Pressure Washer

If you’ve previously worked as a pressure washer (e.g., as an employee at someone else’s business), you can skip this step. However, if you have little or no experience using a pressure washer, you’ll need to study up before you start this side hustle.

Spend some time reading and watching everything you can find about pressure washing. At minimum, you should familiarize yourself with:

• How to operate a pressure washer safely and efficiently
• The differences between the various types of pressure washers
• The chemicals that pressure and power washers use, and how to handle them safely
• What regulations apply to pressure washing businesses, and what licenses or certifications you’ll need

We’ll cover a lot of this further down, but our article is just a jumping-off point. To put what you’re reading in enough context to make it useful, you need a pre-existing base of knowledge. You can start acquiring that today, so get to studying!

Where to learn about pressure washing

Jennings told us that he learned about pressure washing in “old school forums” back before YouTube and Facebook took over, but that these days, most of the learning happens on those two platforms.

Facebook resources

You can learn a lot by following pressure washing discussions for a few days or weeks. Jennings recommended joining the following groups:

• Pressure Washing Friends
• Pressure Washing Learning Center
• Spray Wash Academy

Those groups have nationwide memberships, but there may also be local pressure washing groups in your area. Conduct a search on Facebook and see what turns up.

YouTube resources

There are dozens of YouTube channels dedicated to pressure washing tutorials. You can start with MIKEV – All About Pressure Washing, but here again, search for other creators and see if there are any that particularly grab you.

Getting hands-on pressure washing experience

Book learning is necessary, but it isn’t enough. Jennings said that you should also “borrow or rent a pressure washer and wash some stuff around the house,” or items that belong to your family or friends.

This is an important step not just because it will familiarize you with the mechanical skills of the job but because it will give you an idea of whether you actually like pressure washing to begin with.

“Make sure you even like the work before you commit to spending money on equipment,” said Jennings.

Don’t forget to study and practice proper pressure washing safety

We asked Jennings about common pitfalls for novice pressure washers to watch out for. He emphasized the need to adhere to proper safety protocols and to learn how pressure washing chemicals interact before you use them.

“Some of the chemicals can kill you when not used properly,” he said, citing the examples of muriatic acid (which is highly corrosive) and acid-based and alkaline-based cleaners (some of which, when mixed, can produce potentially deadly gas, such as chlorine gas).

Again, do your homework before you get into this gig for real. In addition to knowing how to use cleaning chemicals safely, ensure you know how to properly wear personal protective gear (PPE), such as safety goggles.

To get started, you’ll need to get the following equipment:

• Pressure washer: Of course, you need a reliable pressure washer. This can be a gas pressure washer or an electric one, and you’ll need something with the right level of power, pressure, and durability for the types of jobs you plan to undertake, so research your options carefully before you buy. (We’ll relay Jennings’s advice on picking a pressure washer in the next section.)
• Pressure washer accessories: As well as getting the correct machine, you need to get different hoses, nozzles, and pumps for the cleaning tasks you plan on performing.
• Protective gear: It’s important to wear the right safety equipment for pressure washing. You should use glasses, gloves, and boots that provide maximum coverage and protect you from hazards like slippery surfaces, sharp objects, and chemicals.
• Cleaning products and solutions: Your cleaning supplies will have to include quality cleaning agents that are safe for the surfaces you’ll be working on.
• Vehicle for transporting your equipment: It’s best if you already have a truck or van, but if you don’t, you can lease or buy one. You can always start with something basic and then invest in a better vehicle once your side hustle grows. You might also eventually want to print your name and phone number on your vehicle to market yourself.

How to pick the right pressure washer: tips from an expert

Jennings emphasized to us that the “right” equipment depends on the type of work you want to do.

“If you’re only detailing cars, then a small electric pressure washer may suffice,” he said. Conversely, if you’re going to be washing “driveways, walkways, or houses,” you “definitely want to stick to a gas powered one.” He noted that this may change down the road as battery technology improves, but that for the time being, for big jobs, you really need the speed that a gas-powered washer provides.

