DIY GUIDE · CLEANING

How to pressure wash a driveway or patio yourself
A day for a driveway and patio. €96–€254 to buy a machine, or less to borrow one.

Right setting for the surface, lance at an angle, electrics dry, never at people, asbestos or panels.

DIFFICULTY
Moderate
no licence needed
TIME
A day
for a driveway and patio, including set-up, the clean, re-sanding and putting the machine away
MATERIALS
€96–€254
a domestic pressure washer, safety glasses and a bag of jointing sand; detergent if you need it
A PRO CHARGES
€120–€300
typically €180
  • Every step, start to finish
  • Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
  • Honest about when to call a pro

FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER

Do it yourself, or get a cleaner?

Do it yourself if…

  • The surface is concrete, block paving, porcelain, brick or a sound natural stone
  • You have an outdoor socket protected by a residual current device, or a plug-in one
  • You can work with your feet on the ground — no ladders, no roofs
  • You can keep children, pets and neighbours' cars out of the spray zone

Get a pro if…

  • The job involves a roof, a high wall, gutters or anything above head height
  • The surface could be asbestos cement — older shed roofs, garage panels, soffits
  • It is soft stone, old brickwork with crumbling mortar, or painted render
  • It is a very large driveway that needs a hot-water or petrol commercial machine

Safety first

  • Never point the jet at people, animals, live electrical equipment, the machine or yourself; the manual is explicit, and high-pressure water can cut skin and inject under it.
  • Run the machine only through a residual current device of at most 30 mA, with dry hands, and keep plugs and couplings out of water and off the ground.
  • Wear goggles and protective clothing against backsplash. The manual and the HSA both warn that pressure washers create mists you can inhale; a shielded patio-cleaner head reduces them.
  • Do not pressure wash anything that may contain asbestos, such as older cement sheet roofs and panels.
  • Hold the gun firmly with both hands and stand balanced; the recoil can throw you off a step. Never use a pressure washer from a ladder.
  • Do not leave the machine running unattended, and keep children and pets well away.

MATERIALCOVERAGEFOR THIS JOB
Kiln-dried jointing sandBrushed into dry joints after washingOne bag for a typical drive
Machine maker's detergent (optional)Applied at low pressure, sparingly, as its label saysOne bottle
Degreaser for oil stainsBlot fresh oil first, then treatAs needed

How long the clean takes

36 m² of wall → 4.8 L for 2 coats. Buy about 5 L.

Time ≈ area in m² ÷ the area you can do in an hour, plus set-up and packing away. With a patio-cleaner head on block paving, plan on about 15 to 20 m² an hour as a careful first-timer; with a lance alone, less. Example: a 6 × 5 m driveway (30 m²) plus a 4 × 4 m patio (16 m²) is 46 m², so 46 ÷ 15 ≈ 3 hours of washing, plus an hour of set-up, re-sanding and packing.

Your own rate on the first test square is the number to use. If it is much slower, the surface may need a detergent first rather than more pressure.

What size of machine

Domestic machines in Irish DIY stores range from about 110 to 165 bar. A mid-range model around 130 bar is plenty for a driveway and patio; more pressure mostly means more damage to soft surfaces. One maker's mid-range manual gives a typical operating weight of 13.5 kg, so check you can lift it in and out of the car.

Pressure settings by surface

One maker's manual sets out three stages: hard for stone terraces, concrete and asphalt; medium for cars, brick and plastered walls and plastic furniture; and soft for wood, bicycles, sandstone and rattan. An Irish paving maker says to use medium pressure or lower on paving, aimed at roughly 30° to the surface rather than straight down, and to take care not to remove the jointing sand or mortar.

The rotating dirt blaster and the patio cleaner head

The rotating nozzle concentrates the jet and cuts through moss and grime on hard concrete — and through softer surfaces too; the manual says not to use it on car tyres, paint or wood. A round patio-cleaner head shields the jet, gives an even finish without stripes, and cuts the mist; the same manual notes shielded nozzles can significantly lower the aerosols the machine throws up.

Detergents

Only use detergents the machine maker specifies; the manual warns others can impair the machine's safety. Detergent goes on at low pressure, sparingly, on the dry surface, and is left to work without drying before you rinse. The manual says detergent work belongs on watertight surfaces draining to the sewer, and never into waterways or soil.

