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8 Best Pressure Washer Soaps/Detergents (2022 Reviews) – Top Picks

Learn to know which soaps work best. Our top 8 best pressure washer soap/detergents let you find and apply to suitable pressure washer cleaning solutions.

Detergent is an essential part of your cleaning job even if you use a pressure washer. Some of the machines already have a detergent tank attached to them. These tanks help the users to use the detergent properly and effectively. You just need to put the detergent solution into the tank and your job is done.

You can also use your regular bucket to apply the soap and stay relaxed; though, you will always have to carry it around with your machine.

When you apply detergent you should be sure that you are using good quality soap so that it doesn’t harm yours hand or the surface.

There are plenty of detergents available in the market who will say best pressure washer soap. But you should go with the branded detergents instead of buying the cheap locally made ones.

The non-brand soaps are made of harmful detergents that are not good for your skin. Buy good quality soap and protect your skin from being injured.

The 8 Best Pressure Washer Soaps

  • Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Pressure Washer Cleaner
  • Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner
  • Sun Joe SPX HDC1G Cleaner
  • Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap
  • Simple Green 18202 Concrete and Driveway Cleaner
  • Krud Kutter Multi Purpose Pressure Washer Concentrate
  • Simple Green Industrial Cleaner
  • Krud Kutter HS01 Green Pressure Washer Siding Cleaner

We have enlisted top 8 best soap for pressure washers above. If you want to know details of each model, please scroll down and explore to make the buying decision that fulfill your requirements!

A Quick Overview of Pressure Washer Cleaner

    
Oxy Solve Total Outdoor cleanerOxy Solve Cleaner

  • Model: 8541813566
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable & orally non-toxic
  • Color: Green
  • Weight: 9.27 Pounds
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Simple Green 13421 ProSimple Green 13421 Pro

  • Model: 13421
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable
  • Color: CLEAR
  • Weight: 2.36 Pounds
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Sun Joe SPX-HDC1GSun Joe SPX-HDC1G

  • Model: SPX-HDC1G
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable & non-toxic bleach-free
  • Color: White
  • Weight: 8 Pounds
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Karcher Car Wash & Wax SoapKarcher Car Wash & Wax Soap

  • Model: 9.558-147.0
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable
  • Weight: 2.35 Pounds
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Simple Green 18202Simple Green 18202

  • Model: 18202
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable
  • Weight: 8.27 Pounds
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Krud Kutter PWC01Krud Kutter PWC01

  • Model: PWC01/4
  • Size: 1 Gallon/4 Pack
  • Material: Biodegradable
  • Weight: 9 Pounds
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Simple Green 13005CTSimple Green 13005CT

  • Model: SMP13005CT
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable & orally non-toxic
  • Color: White
  • Weight: 8.85 Pounds
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Krud Kutter HS01Krud Kutter HS01

  • Model: HS014
  • Size: 1 Gallon
  • Material: Biodegradable
  • Color: Green
  • Weight: 9 Pounds
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The 8 Best Pressure Washer Detergents

What is the best detergent to use in a pressure washer? Multiple detergents and soap solutions are available in the market, but all of them might not be good for your machine. Finding appropriate detergent or soap can be easy if you know about them. Once you are set with one type of detergent you will stick to it for a long time. So it is important to select your detergent carefully in the beginning. We provided a list of a few best quality cleaning solutions below for your easy pick-up.

1. Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Pressure Washer Cleaner

Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Pressure Washer Cleaner

This cleaning solution has great effect on cleaning multi surfaces such as wood, composite, vinyl, metal, fabric, plastic, concrete, stone, asphalt, etc. It can easily remove grime and stain from mold, moss, algae, mildew, etc. The non-toxic formula has been used in making this solution, which means it’s safe for your skin. With its one-gallon bottle, you can clean up to 6000 sq. ft.

  • It can be used to clean composite, wood, vinyl, meta, fabric, and many other things.
  • It easily removes grime, mold, grime, moss, algae, etc.
  • The solution is non-toxic.
  • It can clean up to 6000 sq. ft.
  • It’s not a harsh chemical and safe for your skin and machine.

While buying a cleaning solution, you must think about the safety of your skin and your machine as well. Oxy solve provides you this safety yet cleans most of your toughest dirt from any surface. It is meant to use for outdoor cleaning purposes, so you must avoid using it for indoor cleaning.

2. Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner

Simple Green Pro HD Heavy Duty Cleaner

This is the product by Sunshine Markers Inc. It easily cleans your floors, walls, industrial equipment, vehicles, commercial kitchens, and many other things. Let’s know about its characteristics which will help you decide if it’s your required product.

  • Developed for multi-purpose contractor applications
  • One-stop cleaner and degreaser
  • Non-toxic, non-corrosive and professional grade product
  • Used for pressure washing, parts washing, ultrasonic cleaning, etc.
  • Quickly eliminates tough grease and grime, removes the stain
  • Safe for metal surfaces
  • Comes in a 1-gallon bottle

3. Sun Joe SPX HDC1G Cleaner

Sun Joe SPX HDC1G Cleaner

Another good quality cleaning solution is SPX-HDC1G, which can be used for all types of cleaning purposes. It’s specially made for use with Sun Joe machines but can be easily used with other machines as well. It will clean your tough grease, grime, algae, stain, etc. from any surface. It is biodegradable, non-toxic, and bleach-free, that’s why safe to use.

  • This chemical is biodegradable, non-toxic and bleach free.
  • Mop or brush can be used with this solution to clean wood, brick, etc.
  • It can be used to remove dirt from brick, concrete, wood, car, boat, fence, etc.
  • It removes stain, grease, oil, mold, etc. easily from a surface.
  • It’s completely safe for your hand and machine as well.

For light-duty cleaning, you can add ½ gallon of this solution with 5 gallons of water, and for heavy-duty cleaning, you should add 1 gallon of the solution with 5 gallons of water. You will get a very good result if you follow the proper instruction and apply the solution.

4. Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap

Karcher Car Wash & Wax Soap

This cleaning material is made by the famous pressure washer manufacturing company Karcher. It is specially made for cleaning your vehicles. Washing with this cleaner will make your car not only clean but shiny as well. This product is easily available for the USA users. This can be your best pressure washer detergent for cars.

  • Biodegradable product
  • Highly concentrated; one gallon makes up to 5 gallons of solution
  • Keeps your vehicle’s color intact
  • Can be used to clean car, motorcycle, truck, SUV and more
  • It rinses away without leaving residue behind
  • Wash and wax combined

5. Simple Green 18202 Concrete and Driveway Cleaner

simple green 18202 concrete and driveway cleaner

This cleaner is specially formulated to remove any kind of grease and grime from different surfaces. It will be very good for your driveway or patio. It is not harmful for plants or trees, which means it is eco friendly pressure washing chemicals.

  • Safe for pressure washing machines
  • Non-corrosive or non-degrading
  • Very good for concrete surfaces such as patio, driveway, etc.
  • Effectively cleans oil stain or grease
  • Comes in 1-gallon bottle
  • Doesn’t harm plants or trees
  • Developed and powerful formula is used

6. Krud Kutter Multi Purpose Pressure Washer Concentrate

krud kutter multi purpose pressure washer concentrate

Commercial strength formula is applied in this cleaner to remove the tough stain from wood, vinyl or aluminum surfaces. With this cleaning solution, you don’t have to rub the surface which reduces your work. This is easy and quick to use. You can consider this one as your best pressure washing chemicals for commercial purposes.

  • Strong commercial formula is used
  • Good for wood, vinyl or aluminum surfaces
  • Very easy to use that requires no rubbing
  • Takes only 2 to 5 minutes
  • Comes in 1-gallon container
  • Can be used for your driveway and patio as well
  • Petroleum, ammonia or bleach is not used
  • Water-based solution

7. Simple Green Industrial Cleaner

simple green industrial cleaner

This is an all-purpose cleaner and degreaser. It is quite safe for washable surfaces such as sinks, tiles, carpet, floorings, etc. You can easily use it with your pressure washer. The powerful formula is used to cut through oil or grease stains.