He broke his advice down further according to the type of cleaning you want to do:

Buying (and customizing) a washer for residential cleaning

If you’re mainly interested in residential cleaning, Jennings said that you “could start with a gas-powered 4 GPM unit” (GPM stands for gallons per minute). He recommended getting a belt-driven unit, because these last longer than washers with direct drive pumps (which is the type of unit you’ll usually see in stores like Home Depot and Lowes).

“With a belt-driven machine, you can add a water buffer tank so that you have ample water supply,” he said. “The buffer tank also gives you the ability to bypass the water when you’re not pulling the trigger. If you do not have a water bypass setup, you cannot let the motor run for longer than a minute or so without pulling the trigger, otherwise it will overheat the pump.”

If you add a bypass setup to your washer, this will “allow the water to cycle back into the buffer tank,” meaning your motor can “run indefinitely without pulling the trigger so the pump doesn’t get damaged.”

Buying a washer for commercial cleaning

For commercial cleaning, Jennings recommended getting something with a little more firepower.

“You should start with a gas-powered hot water unit with at least a 4 GPM unit,” he said. “These come with a burner that heats the water to 210 degrees, which helps remove heavy grease and chewing gum.”

He added that ideally, you’ll get an 8 or even 10 GPM unit, but “that is something you can upgrade to later once you secure some accounts.” He added that in pressure washing, “the money is made in how fast you’re able to clean.” (To reiterate, the more powerful your washer is, the quicker you’ll be able to complete your jobs.)

Where to buy your equipment

Good places to look for equipment include sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, which often have used devices for very reasonable prices. You can also ask around to see if any of your friends or family members have supplies you can use.

Again, Jennings recommended joining pressure washing Facebook groups (both general-purpose industry groups and ones dedicated specifically to buying and selling equipment). He singled out the Pressure Washing Buy/Sell/Trade group in particular.

He also told us that his business orders their pumps, motors, and supplies from these companies:

• J. Racenstein
• PressureWasher.net
• Southside Equipment Inc.

How much will you have to spend to get this side hustle off the ground?

You can find used and new pressure washers online for under $200, although it may be best to pay more for a better-quality machine. It’s worth noting that gas pressure washers tend to cost more than electric pressure washers.

Make sure you read reviews, compare different models, and check the warranty and customer support options on the machines you’re considering.

Pressure washers vs. power washers: what’s the difference?

When you’re picking your equipment, be aware that pressure washers and power washers are somewhat different machines, despite their very similar names.

Pressure washers use cold water and clean with pressure alone, whereas power washers use hot water. (This means that the hot water unit that Jennings recommended above is technically a power washer.)

Power washers are better suited to heavy-duty cleaning tasks like removing grease. By contrast, pressure washers are better for cleaning delicate or heat-sensitive surfaces.

When you decide whether to start a pressure washing or power washing side hustle, consider the financial costs and benefits. Power washers tend to cost more money, but when you use one, you can also charge more for your services.

You may need to get a business license, buy insurance, or tick other boxes to offer pressure washing services.

Jennings told us that the need for licensing “varies by state and locale.” For instance, in California (where Jennings operates), if you charge “more than $500 with labor and materials,” you’re required to carry a contractor’s license and bond. To obtain your license, you must pass a business law exam, which you need 4 years of journeyman experience as a washer to take.

Other jurisdictions have less arduous requirements. “Most of the time, you can get away with just a business license and general liability insurance,” Jennings said.

(Liability insurance protects you if you inadvertently injure someone, damage something, or if someone sues your business. Jennings characterized it as a must—”it’s really easy to cause some damage, especially when first starting out.”)

How to figure out what licenses you need in your area

You can find out which requirements apply to you from the government agency that deals with business licensing in your state (e.g., the Secretary of State’s office or the State Department of Commerce or Economic Development). If you’re not sure which government agency to consult, conduct an online search using keywords like “business licensing [your state]” or “business registration [your state].” This should tell you which official government websites will have the information you need.