Water supply

The manual says a connection to your mains water supply needs a backflow separator to EN 12729 type BA, and that water which has passed through one is no longer drinkable. In practice: use the backflow-protected connector the maker supplies or recommends, and open the tap fully so the pump is never starved.

Power and extension leads

The manual says to run the machine only through a residual current device of at most 30 mA, never touch the plug with wet hands, and keep plug and couplings out of water and off the ground. Outdoors, only approved leads with enough core size: 1.5 mm² for 1 to 10 m and 2.5 mm² for 10 to 30 m, unwound fully from the drum.

Whatever the setting, start further away than you think and move closer only as far as you need.
Never point the lance at people, animals, the machine itself or anything live electrical.

THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH

Preparing the surface — by what you are washing

Find your surface below and do its preparation before you start the machine. The last two are surfaces you leave alone.

Concrete driveway or slabs

Plain or brushed concrete, concrete flags.

  1. Sweep off loose grit and leaves so the jet is not firing stones
  2. Treat oil stains first with a degreaser, blotting rather than wiping fresh oil
  3. Plan the direction so dirty water runs to a drain point, not over clean areas
  4. Use the hard setting or the patio-cleaner head; test a corner first
Block paving

Interlocking blocks with sand joints.

  1. Scrape out weeds and moss by hand first
  2. Set medium pressure or lower and keep the jet at an angle, as the paving maker advises
  3. Use the patio-cleaner head to avoid digging out the joints
  4. Have a bag of kiln-dried jointing sand ready for afterwards
Timber decking and fences

Softwood boards, garden furniture, sheds.

  1. Use the soft setting and a wide fan nozzle, never the rotating blaster
  2. Test on an offcut or a hidden board; furring of the grain means too close
  3. Work along the grain, never across it
  4. Plan to let it dry for several days before any oil or stain
Brick walls and render

Garden walls, house walls at ground level.

  1. Check the mortar is sound; crumbling joints will be blasted out
  2. Use the medium setting and keep the jet angled downwards so water is not driven into the wall
  3. Keep the spray off windows, vents, doors and electrical fittings
  4. Do not wash painted render unless the paint maker says it can take it
Cars, bikes and garden furniture

Paintwork, tyres, plastic and rattan.

  1. Medium for cars and plastic, soft for bikes and rattan
  2. Keep at least 30 cm from paintwork and from tyres and valves, as the manual says
  3. Never use the rotating blaster on paint or tyres
  4. Engines and undersides belong at a wash station with an oil separator, not on the drive
Asbestos cement, roofs and solar panels

Older corrugated sheds, garage roofs, soffits, any roof, any panel.

  1. Do not pressure wash them at all
  2. The manual says not to spray objects containing harmful substances such as asbestos
  3. Roofs and gutters mean ladders and height — not this job
  4. Solar panel makers forbid pressure washers; see the solar guide

THE JOB

How to pressure wash, in order

  1. Check the surface and the surroundings

    15 min

    Use the surfaces section above to decide the setting for each surface — and which surfaces to leave alone. Walk the area: move cars, bins and pots; close windows and doors; check for cracked slabs, loose blocks and any sheet material that could be asbestos cement. Look where the dirty water will run and keep it out of ponds, streams and flower beds.

    • Tell the neighbours; spray travels over walls
    • Cover outside sockets and lights the spray will reach
    • Photograph oil stains to treat them first

    Mistake to avoid: Starting without checking for asbestos sheeting. Blasting it releases fibres, and the manual says not to spray harmful materials at all.

  2. Sweep and treat stains

    30 min

    Sweep off grit, stones and leaves — the jet turns them into missiles. Scrape weeds and moss out of the joints by hand so you do not need to dig them out with the jet. Blot any fresh oil with absorbent material rather than wiping it, then treat with a degreaser as its label says. Pre-treat green areas with a patio cleaner or the machine maker's detergent if needed.

    • The less the jet has to remove, the less damage it does
    • Bag weeds and moss for the brown bin
    • Leave detergents the time their label says, not to dry

    Mistake to avoid: Using the jet to blast out moss and stones. It strips the joints and throws grit at windows and cars.

  3. Set up the water and the power

    20 min

    Connect the garden hose to the machine with the backflow-protected coupling and open the tap fully. Plug into a socket protected by a residual current device — the manual says at most 30 mA — using an approved outdoor lead of the right core size, fully unwound, with the connection off the ground and out of puddles. Check the high-pressure hose, gun and lance for damage before every use.

