Never buy the cheapest Power Washer Surface Cleaner, always upgrade to a model with casters! 

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know it worked out for you!

Thank you!!! Hearing that my video was helpful has made my day! Let us know how you it works for you when you try it!

Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! A side by side comparison would be interesting, but I can tell you that that the three different basic, non-wheeled surface cleaners I've owned are pretty much the same. They are lightweight and functional, but the brush skirts they rest on catch on everything and make them difficult to move smoothly. The wheeled Ryobi is heavier, beefier and glides with just a light grip on the power washer handle. Skip to the end of my Ryobi 142022 Power Washer review to see the wheeled surface cleaner in action. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T1Wpv8LygwQ.html

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! I'm using an older Ryobi electric pressure washer that's rated at 1700 PSI. I bought my first Ryobi pressure washer at Home Depot and it died after a couple of uses. I took it back and the model I had was no longer available, so they gave me a newer model and asked if I wanted an extended warranty on the free replacement....'yea please'. After a couple of years pressure washer #2 died. I took #2 along with my warranty to Home Depot and got #3 free under warranty and bought another extended warranty. #3 is still working fine and still has a bit of warranty left. :) I've been eyeing the new 2300 PSI unit and I may buy one if a really great sale comes along. I've had three of the basic electric surface cleaners and they all died much sooner than expected. #1-Ryobi lasted maybe 6-hours of use and then quit spinning at high speed. I took the nozzle spiny thing off and discovered the dirt and sand from the concrete had gotten between the brass shaft and the spinning arm and gouged the surfaces. #2-The red/black one in the video lasted about 6-hours and still kinda works, but started to spin too slow and leave swirls. I removed the spinning arm and polished the gouges from the shaft and it kinda works again, but it's days are numbered. #3-Ryobi lasted about 2-hours and quit spinning althgether. Rotating the nozzle arm by hand made bad grinding sounds, so took it back and ordered the 'upgraded' Ryobi model. The brass shaft looks a good bit more solid on the upgraded surface washer. My patio has exposed aggregate with a bumpy rather than a smooth surface, so none of them ever really 'floated' over the surface. I still haven't had a chance to use it, but I'd be shocked if it didn't last at least twice as long as the other three and the wheels should make it move a lot smoother.

Congrats on your first home! I think you will glad you ponied up the extra $20 for the better surface washer. The first $40 one I bought lasted long enough to wash my patio and sidewalk, but when the latest $40 one died half way through the same patio I decided there had to be a better option. I'll never go back to the cheapest one again. If you don't mind, please report back and let us know how it works out for you.

So how'd it turn out?

The $60 is now $100. I guess they decided that it was too good of a deal. But still probably worth the extra investment over the super cheap version. The profit margin must be incredible.

I think you are looking at a fancier or larger model than the one I got. Click the link in my description (between the video and comment's section) to get to the $59 version I bought.

Great decision! Please feel free to report back on your impressions after using the surface cleaner!

+1

This was absolutely worth buying. I finished the job in half the time and results were better than expected. No lines smudges just clean concrete. Thanks koolbob 👍

@@healthynutritionfithealthy3090 Awesome, thanks for the update! We've got another cold snap here, but I'm planning to use my new surface cleaner to clean my sidewalk and front porch as soon as it warms up again.

👍alright keep us updated on the results. Have a good day.

@nuclearlung It can be a little confusing. The surface Cleaner is safe to use with any pressure washer up to a Maximum of 2300psi. It should work very well with your 1900psi power washer.

I am not aware of any device specifically designed for this purpose. I suppose you could simply use a fan tip with a wide pattern (25-degree or even 40-degree) and keep the tip far enough away from the surface to prevent damage.

Thanks for watching and taking the time to let me know the video was helpful. Yes, I built the patio after we moved into the house 20-years ago. The back of the house faces South, so a patio right off the back steps would be in direct sunlight all day long. The previous owners had built a block retaining wall about 18" high, 40' long and straight as an arrow (boring) along side the woods where there is good shade from midday on. I removed about 30' of the wall and carved a 16' diameter circle out of the soil for the patio. I had a truckload of gravel delivered and filled the trench I dug for the taller retainer wall with compacted gravel and then stacked the larger retaining blocks in place. Where I replaced the smaller retaining blocks I put a bit of a curve in the retaining wall, leaving very little of the wall in a straight line. I built the form for the patio, leaving a 3' circle in the middle to be filled with brick that matches our house and put down the reinforcing wire. I used Trex boards to divide the concrete portion into 6 'pie slices for expansion joints. I hired a crew of 3 men to grade the concrete and told them and the cement truck driver to wheelbarrow the cement to the patio site and not drive the cement truck across the lawn. I was at work when the cement truck driver called me and said he was at my house, none of them had brought wheelbarrows and the cement would begin to set soon. I drove back home and used my wheelbarrow to transport the entire cement load from the truck 80' across my lawn to the patio (wearing a dress shirt, kakis and loafers) while the four workers watched. I added bricks to the center of the patio and the edge that faces the house after the cement set. We have enjoyed the patio and there are no cracks or defects in the cement. I hope I never have to wheelbarrow cement again.

