# Pressure Washer Maintenance: A Schedule for Commercial Crews > A pressure washer maintenance schedule built for facility crews: what to check before and after every use, the engine service hours from two manufacturers, which parts wear first, and a simple log to keep. - **URL:** https://janitori.com/blogs/equipment-guides/pressure-washer-maintenance **In this guide** - [The maintenance schedule](#schedule) - [Before every use](#before) - [After every use](#after) - [Engine and pump service](#engine) - [Parts that wear first](#wear) - [Keeping a log](#log) - [Soap line and chemistry](#flush) - [FAQ](#faq) A pressure washer that runs every shift fails in predictable ways: a clogged inlet screen, a worn hose, a fouled spark plug, old oil. Much of it can be caught by short checks done on a fixed rhythm. This guide lays out that rhythm in four layers: before use, after use, every few hours of engine time, and once a season. The intervals come from two makers, Generac and Briggs & Stratton, and your own operator's manual always wins over any generic schedule. **Key takeaways** - Inspect the water inlet screen, high-pressure hose, detergent tube and spray gun before every use. Generac lists these as the 8-hour or daily checks, and a damaged hose should be replaced immediately. - After every use, flush the detergent system with clean water for two minutes, shut down, relieve pressure at the gun, and drain the pump, as Briggs & Stratton lays out the sequence. - Engine service runs on hours or seasons: oil after the first 5 hours, then about every 20 hours or each season, air cleaner at 50 hours, spark plug at 100 hours (Generac). - Intervals can differ by maker and by pump type. Generac says its axial cam pumps are sealed for life with no oil service, so follow the manual for your exact model before copying any schedule. ## How Often Should a Pressure Washer Be Serviced? Check it before and after every use, then service the engine by hours or by season, whichever comes first. The table below follows Generac's published intervals for its gas pressure washers and Briggs & Stratton's before-and-after routine. | When | What to do | Before each use | Check engine oil and fuel, inlet and in-line screens, high-pressure hose, detergent tube and filter, wand and nozzle, tire pressure | After each use | Flush the detergent system, shut down, turn off water, relieve pressure at the gun, drain the pump, wipe off debris | After the first 5 hours | Change the engine oil (not on sealed axial cam pumps; see below) | Every 20 hours or each season | Change the engine oil; more often in dirty or dusty conditions | Every 50 hours or each season | Inspect and clean the air cleaner; inspect the muffler and spark arrestor | Every 100 hours or each season | Service the spark plug These are the [Generac maintenance intervals](https://support.generac.com/s/article/Pressure-Washer-Maintenance-What-Are-the-Maintenance-Intervals-and-What-Should-I-Check) for its units. Other makers may publish different numbers, so treat the table as a starting template and replace the hours with the ones in your operator's manual. ## What Should You Check Before Every Use? Check the oil and fuel, the screens, the high-pressure hose and the detergent tube. Those five checks catch most of the problems that stop a job halfway through. - **Engine oil and fuel.** Top off both if low, using the oil the engine maker recommends. Briggs & Stratton also says to keep inflatable tires at the pressure marked on the tire, or between 15 and 25 PSI. - **Water inlet screen and in-line screen.** Flush with clear water if dirty or clogged, and replace the screen and its rubber washer or O-ring if damaged. Generac says to clean a clogged screen and replace one that is perforated or torn. - **High-pressure hose and couplings.** Look for cuts, leaks, abrasions and a bulging cover. Generac says to replace a hose immediately if any of these exist, and Briggs & Stratton adds that a replacement must exceed the maximum pressure rating of your washer. - **Detergent tube and filter.** Clean the filter if clogged, check that the tube fits tightly on the barbed fitting, and replace it if it is torn or leaking. - **Spray gun and wand.