You need to pressure wash a surface and the cleaning agent of your choice is the fresh-smelling Fabuloso. Let’s see how you can do this, and also teach you different methods of making homemade pressure washer detergents.
Can You Use Fabuloso in a Pressure Washer?
Fabuloso can be used in a pressure washer. Pressure washers that come with detergent tanks allow you to put soaps in them. Fabuloso has surfactants in it that make it soapy and great at cleaning while keeping it relatively less toxic to the environment.
Commercial cleaners like Fabuloso are not good for plants and vegetation even when they are diluted. They can affect the pH level of the soil, stunting the growth of plants, and eventually causing them to wither and die.
So avoid pressure washing with Fabuloso outdoors where your plants and vegetation are. But if you must, water your plants generously to hydrate them. This will reduce their likeliness of absorbing the cleaning solution when you pressure wash.
Fabuloso on Concrete Surfaces!
Since pressure washing is mostly done outdoors on concrete surfaces, we need to figure out whether fabuloso can be used on these surfaces or not. Fabuloso is a multi-purpose cleaner for hard non-porous surfaces and concrete is porous in nature. Even sealed concrete can be porous to some extent.
However, Fabuloso does not contain those ingredients or chemicals that can directly damage concrete. Diluted or undiluted, Fabuloso will remove grease, stubborn stains, and grime buildup on your concrete.
But to be on the safe side, let’s not use Fabuloso on Concrete too often.
Let’s see how you can use this cleaner in your pressure washer.
How to Use Fabuloso in a Pressure Washer?
The method below is for pressure washers that have detergent tanks/soap dispensers.
Step 1- Locate the Soap Dispenser
Locate your detergent tank/soap dispenser. It could be at the front or at the back of your pressure washer.
If your machine has one, remove the cap and pour your Fabuloso multi-purpose cleaner into it. Pour the quantity you think you’ll need for the job. This depends on how large and how dirty the space you’ll be cleaning is.
If the space is small and not too dirty, two or three ounces are enough. Then put back the detergent tank cap.
Step 2- Turn on the Soap Dispenser
Some pressure washer brands have switches on them that you can turn on or off. This switch enables the detergent to flow through the nozzle of the pressure washer or stop it from flowing.
If yours has this, simply turn it on so the Fabuloso can mix with the water and flow through the nozzle easily.
If yours doesn’t have it, you don’t need to worry. Just turn your nozzle to low pressure. If the nozzle is switched to high pressure, the solution you put won’t flow out. You can usually switch to low pressure by using the black nozzle tip.
If not, your nozzle tip will have a setting where you can switch to soap mode.
Step 3- Spray
Once you have switched to a low-pressure nozzle or switched on the soap dispenser, ensure your pressure washer is connected to a power source and a water source. Then, turn on the pressure washer and fire it up.
If you run out of the solution, you can turn off the pressure washer and apply some more. Whatever you are cleaning, make sure it’s well-saturated with this Fabuloso-water solution.
Step 4- Let It Sit
For effective cleaning, Fabuloso needs to sit for a while so it can cut through the grime and grease on the surface. About 5 to 10 minutes are enough to achieve this.
While the solution is sitting, it must not dry. If it’s a sunny day, and the solution is drying off, apply more.
Step 5- Rinse
Switch off the soap dispenser/detergent tank. If the brand of pressure washer you use has switch mode on the nozzle tip, simply turn the tip to rinse mode.
For some brands, you need to switch to high pressure to rinse. When you do this, the soap will stop coming out and the water will come out with a good impact for thorough rinsing.
If you used the black nozzle to apply Fabuloso, you can switch to a white nozzle tip for rinsing. It is good for general rinsing and does not damage surfaces.
The red nozzle will wipe off more dirt as it rinses, but the impact may be too much for fragile surfaces.
Step 6- Flush
Any residual Fabuloso in your detergent tank shouldn’t be left behind. This can damage your filter or pump.
Fill the detergent tank with fresh water, switch it on and put your pressure washer on low pressure or attach the black nozzle tip.
Spray until Fabuloso is no longer coming out of the nozzle. You can then turn it off and store your pressure washer.
Homemade Pressure Washer Detergents
1- Vinegar + Dish Soap + Detergent Powder
Put 1/3 cup of phosphate-free detergent powder into 1 gallon of water. Add 2/3 cup of dish soap and 1 cup of vinegar and mix.
This solution is safe for your plants.
2- Borax + Detergent Soap
This works on concrete and very dirty surfaces. Mix 1/2 cup of borax powder with 1/2 cup of laundry detergent powder. Put the mixture into a gallon of water and add 1 tablespoon of dish soap. Mix it thoroughly.
Borax can be toxic to your plants if used in large quantities. You can water your plants before and after you clean the area with this borax solution.
3- Bleach
Add 1/3 cup of laundry detergent powder to 1 gallon of water. Pour 2/3 cup of multi-purpose cleaner into this solution and add 1 quart of bleach. Mix well.
The quantity of bleach used is safe for your plants, so this solution is eco-friendly.
4- Vinegar + Washing Soda
Add 1½cup of vinegar, 2 cups of washing soda, and ½ cup of dish soap to 3 liters of water. Mix it well.
This is good for cleaning wood and will not harm your plants.
Final Thoughts!
Fabuloso is not specifically made to be used in pressure washers, but it works fine and won’t damage your pressure washer. Don’t use Fabuloso on concrete too often.
