Proper storage of your gas or electric pressure washer whether medium or heavy-duty is required to keep the warranty valid.

In this post you’ll find out what you need to do to winterize it in just 5 minutes so that the warranty will keep you covered and the pressure washer will start up first try when you bring it out of storage after the winter months.

The Owner’s Manual that came with your pressure washer will have further detail how to winterize your specific pressure washer model but here you will find out the general information in both video and text form.

Why even bother winterizing it?

The purpose of preparing your pressure washer for storage during freezing temperature is to protect the internal seals by keeping them lubricated while not in use. First let’s look at the gas powered units.

Storing a pressure washer in freezing cold temperatures can severely damage the internal seals, cracking your pipe system, and ultimately rendering your machine inoperable. Left over ethanol in your fuel tank/fuel lines sitting around in cold weather can lead to pipe corrosion and other major issues.

How To Winterize Your Gas Pressure Washer

Here is a 1 min 54 sec video from Briggs & Stratton telling step-by-step how to winterize a gas pressure washer. Watch it or if you prefer skip to the written out steps below the video.

5 Quick and Easy Steps To Winterize Your Gas Pressure Washer 

  1. If you have no plans to use your pressure washer for the next 30 days then correct storage of it is vital to protect the engine. You will need fuel stabilizer and need to remove detergent and water from the pressure washer pump system.
  2. First off add the fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and run the engine for 2 minutes to circulate the stabilizer through the fuel system.
  3. Now let’s remove the remaining water and cleaning solution from the pressure washer water system.
  4. Hook up the pressure washer to your garden hose like you normally would. Now put the detergent feed tube in a bucket of clean tap water instead of the soapy detergent tank. Now turn pressure washer on and pull the spray gun trigger with the low pressure nozzle to let it run for a few minutes cleaning out the system of detergent. Now turn of the water supply and remove it from the pump inlet. Now again pull the trigger to remove all the water from the system.
  5. For the last step you will need to add anti-freeze “Pump Saver” to pump inlet if you believe the temperatures to drop near freezing. This will protect from cold temp and mineral deposit buildup.

How To Winterize Your Electric Pressure Washer

In this 1 min 38 sec video you will learn how to winterize your electric pressure washer. If you would rather find out the steps in text then skip to below the video where I have written out the steps.

3 Fast Steps To Winterize Your Electric Pressure Washer

  1. Because an electric machine has no gasoline engine you only need to sort out the pump system for storage.
  2. Start by getting a bucket of tap water and place the detergent suction hose in it. Attach the garden hose and turn the tap on. Now turn the pressure washer on and hold the gun to spray water for 2 minutes. This will clear the system of all detergent solution. Now disconnect the garden hose. Now pull the gun again to empty the system of all water.
  3. Store the pressure washer indoors and in a warm spot to prevent freezing and internal seal damage. Add “Pump Saver” antifreeze to the pump inlet to protect inner seals.

Further Tips For Storage of Your Pressure Washer Over Winter

Where to store it?

The best place to store your pressure washer is in a warm, dry spot preferably in your attached garage or basement.

Should you buy a storage cover?

A storage cover helps to keep your power washer free of dust and rust. Considering they are only $20 on Amazon I say why not. Check out PressureWashr’s guide to storage covers here.

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Jamey

Jamey is the founder of pressurewashr.com and has led testing and reviewing since 2013. He has also worked as a commercial pressure washer at a rendering plant for 3 years and has been using commercial and residential pressure washers for 15+ years. He is also a mechanical engineer and while working in the mining industry designed several turn-key light industrial vehicle wash pads.