So you want to know how to winterize pressure washer. It gets freezing in the winter, damaging your pressure washer machine if not adequately prepared for winter storage.
We have you covered in this article on how to winterize a pressure washer in quick, easy-to-do steps.
The article is divided into two parts: winterizing your pressure washer engine and winterizing your pressure washer pump. So, let’s learn how to winterize the pressure washer.
Table of Contents
How to winterize pressure washer: 4 Steps
- Drain out all the fuel: you don’t want to store your pressure washer with fuel inside the fuel tank to avoid damage to the engine. The easiest way to dry up the fuel is by running your pressure washer till it runs out of fuel.
Another method will be to use a fuel stabilizer, add it to the fuel tank and run the engine to allow it to get to the pressure washer’s carburetor. However, it is always advisable to read the manufacturer’s manual on draining fuel from your pressure washer.- Empty gas from the carburetor: the carburetor of some pressure washing machines comes with a drain plug. You want to carefully loosen the drain screw, releasing the fuel remaining in the carburetor.
Please remember to place a tiny bucket underneath your carburetor to avoid fuel dripping everywhere. After thoroughly draining gas from the carburetor, you can take out the float bowl and wipe it off with a towel to ensure it’s clean before storage.- Properly clean the spark plug: next, you want to take out your spark plug for cleaning. Using a wire brush, gently brush off dirt and rust off the spark plug. You can also spray some engine fog or plug cleanser inside the spark plug hole to ensure that the hole is clean before inserting the spark plug back.
Now, if you notice your spark plug is old and rusty when you take it out, you can replace it with a new spark plug.- Change the oil: turn your pressure washing machine downward to face a bowl or a bucket so the oil can drip into the bucket. Then, using an extension tool, open the oil plug to release the oil. After letting out the old one, you can replace it with new oil and tighten the oil plug.
Changing your oil before storing your pressure washer for the winter is important because the old oil in the engine might be mixed with drops of water due to usage.
How to winterize pressure washer pump: 2 Steps
- Clear out the pipe: Go ahead and detach the pressure washer gun from the pump. Press on the gun; this will help release water from the hose. You don’t want any water in there. Neatly roll up the hose with the gun for storage.
- Clean the pump filters: You need an antifreeze or a pump saver spray. Connect a short hose to the intake part of the fuel pump, pour in the antifreeze through the hose, and it will come out of the outtake part.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Do I need to winterize my pressure washer?
The primary reason for winterizing pressure washers is that they can be run during winter. A winterized pressure washer can prevent water from freezing in the pump.
Can I use vinegar to winterize my pressure washer?
No, you can’t; however, you can use vinegar to clean the outside of your pressure washer quite well.
Conclusion
The important thing is to ensure no water storage in your engine or any gas left in your pressure washer. We hope these easy steps on how to winterize pressure washers make it a lot easier for you to get ready for the cold season.
Check out the best Sun Joe pressure washer that we know you can winterize.
You might not need to winterize wall mounted electric pressure washer.