  • Safer alternative to toxic cleaners
  • Non-abrasive and non-corrosive
  • Can be used on almost all surfaces
  • Machinery, vehicles or floor cleaner
  • Safe for washable surfaces
  • Comes in 1-gallon container
  • Cleans oil, grease stains easily

8. Krud Kutter HS01 Green Pressure Washer Siding Cleaner

Krud Kutter HS01 Green Pressure Washer Siding Cleaner

To effectively clean a wide area this product will be of great help for you. With one bottle you can cover up to 2000 sqft. area. For using at your house this cleaning solution will be very good. It has a unique additive that removes tough stains easily. You desire to find the best house wash for pressure washer that can end with this product.

  • Effective to clean mold, algae, fungus, moss, etc.
  • Its mixing ratio is 1:10 which provides a large amount of solution
  • Unique additive cleans tough dirt easily
  • Comes in 1-gallon size bottle
  • Penetrates the surface softly and easily dissolves the stains
  • Petroleum solvent is not used
  • Very cost-effective

Things to Consider Before Buying Pressure Washer Soap

Soap or detergent is an essential thing that helps us in our cleaning. There are things that cannot be cleaned with normal water. It is almost impossible to clean the oil stain or grease properly with just water. You have to take the help of soap or detergent. We also need to understand the bad sides of these cleaning solutions as they are often harmful to our skin and the environment as well.

At first, you need to decide what kind of cleaning solution you need. Keep in mind that soap is made from natural ingredients such as herbal leaves or animal fat. Detergent is made from different chemicals which are not always good for health. Detergent is comparatively stronger than soap so you cannot deny its usage.

Go with the good brands that are reputed in making cleaning solutions. Before you buy a detergent read some pressure washer detergent reviews and knows everything about the product. Learn how to use that particular solution and on what are the surfaces you can apply on. Buy your product from good shops to maintain its authenticity.

What Kind of Soap or Detergent to Use in Pressure Washer?

At first, I would like to say that the soap or detergent that harms our environment should always be avoided. Under certain conditions, if you have to use them then you should use proper precautions to get the least harm. Try to read the chemicals that have been used to make your detergent and decide if they are safe for your skin and the environment around you. It will also help you to find out whether that particular detergent will serve your purpose. Try to use possible best detergent for pressure washer. Try not to use commercial detergents at home because they are much stronger than normal.

Different types of ingredients are used in making the cleaning solutions; some of them are chemical solutions and some of them are natural ingredients. Oxalic Acid is good for removing rust, Bleach is an aggressive sanitizer. Vinegar helps you to clean and polish the windows, doors, bronze surfaces, etc. Ammonia is used for cleaning steel and glass and Potassium Hydroxide is used to make liquid soap. Sodium Hydroxide is known as good for grease or fat remover and Sodium Hypochlorite is good stain remover and disinfectant. To clean wooden or concrete surface Citric Acid can be used.

best pressure washer detergent

Can Dish Washing Soap be Used in Pressure Washer?

Dishwashing soap is considered abrasive soap which is used to clean oil or grease. If you apply it on your car the paint might become dull or it might remove the waxing. Learn about the ingredients that are used in your dishwashing soap and decide if those are harmful for your cleaning surface. This will give you the answer to whether you should use it for your pressure washer. But it is advisable that you go for proper soap or detergent when it comes for pressure washing.

Difference Between Soap and Detergent

If you go deep you will find plenty of chemical differences between soap and detergent. We tried to explain the contrast between these two types in a very simple way.

Soaps are made with natural ingredients and detergents are made from synthetic sources. You will find fat in soap and carbonic compounds in detergent.

Soaps don’t create pollution in our rivers and lakes. Detergents are much stronger than soaps. Environmentally safe pressure washer detergent is good for your delicate surfaces.

Pressure Washer Soap Tips and Tricks

We often face the question of what kind of soap for pressure washer be used in our cleaning or how to use detergent or soap in our machine. Soap or detergent is made of chemicals, and they are highly effective in your cleaning process. Commercial pressure washing chemicals are even more highly concentrated and need careful handling. To use a chemical solution on your device, there are multiple facts that you need to consider.

What chemicals are used in pressure washer soaps & detergents?

Using detergent in a pressure washer brings out many questions in our mind; if the detergent is going to harm the machine, whether it will affect the surface that we will clean, or if the soap is safe for our skin. The chemicals used in making a pressure washer detergent are vinegar, citric acid, oxalic acid, bleach, sodium hydrochloride, ammonia, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, etc. The measurements might vary, or the chemicals might change in numbers from brand to brand.