The cleaning chemicals applied with the regular soap nozzle do help kill algae as well as loosen the bond between the surface and the dirt for easier removal. It's up to you wether you want to pretreat the surface with chemicals and then power wash with the surface cleaner or skip the chemicals and just power wash with the surface cleaner.

I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble with the spray arm sticking on the wheeled surface washer. That's a weak point in the design of every surface washer I've owned, although I have not yet had a problem with the one I reviewed in this video. Grit from the concrete surface gets into the surfaces between the rotating spray arm and the stationary shaft or between the nylon, brass, or steel washers and scratches the smooth surfaces and then the head won't turn. I have been able to temporarily restore surface washers by using very fine grit sandpaper (800, 1,000 grit) to make all of the contact surfaces smooth again, but it's a temporary fix. Maybe you could swap the nylon washer for something harder like brass or stainless steel?

Thanks, glad the video is helpful. It should work will with your power washer.

@roycelyngray4447 You are correct, Ryobi has replaced RY31SC12 with a new model RY31SC312 that looks very similar but can handle up to 3100psi and cost $99.

Thanks for watching and good question! This surface cleaner should work with any pressure washer up to 2300-PSI that accepts a standard size spray nozzle.

I'm sorry you got a dud, definitely bring it back for a refund. I've been able to get a couple of years of use from the cheap plastic surface cleaners and I expect this one to last at least that long. I had a contractor renovating our bathroom and he saw me getting out my electric power washer and surface cleaner and he said he had a gas one I could borrow. His was a Ryobi with a Honda engine and his surface cleaner was a 15" stainless steel model and boy is it a lot more powerful and faster. I can't justify the cost of upgrading to gas for as little as I use a pressure washer, but I may hit him up again next year and see if he'll let me borrow or rent his for a case of beer. :)

Which one are you returning? My Ryobi without the wheels quit spinning because all the plastic washers in the center of the rotating arm got chewed up by the grit coming off the concrete. The model with the wheels has more metal parts and seems to be holding up very well so far.

@Koolbob2 its the one with wheels, it cleaned solid for about 30 mins but after im having to clean it ab every 5 mins and the spinning rod slows

@Koolbob2 im wondering if im doing something wrong, but honeslty theres not a tremendous amount of grit on the concrete either

@@emmitdyeweeh885 If the spinning rod spins freely by hand (be sure to disconnect the power washer) and there's good pressure it should work. Also be sure the nozzles are not clogged, a thin wire inserted in the nozzle hole should clear it if it's clogged. If everything checks out then maybe you got a bad surface cleaner.

Check out my video on the Ryobi power washer to see the new surface cleaner in action.

@@Koolbob2 Thank you

The RY31SC12 is $100 at HD, $75 on Amazon.

@@Koolbob2 Thanks. I bought the 2500psi Ryobi pressure washer with this surface cleaner included as a "Special Buy", so ended up being less than $75 for the surface cleaner. It's scheduled to be delivered today, so will be trying it out this weekend!

Hey T. B.! My previous pressure washer was a Ryobi and after several years of use the pump housing corroded where the soap feeds into the pump. I could have been more diligent about completely rinsing out all the soap from the soap tank and pump after each use, so I take some of the blame for it's demise. After looking at all the options, I decided to buy another Ryobi which I reviewed in another video. Also you can see the new surface cleaner in action with the new Ryobi pressure washer in the video. Here's the link..... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T1Wpv8LygwQ.html

@@Koolbob2 Hey hey...I just watched the video on the 2000 psi power washer you bought and from what you said in the video you are really pleased with it. Just to let you know I am a woman of 68 years and I have a circular driveway and many other things to take care of so in watching your video I now am confident to purchase what you have recommended. You have a new subscriber and I thank you for your time and education of ryobi because you have saved many from making mistakes!!!! Happy power washing Koolbob2!

@@t.b.1596 Thank you!

Normally I would agree with saving $20, but the last $39 one I bought only cleaned half of my patio before it died. I hate getting the job half done and having to find the receipt, drive across town to Home Depot, wait in line at the return register to get the $39 put back on my credit card and buy another surface washer. I'm very happy to spend $20 more for a unit with three wheels, a sturdier housing, a better bearing assembly, better built rotating arm and brass nozzles instead of plastic ones. If this one can clean a 16' patio without breaking, then I'd consider it a better value.

@@Koolbob2 I agree!