A pressure washer is a fantastic tool that can make tough cleaning jobs a lot easier. If you're dealing with really stubborn dirt and grime, you can add to the cleaning power by using a cleaning detergent along with your pressure washer. Many Honda pressure washer models have an onboard cleaning solution tank that will hold your cleaning solution for you and a soap tube that feeds it to the water wand while you work for super-easy application.
What If There's No Onboard Detergent Tank?
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Honda pressure washers often have a reservoir tank for holding detergent and cleaning solutions, but it's possible that yours may not. The good news is that it's still very easy to use a cleaning solution with your unit. To do so, simply look for a coiled clear tube somewhere on the side of your pressure washer. This clear hose is the soap tube.
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To use it, simply uncoil it and place the free end of it into a bucket of diluted cleaning solution or a container of ready-to-use pressure washer detergent. You may need to look for a small lever or switch where the tube connects to the pressure washer. If present, this switch will need to be in the "on" or "open" position to allow the washer to pull the detergent into the unit as you clean.
That's it! The rest of the process is identical to using a pressure washer with an onboard detergent tank and soap tube.
How to Use the Soap Tube on a Honda Pressure Washer
Step 1: Prepare the Pressure Washer
When using detergent with a pressure washer, it's critical that you use a commercial detergent specifically made for use with a pressure washer. Never use harsh detergents or bleach, as both can damage the equipment. If the detergent bottle doesn't specifically state that you can use it in your pressure washer, don't use it.
- Install the low-pressure nozzle on the end of your pressure washer's water wand. This is usually the black nozzle. Your pressure washer won't allow the detergent to flow with any other nozzle.
- In a bucket, dilute the pressure washer detergent with water. Generally, you can use 1 gallon of cleaning solution for every 7 gallons of water. This ratio may change from one detergent to the next, however, so always read and follow the instructions on your particular cleaning solution.
- Remove the cap from the detergent compartment on
your pressure washer and fill it with the diluted cleaning solution. On
most models, the filler cap is located on the front of the machine or on
the left side as you stand behind it.
- If necessary on your unit, uncoil the soap tube and place the free end of the tube on the detergent barb on top of the water pump.
Step 2: Wash Your Target
Your next step is to use the pressure washer as you normally would. This time, however, your chosen cleaning agent will come out of the water wand along with the pressurized water for a little extra cleaning power. This can take a few seconds, so don't panic if you don't see soap right away.
- Squeeze the trigger on the water wand and spray your target surface using a steady back-and-forth motion. If you're washing a vertical surface, work from the bottom up to prevent dripping detergent from causing streaks.
- Allow the detergent to sit on the surface as needed. It's common for cleaning agents to need at least five minutes to work. Make sure the surface you're cleaning doesn't dry while you wait for the chemical to work.
Step 3: Empty Your Pressure Washer and Rinse
It's very important that you don't allow unused detergent to sit in your pressure washer. If you haven't emptied the detergent reservoir completely, keep going or find something else to clean. You'll then need to run plain water through the pressure washer to rinse it out, which you can do as you rinse the detergent away after cleaning.
- Empty the detergent tank and refill it with plain water. If you have just a soap tube, place it in a bucket of clean water.
- Use the water wand to rinse the detergent back off whatever you cleaned. This time, work from the top down.
- Disconnect the soap hose from the detergent barb if applicable and recoil it for convenient storage.
- Turn off the pressure washer and press the trigger on the water wand to expel any water left in the wand or pump.