In terms of the safety issue, the finally made solution using the above-mentioned chemicals is quite safe for human or animal skin, the surface of your cleaning area, and your machine as well. The manufacturers make these detergent or soap user friendly to avoid any kind of unwanted accident. Now the question might arise what the best chemical for a pressure washer is. The answer is you must go for well-known brands to eliminate any confusion and choose the best pressure washer detergents.

Should I Use Soap or Detergents?

We often face a problem of whether to use soap or detergent for cleaning using a pressure washer. For the answer, you need to understand their nature; you should know what detergent or soap to use in pressure washers and also have to know that different soaps and detergents are made for different purposes. The very basic idea of soap is that it uses fat and oil; sodium is used in bar soap, whereas potassium is used in liquid soap. Detergent is a chemical combination that doesn’t use fat or oil and is used to clean clothes.

If you want to use soap for surfaces like your car, boat, or vehicle, you might find some white substance on the surface if it gets wet in rain water. With detergent, you will not face this problem. If you are planning to clean your garage, patio, or any stone surface, you might go for soap instead of detergent. In this case, soap will be more effective in cleaning than using detergent.

How to Make DIY Pressure Washer Detergent

The easy way to cut down your pressure washer detergent expense is to make your own detergent at home. Here I will share three methods of making eco-friendly pressure washing chemicals for different surfaces.

If you want to make a solution for cleaning a concrete surface, put 1 gallon of water in a bucket. Next, add ½ cup of Borax, ½ cup of washing soda, and 1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap. Stir them well before you apply on a surface.

To clean your car or other vehicles, you should follow this recipe. Put 1 gallon of water in a bucket and add 12 tablespoons of laundry detergent powder. Mix it properly before you apply it to your vehicle.

This recipe will be applicable for any vinyl siding, such as your fence, wooden floor, and wall, etc. For this solution, you will need 1 gallon of hot water, 1/3 cup of TSP (Trisodium Phosphate), and 1/3 cup of laundry detergent powder. Apply this mixture on your vinyl surface and clean it.

The above methods are purely homemade pressure washer detergent that will not only save your money but also they are friendly to the environment.

Why you can’t use regular soaps in pressure washers

A pressure washing machine is designed to remove dirt using the water force, and they need a special type of soap. Soap that is strong enough to weaken the dirt, mud, grime, or grease is generally used with this machine. The detergent that you use to wash your clothes doesn’t have the strength to weaken the dirt on a surface unless you rub it properly. This is the same case with your dishwashing or other cleaning soap; they need rubbing to make things clean.

Generally, vinegar, citric acid, oxalic acid, bleach, sodium hydrochloride, ammonia, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide are used in the solution of a pressure washer soap. These chemicals easily break down the strong combination of dirt, mud, grease, etc. Once they become weak enough, the water force of your pressure washer easily removes them from a surface. This is the reason your machine needs a special type of pressure washer cleaning solutions.

How Do I Use the Detergent?

Just because you don’t know how to use a pressure washer detergent properly, you might get a poor cleaning performance by your machine. You must know how to use detergent with pressure washer properly to get the best result. This definitely is not rocket science, so you need not worry much. You just have to follow a few instructions, and that’s it.

Most of the cleaning solutions available in the market are highly concentrated and are ready to use right out of the box. They need to dilute properly with water, and the solution you are going to use will tell you how much water to add. Put the mixture into your onboard detergent tank and turn on the switch. You can use the mixture from a bucket as well if you don’t have a detergent tank. When you apply soap, you must use a low-pressure nozzle.

While applying on a surface, you must move your spray gun slowly so that the soap is applied evenly on a surface. You can also use a rotating nozzle for rubbing purposes. On the vertical surfaces, move your spray gun from bottom to up to avoid streaks. After you finish applying your detergent, wait for few minutes for the solution to do its work.

After you applied soap, you need to use a high-pressure nozzle for cleaning. On a flat surface, move your gun from one side to the other, and on a vertical surface, move it from top to bottom to avoid streaks. Cleaning solutions are bio-degradable, so you must apply plenty of clean water for a better result. Don’t forget to get the solution out of your machine properly by using plenty of water.