    • Plug and socket in a dry spot, never in water
    • Run the lead where it will not be sprayed or run over
    • Replace a damaged hose; do not tape it

    Mistake to avoid: Using an indoor extension lead coiled on its drum. It overheats, and its socket ends up lying in the wet.

  4. Vent the machine and test a corner

    10 min

    With the water flowing, squeeze the trigger with the machine off to push air out, then switch on. Put on goggles and boots. Start on a hidden corner of the surface at the setting you chose, holding the lance well back, and move closer only until the dirt lifts. Look at the result once it dries: furred timber, exposed aggregate or scoured stone means less pressure or more distance.

    • Hold the gun with both hands; it kicks back
    • Stand with your feet apart and your weight balanced
    • Keep the lance tip moving

    Mistake to avoid: Starting in the middle of the drive at full power. Any damage is in the most visible place before you know the setting is wrong.

  5. Wash with an angled, overlapping sweep

    2–3 hours

    Work from the highest point towards the drain in strips about the width of the patio cleaner or the fan. Keep the lance at an angle to the surface — the Irish paving maker suggests about 30° — and at a steady distance, moving at a steady pace and overlapping each strip slightly. Never hold the jet in one spot. Sweep the dirty water ahead of you so it does not settle back on clean paving.

    • Angle the jet away from the joints on block paving
    • With a patio-cleaner head, move it slowly in straight lines
    • Take breaks; the noise and recoil wear you out

    Mistake to avoid: Holding the jet close and straight down to shift a stubborn mark. It leaves a pale scar and empties the joints around it.

  6. Do walls and timber gently

    45 min

    Switch to medium for brick and render, soft for timber. On walls, work from the top of what you can reach down, with the jet angled downwards so water is not driven into joints, vents or window seals. On timber, use a wide fan, stay well back and work along the grain. Never use the rotating nozzle on timber or paint.

    • Keep the spray off window seals, letterboxes and air vents
    • Do not reach above head height; never from a ladder
    • Stop on timber the moment it looks fuzzy

    Mistake to avoid: Using the same setting on the deck as on the drive. Softwood furs and splinters and needs sanding to recover.

  7. Rinse and check

    20 min

    When the whole area is done, give it a final low-pressure rinse to move the last of the dirty water and any detergent off the surface, towards the drain. If you used detergent, the manual's method is to spray it sparingly, let it work, then rinse with the high-pressure jet, and to rinse the machine itself with clean water for about 30 seconds afterwards.

    • Check for stripes; go over them with the patio cleaner
    • Look at the joints; note where sand has gone
    • Rinse splashes off windows and doors

    Mistake to avoid: Leaving detergent on the paving. It dries to a film and can harm plants it runs onto.

  8. Re-sand the joints once dry

    45 min

    Wait until the paving is completely dry — usually the next dry day. Pour kiln-dried jointing sand over the block paving and brush it diagonally across the joints until they are full, then sweep off the excess. The paving maker says to replace washed-out jointing sand with new dried sand once the paving has dried; unfilled joints let blocks move and weeds return.

    • Damp sand clumps; wait for dry weather
    • Brush across the joints, not along them
    • Go over the area twice; the sand settles

    Mistake to avoid: Skipping the re-sanding. Block paving without full joints rocks, sinks and grows weeds within weeks.

  9. Pack the machine away properly

    15 min

    Switch off, unplug, and squeeze the trigger to release the pressure before uncoupling hoses — water in the connections can be hot after use. Drain the machine and hoses completely; the manual warns frost damages the pump, and says to protect it from frost. Wind the hose without kinks, store the lead dry and keep the machine somewhere frost-free over winter.

    • Clean the inlet filter while you are at it
    • Store detergents upright in their original bottles
    • Note the settings that worked for next time

    Mistake to avoid: Leaving water in the machine in a cold shed. One frosty night cracks the pump.

