clean your car safely with your pressure washer.