FAQ About Pressure Washing Chemicals

1. Do Pressure washers need special soap?

Yes, pressure washers need a special type of soap or detergent solution. You cannot use your regular cleaning detergent as they will not only harm your machine but also you will not get proper cleaning results.

2. How do I make my own pressure washer soap?

You can make your own solution at home for using with your power washing device. You will need the Bronx, soda, liquid detergent, TSP (Trisodium Phosphate), etc. to make a solution. For detailed instructions, see the How to Make DIY Pressure Washer Detergent section above.

3. Can I use vinegar in my pressure washer?

Yes, you can use white vinegar in your pressure washer. It will not harm your machine even though it is an acidic liquid. The other chemicals might harm the device if your measurement is not right.

4. Can I use simple green in my pressure washer?

Yes, you can use simple green in your pressure washer. This solution doesn’t harm your device, and it can easily remove your tough dirt. Like many other chemicals, simple green doesn’t harm your cleaning surface as well.

5. Can I use laundry detergent in a pressure washer?

No, laundry detergent is meant to clean clothes, and it’ll not be effective for pressure washer. You will get the same answer if you ask can you use dish soap in a pressure washer. For using a pressure washing machine, you need something stronger, and it should not harm your machine.

6. How do I add detergent to my pressure washer?

To add detergent, you first need to dilute the concentrated solution with enough water. Generally, the ratio is 1:5. after that, put it in your onboard detergent tank and spray over a surface that you need to clean with a low-pressure nozzle.

7. Can you power wash without detergent?

Yes, you can always power wash without detergent. But, using soap or detergent will weaken the dirt on a surface, and your cleaning will be much efficient. It’s advisable to use a cleaning solution to remove grease or oil stain.

8. How does a soap injector work on a pressure washer?

A soap injector is attached to the top end of your spray gun. It takes liquid chemical solution from a bucket and mixes with the already pressurized water and is sprayed on a surface that you are going to clean.

9. What is the best pressure washer soap for cars?

There are multiple cleaning solutions available for the effective cleaning of your car or other vehicles. Sun Joe SPX-HDC1G is one of the top-rated car washing liquid solutions you can use for your vehicle.

10. Can I use bleach in my pressure washer?

Bleach is a dangerous chemical that is highly effective at killing mold and mildew. But it will harm your machine’s pump, which is why it is not advisable to use it in your machine. You can look for the other bleach-free solutions.

Conclusion

After analyzing a lot we get to know that it is obvious that soap or detergent is very important stuff in cleaning work. We need to make our things look clean and shiny. Depending on what kind of things are you going to wash you need to choose your detergent. You also have to decide if you need soap or detergent. It will be wise to avoid the chemicals that are not good for you the environment. After having careful research, pick up your best soap to use in pressure washer.

There are two types of cleaning solutions, residential and commercial. Avoid using the commercial solution as they use a very strong formula that needs careful application. Reading the ingredient list on the bottle helps us to know about different chemicals. If we have an idea about the chemicals we can decide which solution will be suitable for our required cleaning. The above-mentioned cleaning solutions have been carefully chosen to fulfill your purpose properly. The wide range of people uses them happily.

References

Foaming a car with a Karcher Foamlance


About Daniel Wood

Daniel has completed his graduation mechanical engineering from a reputed university in US. He worked as a technical engineer in a pressure washer manufacturing plant for four years. He has a great passion for mechanical devices and has opened a workshop where he does research on various machines in his leisure time. His high interest in technology made him an expert in commercial and residential pressure washers.

8 thoughts on “8 Best Pressure Washer Soaps/Detergents (2022 Reviews) – Top Picks”

  1. Thanks for sharing this blog post. I have read this post thoroughly and would appreciate the idea you have shared with us.

    Reply
  2. Alot of pressure washing companies are at an impasse. There is websites saying NOT to use dish liquid with bleach some say you can if diluted with water appropriately. Some say they are using washing powders or liquid with bleach amd its safe. What is your take on that. As I use about 4 drops of dawn in a sprayer with a 1/2 cup of bleach and then my surfactant like krud kutter.

    Reply
  3. Hi everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this website, and post is truly fruitful in favor of me,
    keep up posting these articles or reviews.

    Reply

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