Alternatively, try contacting your nearest Small Business Development Center and asking them for guidance.

Environmental permits

Pressure washing uses a lot of water, much of which you’ll be adding strong chemicals (cleaning agents) to. Because of this, you may need an environmental permit for your business.

Even if you don’t, it’s very important to make sure you stay compliant with environmental regulations. According to Jennings, the main piece of legislation that pressure washers have to worry about is the Clean Water Act (CWA). Although this is a federal act, enforcing it falls to local or municipal authorities (such as your city or county’s water authority, stormwater division, code enforcement department, etc.)

To stay compliant, Jennings told us, “Basically, you need to make sure there is no off-property discharge of wash water. To reclaim the water, we set up dams … if there is gas or oil present we will use an oil sock to soak that up, then use a pump to irrigate the surrounding landscape with the filtered excess wash water.”

“CWA compliance can be as easy as a couple of sandbags and a sump pump,” he added.

Examples of CWA compliance instructions and an inspection form

Jennings shared several documents with us:

• An informational brochure from the local authorities explaining how to stay compliant with the Clean Water Act
• An inspection form that the city of Oceanside sent him confirming that his business was in compliance

Unless you happen to be located in Oceanside, the procedures you’ll have to follow won’t be exactly the same, but this should still give you an idea of the kind of paperwork you’ll have to deal with to keep your operation above board.

Brochure (page one)	Brochure (page two)	Inspection form

When you offer pressure washing services, you’re effectively starting your own business. You have a few different options for the type of business entity you want to form:

• Sole proprietorship: This means that you operate your pressure washing hustle independently under your own name, and there’s no legal distinction between you and your business. You do not need to file any registration paperwork for this.
• Partnership: You operate the business along with a business partner, and the two of you share ownership and responsibilities. You also don’t need to file any registration paperwork for this type of business.
• Limited liability company (LLC): Your business is its own separate legal entity, which protects you in the event that someone sues your business or it goes bankrupt (because only your business’s assets will be on the line, not your own). To create an LLC, you need to register your business with your state.

Starting out with a sole proprietorship is the easiest option, since you won’t need to fill out any registration paperwork.

However, even though establishing a corporation or LLC requires you to pay higher fees and fill out more paperwork, the added safety makes it worth it. This is especially true with a side hustle like pressure washing where someone could plausibly claim you damaged their property in the course of your work.

Jennings told us that if you own your own business or side hustle, your “minimum trip charge” should be between $149 and $399, depending on your locale. (For obvious reasons, in areas with higher costs of living, you can charge more; to break even, pressure washers in places like San Francisco and Manhattan need to set their rates higher than washers in most suburbs in the Midwest, and so on.)

Don’t go below these rates even when the job is quick. “It doesn’t matter if it takes 20 minutes to do the job, you need to set a minimum trip charge, otherwise you won’t make any money,” said Jennings.

For larger jobs, you’ll have to calculate your rates, although Jennings still recommended not billing on an hourly basis. “You should just quote the price to do the job. Do not mention hourly pricing.”

“In your head, think about how many hours the job will take,” he said. Once you have that number, multiply it by $150–$300 per man or machine, depending on how many GPM your washer(s) are capable of. “The bigger your GPM is, the faster you can clean, hence the higher price per hour. Again, the money is made in cleaning efficiency.”

How much should pressure washing employees make?

If you’re running a one-man (or woman) operation, you don’t need to worry about paying anybody else. However, if you want to scale up and hire extra help, you need to know how much to pay them.

Jennings suggested the following rates:

• For a helper/laborer: $18–$25 per hour
• For a foreman: $30–$50

If you want your pressure washing side hustle to grow, it’s important to market it. There are many ways to do this, including:

• Word of mouth: Tell your family and friends that you’re starting up a new pressure washing business. You can also offer your existing customers an incentive (e.g., discounts or freebies) to refer new people to you.
• Social media: Set up accounts for your pressure washing business on Facebook, Instagram, or even YouTube to attract attention and show off your services.
• Local advertising: You can use various methods to advertise your pressure washing business in your area: flyers, brochures, or ads in local newspapers, to name a few.
• Online directories: You can also list your business in directories such as Yelp or Google Business Profile.

