How to use a pressure washer surface cleaner

High-speed flat surface cleaners can have two or three arms (dual or tri arm) that spin counter clockwise at up to 1800 RPM (rotations per minute). Surface cleaners, originally known as whirlaways, are an excellent tool to have on hand, since they can remove dirt and moss up to three times faster than conventional lances and twice as fast as wash brooms. Surface cleaners are also easy to use; the operator simply walks behind the surface cleaner while gripping the two handles. The arms beneath spin in sync with the flow of water, and the larger the volume of water, the faster it spins. This provides a concentrated flow of water, and an efficient clean because the spray nozzles are around two inches above the floor.

An anti-splash ring on the housing's edge prevents dirty water from spraying around. Some of our surface cleaners come with casters, while others don't. Without the casters, the unit is meant to "hover" or "float" over the ground, thus manoeuvrability is not a concern. The most significant benefit of these devices is that they do away with the "zebra" striping that is commonly observed on driveways and block paving.

KIAM Surface Pro 18” Cleaner

Where can I use a surface cleaner?

There are lots of areas where a surface cleaner can be utilised. Some examples include:

• Driveways
• Warehouses
• Industrial Courtyards
• Tennis Courts
• Patios
• Car Parks
• Roofs

How to set up a surface cleaner

Setting up a surface cleaner to use can be done in a few simple steps:

1. Set up your pressure washer; make sure the hose feeding the machine water is connected and the pressure washer is primed with oil and fuel.
2. Press and hold the trigger to ensure water can flow through the nozzles (you may need to apply PTFE tape on the nozzle thread to prevent leaks).
3. Start your pressure washer.
4. Slowly walk behind your surface cleaner – taking small steps to ensure the best clean possible.
5. For an optimal clean you need to ensure that the nozzles are kept clean and free from any dirt or debris. After use make sure to thoroughly clean out the nozzles.

Please note:

• If using our surface cleaner on decking or wooden surfaces, do not remain stationary as the high-pressure jets may cause damage.
• For real stubborn stains such as oil, you may need to use our Hypo Lemon Fragranced solution before using your surface cleaner. We always advise doing a patch test before use.

Safety Warning

Any raised impediment that comes into contact with the machine during operation can cause it to malfunction. STOP and replace the spray bar if contact and vibration occur while operating the equipment. Continuing to use the machine could result in serious injury or damage to the machine.

Surface cleaner FAQ

Other commonly asked questions about our surface cleaners include:

Q: Is it heavy and is it easy to move?

A: Our Surface Cleaners operate on castor wheels making 360-degree movement easy. The stainless-steel material is lightweight and becomes “almost weightless” when in use; making the unit easy to operate.

Q: How much water does it use?

A: It uses the same amount of water as your pressure washer, it just comes out through two nozzles instead of the one.

1. Why two nozzles?
2. Most rotary cleaners have two spinning arms with two nozzles. The nozzle jets are designed to be half the size of a standard nozzle, if there are two nozzles, and a third of the size if there are three nozzles. This ensures that the pressure is still the same as the single nozzle on the standard lance but gives half the volume of water to each nozzle.

If you have any further questions about surface cleaners, or need helping choosing the right product for your needs, get in touch with us today. Our friendly experts are more than happy to help and offer advice when needed.