Pressure Washing Crew Job Checklist

Pressure washing is one of the easiest trades to enter and one of the easiest to do damage in. The equipment that cleans concrete will destroy wood, etch soft stone, drive water behind siding, and strip paint that the homeowner wanted kept.

The crews that build durable businesses are the ones that treat surface identification and pressure selection as a decision, not a default. They also document the property before touching it, because the homeowner who notices a damaged screen after the crew leaves will assume it was them.

The Day Before

• Confirm the job address, scope, and surfaces to be cleaned
• Confirm the quoted price and what is included
• Confirm water source availability at the property
• Confirm power availability if needed
• Confirm the customer will be home or how access is arranged
• Check the forecast for rain, wind, and temperature
• Confirm chemicals needed for the surfaces on this job
• Confirm the crew assignment and start time

Wind matters more than most crews expect. Chemical drift onto a neighbor's car or a customer's plantings is a claim, and it happens on a breezy day with a downstream injector.

Equipment Check

• Confirm the pressure washer starts and holds pressure
• Check engine oil, fuel, and pump oil
• Inspect all hoses for cuts, bulges, and leaks
• Confirm all quick connects seat and lock
• Confirm the full range of nozzle tips is present and organized
• Confirm the surface cleaner is functional and its swivel is free
• Confirm the soft wash system and injector work
• Confirm chemical containers are labeled correctly
• Confirm safety data sheets are on the truck
• Confirm PPE: eye protection, gloves, non-slip boots, respiratory protection as needed
• Confirm ladders are undamaged and locks work
• Confirm the water tank is filled if used

Nozzle organization is a damage prevention measure. A red tip picked up by mistake will cut into wood in a second, and the mark is permanent.

Arrival and Walkthrough

• Introduce the crew and confirm the scope with the customer
• Walk the entire work area with the customer
• Identify every surface type to be cleaned
• Identify any surface the customer wants avoided
• Identify existing damage: cracks, loose siding, failing paint, damaged screens
• Photograph every elevation and all pre-existing damage
• Identify plants and landscaping requiring protection
• Identify exterior outlets, fixtures, and electrical hazards
• Identify windows and doors that do not seal
• Locate the water spigot and confirm adequate pressure
• Confirm where the crew may park and stage equipment

The photo set before starting is the single item that resolves nearly every dispute in this trade. Take more than feels necessary.

Site Preparation

• Cover or wet down all landscaping in the spray zone
• Cover exterior outlets and light fixtures
• Close all windows and doors and confirm with the customer
• Move or cover furniture, grills, and decor
• Cover any surface not intended to be cleaned
• Confirm pets are inside and the customer knows to keep them in
• Set up cones or barriers where the public may pass
• Protect vehicles or ask the customer to move them
• Confirm hose runs do not create trip hazards

Pre-wetting landscaping dilutes any chemical that lands on it. Skipping that step is how a crew replaces a row of boxwoods.

Surface and Pressure Selection

This is the technical core of the job.

• Identify each surface material before selecting pressure
• Use soft wash and chemistry for siding, roofs, and painted surfaces
• Reserve high pressure for concrete and durable hard surfaces
• Confirm the nozzle tip matches the intended pressure
• Test on an inconspicuous area first
• Maintain consistent distance and angle to avoid striping
• Never spray upward under siding or lap joints
• Never use high pressure on roofing materials
• Adjust for older or deteriorated surfaces

Roofs are washed with chemistry, never with pressure. Pressure removes granules from asphalt shingles and takes years off the roof, and the damage is not visible immediately.

Chemical Handling

• Confirm the correct chemical for the surface and the growth being treated
• Mix to the labeled dilution, not by estimate
• Confirm PPE appropriate to the chemical
• Confirm no incompatible chemicals are mixed
• Keep containers labeled and closed when not in use
• Apply within the labeled dwell time and rinse thoroughly
• Confirm runoff does not enter storm drains where prohibited
• Confirm containment where required by local regulation

Runoff regulations are real and enforced in many jurisdictions. Wash water carrying detergent and organic growth is not permitted in a storm drain in most places.

During the Work

• Work top to bottom on vertical surfaces
• Work in sections to keep surfaces evenly wet
• Rinse thoroughly before any chemical dries
• Rinse all landscaping again after work in that area
• Keep the surface cleaner moving to prevent swirl marks
• Watch for water intrusion at windows and doors
• Stop immediately if any damage occurs and notify the customer
• Communicate with the customer as sections finish

Stopping and reporting damage immediately is what turns a claim into a repair. Discovering it after the crew is gone turns it into a dispute.

Quality Check

• Inspect every cleaned surface in daylight
• Check for missed sections, streaks, and shadows
• Check for striping from inconsistent technique
• Check gutters, soffits, and hard-to-see areas
• Confirm windows are free of residue and spotting
• Confirm no chemical residue remains on any surface
• Confirm no landscaping shows chemical damage
• Re-treat any area that does not meet standard

Cleanup

• Rinse all walkways, driveways, and adjacent surfaces
• Remove all coverings and protection
• Restore furniture and items to their original positions
• Confirm outlets and fixtures are uncovered and dry
• Coil and stow hoses
• Confirm no equipment or debris is left behind
• Confirm the water is shut off at the spigot

Customer Walkthrough

• Walk the completed work with the customer
• Point out the results on each surface
• Explain any area that could not be fully cleaned and why
• Explain expected results over the next days for chemical treatments
• Photograph the completed work
• Explain any maintenance recommendation
• Present the invoice and collect payment
• Ask for a review and provide the link

Setting expectations about what will not come out is done before the invoice, not after. Rust stains, oil, and permanent etching are not always removable and the customer needs to hear that from you first.

End of Day

• Flush the pump and system per the manufacturer's instruction
• Winterize the system in freezing conditions
• Refill chemical containers and note reorders
• Refuel equipment
• Inspect hoses and tips used today
• Complete the job record with photos and notes
• Report any equipment issue
• Confirm tomorrow's jobs and water access

Failing to winterize a pump is the most expensive overnight mistake in this business. A frozen pump is a replacement, not a repair.

How MyTeamTasks Helps

An owner running three crews cannot confirm from the office that landscaping was pre-wet or that the pre-existing damage photos were taken before the trigger was pulled. A shared task system runs the job checklist on each crew lead's phone, requires the before-and-after photo sets before the job can be closed, and holds the surface and pressure guidance where the newest crew member can see it. When a damage claim arrives, the documentation exists with times attached.