The mistakes that cause damage — and injuries

  • Too much pressure, too close, straight down
  • The rotating blaster on timber, paint or tyres
  • Blasting the sand out of block-paving joints and not replacing it
  • Indoor extension leads, no RCD, plugs lying in the wet
  • Pointing the jet at people, pets, yourself — or asbestos, roofs or panels

Stop here and get a pressure washing service

  • The job needs a ladder, a roof or a high wall
  • The surface may be asbestos cement, or you are not sure
  • Old soft brick, crumbling mortar, soft stone or painted render
  • A large commercial-sized area, or stains that need hot water
How to hire a pressure washing contractor →

Stripes or zebra marks across the pavingUneven distance or speed with the lance. Go over it again with a patio-cleaner head in straight, overlapping passes.
Sand washed out of the jointsToo much pressure or the jet aimed into the joints. Re-sand with kiln-dried sand on a dry day; next time angle the jet and use medium or lower.
Timber looks furry or splinteredToo much pressure or too close. Let it dry, sand it lightly by hand and use the soft setting and a fan next time.
Pale scars in the concreteThe jet was held in one spot or the rotating nozzle was too close. They will not wash out; keep the lance moving.
Water inside the house round a window or ventThe jet was driven into the seal or the vent. Dry the area; aim downwards and keep the spray off seals and openings.
The machine pulses or will not build pressureAir in the system or not enough water flow. Open the tap fully, vent it with the trigger, and clean the inlet filter.
The RCD keeps trippingWater in a connection or a damaged lead. Stop, unplug, dry everything and check the lead; do not bypass the RCD.
Green growth returned quicklyThe roots in the joints were left or the joints are empty. Scrape the joints, treat, re-sand, and consider a sealer.

WHAT YOU SAVE

What it costs to do it yourself

Domestic pressure washer€96–€254
Safety glasses€2.25–€4
Jointing sand, one bag€4.95–€10.55
Total, buying the machine€103–€269
DIY total€96–€254
A pressure washing contractor charges per job
LOW
€120
TYPICAL
€180
HIGH
€300
Pressure Washing price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

The machine is the cost; the rest is small. Borrowing one from a neighbour, or doing it once a year, changes the sums a lot. A patio-cleaner head is often included and worth having if not.

RATHER NOT?

Pressure washing contractors near you, with prices shown

The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

Keep it from getting that bad again

Sweep the drive and patio regularly and clear leaves before they rot into the joints; the paving makers' first line of cleaning is a broom.

Store the machine frost-free

Drained, dry and indoors over winter, with the hose wound loosely and the lead coiled dry.

Dispose of waste properly

Weeds and moss go in the brown bin. Unused detergents and degreasers are hazardous waste for a civic amenity site, not your bins. A pressure washer at the end of its life is electrical waste: bring it to a WEEE drop-off point or civic amenity site, or back to the shop when you buy a new one — mywaste.ie lists where.

Mind the run-off

Detergent and oily water should go to a drain connected to the sewer, never a stream, ditch or soil; engine and underbody washing belongs at a wash station with an oil separator.

Pressure washing a driveway, patio and walls safely: questions people ask

Medium or lower, with the jet at about 30° to the surface rather than straight down, as one Irish paving maker advises, and a patio-cleaner head if you have one. That cleans without stripping the joints.

Yes, with care: medium pressure or lower, the jet angled away from the joints, and kiln-dried sand brushed back in once it is dry.

On the soft setting with a wide fan, along the grain and well back from the boards. Never the rotating nozzle, and stop if the timber looks fuzzy.

Yes. The manual says to run the machine only through a residual current device of at most 30 mA, with approved outdoor leads, fully unwound.

The Locufy price guide puts professional pressure washing at €120–€300 per job, typically €180. Large driveways, re-sanding and sealing cost more.

No. Roofs mean work at height, older roof sheets may contain asbestos, and solar panel makers forbid pressure washers on panels.

MORE GUIDES

More DIY guides

Cleaning a patio by hand with a brush and patio cleanerCleaning windows from the ground and from insideCleaning solar panels you can reach from the groundCleaning up after building workSpring-cleaning the jobs the weekly clean missesCleaning a whole house from top to bottom in a daySetting up a weekly cleaning routine you can keepBlitzing a home that has got on top of you
All 90 DIY guides →How to hire a pressure washing contractor →Pressure Washing price guide →Pressure washing contractors on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Kärcher — K 4 Power Control operating instructions: safety, settings, water and power
  2. Roadstone — paving maintenance guide: power washing and jointing sand
  3. Kilsaran — maintenance of block and flag paving
  4. HSA — Safety in Contract Cleaning: pressure-washer mists and chemicals
  5. MyWaste.ie — electrical items (WEEE)
  6. MyWaste.ie — chemicals and household hazardous waste
  7. B&Q Ireland — price check: pressure washers, October 2026
  8. B&Q Ireland — price check: safety glasses, October 2026
  9. B&Q Ireland — price check: paving and jointing sand, October 2026