** Replace O-rings if connectors leak and clear a clogged nozzle. Generac notes that a pulsing felt at the gun may point to a nozzle clog or restriction, and says to clean the nozzle immediately. - **Garden hose.** Flush debris out of the supply hose before attaching it to the pump inlet. If a nozzle looks worn or you are not sure which tip a job needs, the [pressure washer nozzle chart](/blogs/equipment-guides/pressure-washer-nozzle-chart) lists the standard tip colors and angles. ## What Should You Do After Every Use? Flush the detergent system, shut down, relieve the pressure and empty the pump. This is the end-of-use sequence Briggs & Stratton lays out. - **Flush the detergent injection system.** Run clean water through it for two minutes before you stop the engine (Briggs & Stratton). - **Shut down.** Turn off the engine, let it cool, and turn off the water supply. - **Relieve the pressure.** Squeeze and hold the gun trigger until the water left in the line is gone, then disconnect the high-pressure and garden hoses from the pump and the high-pressure hose from the gun. - **Empty the pump.** Briggs & Stratton says to pull the recoil handle six times, and a small amount of water will leak from the pump outlet. - **Clean and store.** Clear debris off the machine and keep the hose away from the engine exhaust, which Generac warns can damage it. The flush and drain create wash water, so do them where it will not reach a storm drain or a walkway. EPA stormwater guidance for vehicle and equipment washing advises keeping wash water out of the storm system ([EPA stormwater BMP](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-01/bmp-vehicle-maintenance-and-washing.pdf)), and where wet processes are used OSHA requires drainage to be maintained and, to the extent feasible, dry standing places such as mats or platforms ([OSHA 29 CFR 1910.22](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.22)). For a longer shutdown, the [winterizing guide](/blogs/equipment-guides/how-to-winterize-a-pressure-washer) covers storage, antifreeze and fuel. If you are new to a machine, [how to use a pressure washer](/blogs/equipment-guides/how-to-use-a-pressure-washer) walks through start-up and safe operation. ## What Engine and Pump Service Does a Gas Pressure Washer Need? A gas unit needs oil, air filter, muffler and spark plug service on an hours schedule. The pump may or may not need oil depending on its design. - **Engine oil.** Generac says to change it after the first 5 hours, then every 20 hours or every season, and more often under dirty or dusty conditions. Its oil capacity is 20 oz (0.6 L) for units under 3,800 PSI and 37 oz (1.1 L) at 3,800 PSI or more. - **Air cleaner.** Inspect and clean it every 50 hours or each season. - **Muffler and spark arrestor.** Inspect at the same 50-hour mark, cleaning if clogged and replacing if perforated or torn. - **Spark plug.** Service it every 100 hours or each season. - **Pump.** Generac says not to attempt oil maintenance on axial cam pumps, because they are lubricated and sealed at the factory and need no additional maintenance for the life of the pump. Triplex pumps have their own oil procedure, so use the manual. An electric machine has no engine, so the oil, air cleaner, muffler and spark plug rows do not apply. Everything in the before-and-after routine still does. Hours can differ by maker. [Briggs & Stratton's preventative maintenance guide](https://www.briggsandstratton.com/en-us/support/maintenance-how-to/preventative-pressure-washer-maintenance) keeps its focus on the before-and-after routine and sends you to the operator's manual for model-specific service. When two sources disagree, the manual for your engine and pump decides. ## Which Parts Wear Out First, and What Should You Keep on Hand? The hose, O-rings, nozzles and screens are the parts the manufacturer checklists inspect before every use, so they are the ones worth keeping in stock. | Part | Replace when | High-pressure hose | Cuts, leaks, abrasions, bulging cover or damaged couplings | Inlet and in-line screens | Perforated, torn or damaged (clean first if only clogged) | Wand and connector O-rings | Connectors leak | Spray tips and nozzles | Orifice damaged or worn (clean first if only clogged) | Detergent tube and filter | Torn, leaking or not fitting tightly on the barbed fitting | Spark plug, air cleaner | At the hour interval in your manual Browse [hoses and wands](/collections/hoses-wands) and the wider [equipment parts and consumables](/collections/equipment-parts-consumables) collection for replacements, and match any hose to your washer's pressure rating before buying. If a machine has outlived its repairs, the [pressure washers collection](/collections/pressure-washers) lists current units, including cold-water models such as the [Pressure-Pro Eagle EE2015G](/products/pressure-pro-eagle-ee2015g-electric-cold-water-direct-drive-pressure-washer-1500-psi-2-0-gpm-115v-1ph-18a-gp-pump) and hot-water models such as the [Pressure-Pro Hot Shot 4012-10C](/products/pressure-pro-hot-shot-4012-10c-hot-water-gas-pressure-washer-4000-psi-4-0-gpm-honda-gx390-cat-pump). ## How Do You Keep a Maintenance Log for a Shared Machine? Keep a one-page log on or beside the machine and record engine hours at each service. When several people run the same washer, the log is what tells the next operator whether the oil is due. | Date | Engine hours | Pre-use check done | Flush done | Service performed | Initials | | | | | | | | | | | | Set the service rows from your manual: oil, air cleaner, spark plug, and any pump service. A date and hour reading on each entry is enough to make the next due date obvious. ## Why Flush the Soap Line After Running Chemistry Through It? Briggs & Stratton says to run clean water through the detergent injection system for two minutes before you stop the engine. Do it every time you run chemical through the washer. The [soap vs degreaser guide](/blogs/equipment-guides/pressure-washer-soap-vs-degreaser) explains injector mixing, and the [oil stain guide](/blogs/equipment-guides/how-to-get-oil-stains-out-of-concrete) shows a full degreasing job from application to rinse. **Run it with JANITORI chemistry** [Degreaser MAX No.72](/products/degreaser-max-janitori-no-72) Its label says it is ready to spray, mop or apply by pressure washer once mixed, and that it rinses residue-free with hot or cold water. The two-minute flush after use is still required whatever you run through the line. It contains no phosphates, petroleum solvents or VOCs. One 3.6 L jug makes about 720 L of working solution at 1:200. ## Frequently Asked Questions ## How often should a pressure washer be serviced? Check it before and after every use, and service the engine by hours or season. Generac lists oil after the first 5 hours and then every 20 hours or each season, the air cleaner at 50 hours and the spark plug at 100 hours. Follow your operator's manual where it differs. ## Does an electric pressure washer need maintenance? Yes, the routine checks. It has no engine, so there is no engine oil, air cleaner, muffler or spark plug to service, but the screens, hose, detergent tube, gun and nozzle still need checking, and the detergent system still needs flushing. ## How do you lubricate a pressure washer pump? It depends on the pump. Generac says axial cam pumps are lubricated and sealed at the factory and should not get oil maintenance, while triplex pumps have a separate oil procedure. Check the manual for your pump type. ## When should you replace a pressure washer hose? Replace it immediately if you find cuts, leaks, abrasions or a bulging cover, or if the couplings are damaged or move. Briggs & Stratton says the new hose must exceed the maximum pressure rating of your washer. ## Why does a pressure washer gun pulse? Generac says a pulsing sensation at the gun may be caused by excessive pump pressure, and that typical causes are nozzle clogs or restrictions. Clean the nozzle immediately, and check the inlet screen as part of the daily routine. ## Related Guides - [How to Winterize a Pressure Washer](/blogs/equipment-guides/how-to-winterize-a-pressure-washer) - [How to Use a Pressure Washer: 8 Steps for Gas, Electric and Hot Water](/blogs/equipment-guides/how-to-use-a-pressure-washer) - [Pressure Washer Nozzle Chart: Colors, Angles and Tip Sizes](/blogs/equipment-guides/pressure-washer-nozzle-chart) - [Pressure Washer vs Power Washer: What Is the Difference?](/blogs/equipment-guides/pressure-washer-vs-power-washer) [Shop Hoses & Wands](/collections/hoses-wands) [Shop Pressure Washers](/collections/pressure-washers)