It’s also important to set up a website for your pressure washing business. This will be easy and cheap if you use a service like Wix or WordPress.

What types of customers should you look for?

Some of your customers might be the owners of residential or commercial properties. Homeowners also often hire pressure washers to clean their patios, driveways, and other outdoor areas.

Businesses (such as stores and restaurants) sometimes also hire pressure washers to keep their premises looking clean and well-maintained. They might want help removing graffiti, gum, oil stains, or other stubborn dirt from their buildings, sidewalks, parking lots, or outdoor structures.

As your business grows, you might find yourself gravitating towards a particular type of customer. However, in the beginning, it makes sense to work for anyone who’s interested.

Greater demand means greater profit, but also more work. As your pressure washing side hustle grows, you’ll have to spend more time on tasks like managing your client list, scheduling appointments, dealing with customer inquiries, invoicing, and maintaining or expanding your tool kit.

Accounting software can be a good investment. Consider investing in QuickBooks to help you manage tasks like bookkeeping, invoicing, and expense tracking.

If your pressure washing business turns into a full-time career, then as mentioned, you might want to hire people to help you. At that point, you’ll need to consider whether you want to hire employees or subcontractors—each of these options has its own pros and cons.

Pressure washing pays a lot and is relatively easy to do, but it also has drawbacks, which we’ll cover below.

Pros of a pressure washing side hustle

• Flexible working hours: Since you’ll be running your own business, you can accept pressure washing jobs that suit your schedule and fit neatly around your other commitments.
• High income potential: As mentioned, the hourly rates for pressure washing can be surprisingly high.
• Minimal training required: Anyone who’s in relatively good shape can get into pressure washing; it’s a simple skill that you can probably teach yourself.
• Working outdoors: If you prefer being outside to working in an office, then you’ll enjoy a side hustle like pressure washing that allows you to work outdoors and soak up a bit of sun.

Cons of a pressure washing side hustle

• Manual labor: Pressure washing can be a physically demanding job. This actually might be an upside if you’re usually very sedentary and you’d appreciate some extra exercise, but it’s not for everyone. You should be able and willing to spend time and energy trundling around with heavy equipment.
• Seasonality: Depending on where you live, pressure washing might be more popular in the summer than in the winter, so you’ll need to plan for ups and downs in demand by diversifying your services or budgeting for slower periods. That said, the seasonality of pressure washing could be ideal if you’re a college student or teacher.
• Typically a one-off gig: In general, people don’t need pressure washing services more than once every few months. This means you’ll need to continually look for new clients to keep your pressure washing side hustle running.
• Liability: Pressure washing always comes with a risk of property damage, especially if you’re cleaning windows or other delicate surfaces. For this reason, it’s a good idea to get insurance to protect yourself in case you cause any accidental damage.

Alternatives to starting a pressure washing business

If pressure washing doesn’t seem like the right side hustle for you, consider some of these alternatives:

• Car washing: This classic side hustle involves washing, drying, and sometimes waxing or polishing a vehicle’s surfaces.
• Mobile detailing: With this, you’ll clean the interior of vehicles. Although this job is similar to washing cars, it requires more skill and takes a lot longer (which also means you can charge more).
• House cleaning: Perform a variety of household cleaning tasks, such as vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, bathroom and kitchen cleaning, and dusting.
• Window cleaning: With this subset of house cleaning, you’ll clean window panes, frames, and sills. As a window cleaner, you may also clean window screens, remove troublesome water stains, or clean window tracks.
• Yard work: This consists of performing any type of work to maintain or improve an outdoor space like a yard or garden. This might include tasks like mowing lawns, looking after plants, or pulling up weeds.

One thing all these jobs have in common is that they involve working with your hands. There’s never a shortage of demand for manual labor, so if that’s something you want to do, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to take on these types of jobs to make a little extra cash.