Clean it without wrecking it.

• Wait out the last freeze before the first big wash. Xenia’s average last spring freeze is April 18, and in nine years out of ten it has passed by May 4².
• Test the GFCI outlet or breaker before the first use of an electric washer³.
• Check north and shaded walls for green mildew streaks. Mild soap and water first, and a mildew mix only as your siding maker describes it⁴⁵.
• Rinse yellow pollen dust off sills, decks and furniture with a garden hose. Pollen comes off without pressure.
• Planning to stain the deck this year? Clean it first⁶.

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• Seal concrete in late summer after a few dry days, if you plan to seal it at all⁷.
• Sweep leaves off decks, walks and the driveway. Don’t rinse or blow them into the street drain; Beavercreek counts leaves in storm sewers as illicit discharges⁸.
• Finish outdoor washing before the first freeze. Xenia’s average first fall freeze is October 24, and one year in ten it arrives by October 11¹.
• Black streaks on the shingles are not a pressure washer job. Use ARMA’s bleach method or leave it to a pro⁹.

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• Winterize the washer before storage. Leftover water can freeze, expand and crack valves and seals inside the pump¹⁰.
• Deal with the fuel in a gas washer. Briggs & Stratton says gasoline goes stale in about 30 days¹¹.
• Hose road salt off the driveway and garage slab when the weather allows⁷.
• Skip deicers on concrete in its first winter, and never use ammonium or magnesium-based deicers on it⁷.
• Don’t wash when the water will freeze on steps and walks.

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