Looking at home car washers.....

I'm thinking of investing in one of these come the January sales but know nothing about them. Advice on what make and type of machine would be most helpful please. Also, how do they connect to the water supply?

 

Hi Sheal are you after a jet wash ( pressure washer)? These just connect to a normal mains pressure hose pipe , using a Hozelock type of connector. You also need to plug them into a 240v extension cable.
Karcher are the market leaders. I have a Nilfisk unit , which is excellent they cost around £70. Screwfix and Argos always have a good range.

 

How about a bucket, sponge and husband

 

No chance! For the past 40+ years it's been a bucket, sponge and me!

 

Agree with Harry, look at the Nilfisk units, also stocked by Machine Mart if you have one local, included car cleaning bits as well.
Nilfisk C120 7-6 PCA Pressure Washer (230V) - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

If you have large areas of driveway/flags etc then do get one with the large rotary patio cleaner attachment which makes cleaning large areas so much easier.

How many cars are you talking about ? the only time I use my pressure washer on the car is when I am pressure washing the driveway etc, its a bit of a job getting it all out and connecting up etc etc.

If you have a couple of vehicles and really mucky then think its worthwhile, but for the odd 'sunday' type wash for one car I stick to the local car wash.

 

As @ricky101 said it is a bit off a faff getting the jet wash out for car cleaning . I have a team of Romanians just up the road who do a fantastic job of cleaning the car , while I play Candy Crush I will be jet washing my patio this morning , been putting it off for two weeks and can't think of any more excuses.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

Yes, it's a jet/pressure washer I'm after. I'll make comparisons between Karcher and Nilfisk to see which I prefer over all. I noticed earlier in the week that Bosch produce them too (is there nothing they don't make now!) but they are pricier than the Karcher although good at most things they produce.

My drive and paths are gravel, the patio if you can call it that is also gravel and not likely to be changed for some while, so it's just the one car.

There's nobody local that cleans cars and the nearest car wash is a 36 mile round trip. So, plus petrol and car wash cost, it's proving expensive, which is why the pressure washer will be a good investment.

 

@Sheal , if you don't have paving to clean I would just stick with a hosepipe and a bucket of car detergent. These microfiber cleaning gloves do a great job - photo below .
Then just a wheel cleaner and window spray is all you need - and save £70

 

Again agree with Harry, if you only have the one car and no paved areas that need blasting, then a simple hosepipe will be a lot easier.

Having an outside tap nearby always makes the job easier.

Though those expandable hoses are easy to use, seems they do not last very long; better to find a quality hose that is good and flexible, some types can be very hard and make using difficult.

One of the lo cost multijet nozzles makes easy going or get one like this with a detergent container for the shampoo, though have not used the latter.
Lanktoo Garden Hose Nozzle Hand Sprayer, Heavy Duty High Pressure Water Sprayer Gun, 8 Adjustable Patterns for Hand Watering Plants & Lawn, Car Washing, Dog: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

You can also buy a variety of car wash brushes and lances for easier cleaning under the wheel arches etc that just clip onto hosepipes.
Buy XHose Car Brush at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Hose accessories, Hoses and garden watering, Home and garden.
Buy Hozelock Lance Spray Plus 90 at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Hose accessories, Hoses and garden watering, Home and garden.


Edit - forgot to say, if a fixed hose reel is suitable, have used one of these for several years.
Hozelock 2-in-1 Compact Reel with Hose 25m

or this if you need portable-
Hozelock 2-in-1 Compact Reel with Hose 25m

 

Not sure a pressure washer will actually clean the car? I tried it years ago and it left the car still a bit dirty. Good for cleaning off loose mud and the like, but didn't leave the car clean. That said, I think there are attachments that might make all the difference.

 

Thanks again for the info everyone. It looks like Nilfisk is the way to go. I'll start looking for a dealer here as I'd like to see them before buying.

With arthritis taking it's toll the bending cripples me getting to the lower parts of the car. My other half is heading the same way so we thought this would be a good investment.

 

Hiya Sheal Any chance you could recruit a local?

 

Hi Freddy I live in a rural area now so spotting a human being let alone one that will wash my car is very slim. My quote below from a previous post......

 

I just fear that a pressure washer won't give you what you want, that's all.