Parking Garage Pressure Washing: How to Clean a Parking Garage With a Power Washer
Did you know your parking garage hosts more than just vehicles for your tenants and visitors?
If you haven’t learned how to clean a parking garage, your property will be filled with oil stains, grime, and other signs of neglect.
Parking garage cleaning is easy to overlook with everything on your plate as a property manager or owner.
But do you want your visitors or tenants to have a negative first impression of your property?
Even with your busy schedule, there’s a way to have your shiny new cake and eat it, too. We’ll show you how pressure washing a parking garage will restore your property in minutes.
Hotsy Equipment Company has everything you need for parking garage pressure washing. With over 40 years of experience and a friendly team that will make the entire process a breeze, we’re the #1 choice for a commercial pressure washer in San Antonio.
The Need to Maintain a Clean Parking Garage
We know what you might be thinking.
“Visitors only see the parking garage for a few minutes at most. Is learning how to clean a parking garage necessary?”
The answer is a resounding yes.
Parking garage cleaning is crucial for more than just taking photos of your shiny property.
Safety and Liability Considerations
Dirty parking garages are a lawsuit waiting to happen. The longer you neglect to learn how to clean a parking garage, the more oil and grime will accumulate on the floor.
Oil slicks and other debris are a leading cause of slip-and-fall accidents. Settlements for these injuries can quickly climb into the six- or seven-figure range. That’s far more costly than learning how parking garage pressure washing works.
Preserving Structural Integrity
Avoiding parking garage cleaning is a huge mistake. Neglecting your property will lead to the buildup of nasty stains that eataway at your structure.
Oil stains and grime can corrode your concrete, causing potholes and cracks. Over time, this will lead to substantial bills that you could’ve avoided if you had learned how to clean a parking garage.
Note that structural issues are compounded on lower floors. Damage to your concrete can affect the very foundations of your garage.
But by pressure washing a parking garage, you can remove these harmful substances from your property before damage occurs.
Enhancing User Experience
If you don’t learn how to clean a parking garage, you send the wrong message to tenants.
Consider their perspective
You’re arriving home from a long day of work. Your boss yelled at you about a report you barely cared about, and you even had to work through lunch.
On the way home, you pick up a fast-food burger because you know you don’t have the energy to cook.
Things are looking up until you get to your parking garage. Your car shakes and rattles over potholes, and your french fries fly everywhere. You finally pull into a spot, and your headlights shine on something that makes your stomach turn–a pool of grease that’s been there for who knows how long.
Instantly, your appetite is gone, your day is even more ruined, and you decide you won’t renew your lease for next year.
That is what your tenants feel when they drive into a dirty parking garage.
The same dynamic applies to potential customers. If they are touring your property and want to rent space, you don’t want to give them a wrong first impression. Otherwise, they’ll turn around and drive away before you can even greet them with a handshake.
Why Parking Garage Pressure Washing is the Best Method
Parking garage cleaning isn’t something to take lightly.
But why is pressure washing a parking garage the most effective way to clean?
Efficiency and Speed
One of the biggest obstacles you face as a property manager is making time in your busy schedule.
Let’s face it–most cleaning methods are tedious and slower than a snail.
But parking garage pressure washing is different.
What used to take you and your team an entire week can now be completed in an hour or two. Pressure washing a parking garage is 5 to 15 times faster than using a hose or manually sweeping and scrubbing.
With that speed comes lower labor costs and less disruption for your tenants. You can get the job done with just one person while having the freedom to choose a cleaning time when your parking garage is emptiest.
Minimizing Water Usage
Did you know parking garage pressure washing is the best method for conserving water?
To understand why, look at GPM. It stands for gallons per minute and describes the volume of water present.
Pressure washers range from 2 to 8 GPM on average. A standard hose uses 20 or more GPM.
Since pressure washers are significantly faster, the water savings over time are immense. A pressure washer uses maybe 20 to 40 gallons total versus 200 to 800 GPM for a hose.
The savings on your water bill alone are worth the investment.
Versatility Across Different Surfaces
The beauty of pressure washers comes from their flexibility. A high-quality machine can handle several surfaces with just a few minor tweaks.
As a property manager, you know to expect the unexpected. There are stains on your property that can’t be explained, but you need to deal with them all the same.
Whether you’re pressure washing graffiti, handling standard oil stains, or using a pressure washer for rust removal, a suitable machine can handle every task.
What Do You Need for Pressure Washing a Parking Garage?
If you want to experience a pressure washer’s lightning-fast cleaning power, you’ll need the right equipment.
We’ll break down each tool you need to create a shopping list that gets you results.
Selecting the Right Pressure Washer
With many different types of pressure washers available, how can you decide which one will work best?
We recommend focusing on 3 factors: pressure washer sizing, water temperature, and engine type. Of course, you want to choose a reliable brand, like Hotsy, to ensure you’re getting the best of each category.
Sizing comes down to pressure washer PSI and GPM. These define the amount of force and volume behind your water stream.
For parking garages, you’ll want a PSI of 2500 to 3000 and a GPM of 2 to 6. Tougher stains like rust and embedded oil need extra force to wash away.
These values are too high for vehicles, so watch out for tenant cars.
