OUR PROS

“I’ve been using this type of machine probably for the last 15 years … We like that it’s durable, strong, very easy to use, and gets the job done quickly. It’s a big machine, so we can use a bigger spray tip and move fast.”

—ORLANDO OBESO, ALLIED PAINTERS

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“We do patio stains and clear coatings on concrete floors, and we need to pressure wash before we apply them. … I tell everyone, you can’t go wrong with this machine,” he added.

“We are vigorous with maintenance. We change the oil every 100 hours, check and inspect daily and weekly, and if anything is broken, we fix it right away,”

—SCOTT DEARDEN, MILITELLO PAINTING & POWERWASHING

King’s Pressure Washing relies on a JROD 4 Way Nozzle Holder with a smaller tip to tackle second-story soft-washes without a ladder.

3 Melissa Arnold

This Jonesborough, TN-based owner/operator paints, remodels and repairs homes, but her primary line of business is pressure washing. The bulk of her pressure washing requests are softwashing of vinyl, wood and Hardie board siding substrates on homes; she also sees her share of gutter and deck cleaning as well as paint prep soft-washing.

The STIHL RB 800 pressure washer is the machine that makes it all happen for Arnold. The 4200-PSI washer gives her plenty of power and longevity and allows her to reach up to 3 stories without needing a ladder. It also gives her the option to adjust the PSI down for soft-washing delicate surfaces, where she lets the cleaning formula she developed herself do most of the work.

However, when she’s working on concrete, particularly if it’s discolored, she uses the machine’s highest PSI setting. The STIHL 14" Rotary Surface Cleaner attachment is also a big help for stubborn concrete stains. With it, she usually doesn’t need to use a cleaning agent. The machine and attachment have also served her on commercial work, like a recent auto dealership, where she cleaned both shop floors with stubborn stains and a large concrete parking lot.

“For commercial work, you have to have something that’s going to do the job and last, and that you can store during the winter,” said Arnold. “This is the third one of these I’ve had and they last without any issues for about a good three years or more, with 8–10 hours of running, on average, a day. There’s very minimal maintenance, too. Just change the oil once a year and keep it weatherized during the winter. I love what I do and my STIHL pressure washer never lets me down.”

4 Peter King

In business since 2015, 85% of King’s Pressure Washing’s work is residential, most of it soft-washing off stubborn mold and organic substances from buildings with wood, Hardie board or vinyl siding. The Oregon-based pro gets plenty of calls for cleaning fences, decks and concrete. He soft-washes everything except concrete.

The Pressure Pro Belt Driven 8 GPM 3500 PSI pressure washer is his machine of choice. Its reliable Honda GX690 engine is its greatest attribute. He also likes the key start feature, so he doesn’t have to pull a cord.

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Pressure Washing and Home Services counts on the STIHL RB 800 and the STIHL 14" Rotary Surface Cleaner to tackle stubborn stains and large jobs.

“That engine is pretty low maintenance, reliable and straightforward. That’s important because I need it working every day. I even had one I hadn’t used in a number of years; I started it and it fired up right away,” he noted.

The Pressure Pro also makes his job easier. Thanks to how he is able to adjust the pressure on it, he doesn’t need a ladder for most 2-story homes. He uses a JROD 4 Way Nozzle Holder’s smaller tips to help him get more distance on the spray.

“The biggest benefit with soft-washing with a bigger machine is you can use the tip to put some pressure on it, just to get the stream up there. You’re not applying direct pressure to the point on the wall; you’re using the pressure just to get water to the point and then positioning yourself so you’re not hitting it with high pressure,” he said.

King also works with local paint pros to soft-wash homes before prepping them for paint.

“Sometimes, customers realize they don’t really need a paint job on the home, they just need the right person to properly soft-wash it without a lot of pressure,” he added. ■