Water temperature is simple; hot water is preferred for tough stains like oil and rust.
As for engine type, we recommend gas-pressure washers.
While you may have outlets to plug in an electric machine, you won’t be able to navigate your property effectively.
We also recommend investing in a pressure washing trailer. This will save your back from lugging around a machine across several floors; just hitch it to your work truck, and you’re all set!
Choosing the Appropriate Nozzles and Attachments
The right accessories will make or break your pressure washing experience.
Nozzles come in several angles, from 0 degrees (a direct spray) to 60 degrees or higher (a fan-like, wide spray).
15-degree nozzles are great for general cleaning; they’re wide enough to cover large areas while still hitting tough stains. However, we recommend investing in a 0-degree nozzle for embedded stains that need a direct blast.
Attachments are useful for large surface areas. Hotsy has multiple accessories, like the Water Broom and Surface Cleaner, that can quickly clear large concrete or asphalt surfaces.
We also recommend Hotsy’s Extension Wand, which reaches 40 feet high, to hit higher floors.
Using the Right Detergents and Cleaners
Pressure washers were made with detergents in mind.
There are a few solid answers if you’re wondering what soap to use in a pressure washer for your parking garage.
We recommend Hotsy’s line of biodegradable soaps.
Hotsy Breakthrough and Hotsy Verde All-Purpose are excellent all-around soaps.
Hotsy Blue Thunder is a great addition to your arsenal if you regularly deal with road film, exhaust, and bugs. If you encounter plenty of grease, Hotsy Brown’s caustic blend is formulated to specifically address it.
Don’t Forget the PPE!
Finally, we can’t forget to mention pressure washer safety. Before you begin cleaning, you must invest in personal protective equipment. You’ll often have many of these items on-site, so don’t fret about costs too much.
We recommend safety glasses, face shields, masks, non-slip boots and gloves, long-sleeved tops and pants, and hearing protection to keep you and your staff safe.
With your shopping wishlist complete, all that is left is to start browsing!
Hotsy is the leading brand, with over 5 decades of helping businesses with pressure washing commercial buildings.
Thankfully, there’s an authorized Hotsy dealer who has been around nearly as long right here in South Texas!
Source All the Essentials at Hotsy Equipment Company
Hotsy Equipment Company has everything you need to restore your parking garages to pristine condition! We’re the #1 home for commercial hot water pressure washers in San Antonio, with a long history of over 40 years helping South Texas businesses.
Our friendly team will set you up with everything you need. We’re the best place to find commercial pressure washer rentals in San Antonio, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley.
We offer affordable rental costs for pressure washers, and our knowledgeable team will find the perfect machine, soap, and accessories for your garage.
You can also buy or lease machines from our lineup of over 80 reliable Hotsy models. We even provide custom commercial pressure washer trailers in San Antonio to help you handle your property’s unique needs.
And while our machines are built to last, a little tune-up never hurts. Our repair center is renowned for servicing Hotsy models. Plus, with our deep inventory of pressure washer parts in San Antonio, TX, we’ll be able to get your machine back up and running in no time.
How to Clean a Parking Garage: Step-by-Step Guide to Parking Garage Pressure Washing
Once you have your machine and parts, it’s time to start cleaning.
Preparation and Safety Measures
Begin by clearing the area. Block the area from vehicles with barriers to let your tenants know you are cleaning. Put on all your PPE, then sweep up all loose debris until the area is clear.
Prepare your pressure washer detergent and inspect the nozzles and hoses on your machine for leaks.
Overview of the Pressure Washing Process
Pressure washing starts by pre-soaking your soap. Use your detergent injector if you have one, or feed the tube directly into your machine. Let the soap sit for 5 to 10 minutes, as this will break down the stains over time.
Once the soaking is complete, spray the surface about a foot away. For the best results, use sweeping, overlapping motions.
Addressing Specific Problem Areas
You will have some troublesome hotspots that require extra attention.
This is an excellent time to use your caustic soap, like Hotsy Brown. Let it soak in for 5 minutes, then hit the stain with a 0-degree nozzle for additional pressure to break it down.
Final Rinse and Inspection
After hitting the entire area and addressing the extra stains, begin rinsing. This will remove any lingering soap marks.
Walk through the entire garage. You may have missed spots, so give them a second pass using the same method.
Post-Cleaning Maintenance
Once your cleaning concludes, it’s almost time to celebrate!
But first, flush your pressure washer with clean water to remove leftover soap. Then, check your nozzles and hoses for leaks.
Store your machine in a cool, dry place to prepare it for next time.
As for your garage itself, apply a sealant to ward off future stains.
Wrapping Up Our Guide to Parking Garage Cleaning
Keeping your parking garage clean isn’t just a luxury. It’s necessary for the health of your structures and will keep you safe from lawsuits.
Pressure washing is the most efficient way to clean. Unlike other methods, it’s quick, conserves water, and is easy to learn.
Our team at Hotsy Equipment Company is here to help. Over 40 years, we’ve learned everything there is to know about power washers, from how to service a pressure washer to which machines are suitable for your business.
Stop by the #1 home for commercial cold water pressure washers in San Antonio today to learn how to get your parking garage sparkling clean again!
