How To Use A Pressure Washer Without An Outside Tap

If you’ve ever used a pressure washer, you’ll be familiar with their incredibly fast and effective cleaning power.

They’re great for cleaning things outdoors without having to use much elbow grease. Pressure washers are great for removing mildew and dirt from patio tiles and deckings.

In recent years, satisfying videos of people using pressure washers to clean outdoor surfaces have gone viral. This is because the results are instant and usually quite dramatic, making them satisfying to watch.

How to use a pressure washer without an outside tap

Pressure washers can also be used on outdoor furniture and garden grills and barbeques. Some people also use them to clean their vehicles, however, this should be done so at your own risk as sometimes pressure washing a vehicle can result in paint chipping and other damage. 

Pressure washers simply attach to your outdoor tap and you’re ready to go. But what if you don’t have an outside tap? Fortunately, there are a few solutions to this problem.

These include using a bucket, using a barrel, and using an indoor tap. This article will outline how to do it.

Using a bucket

While it may be tempting to think that you could just fill up a bucket with water and place a water pressure hose inside. However, this won’t work due to the pressure of a bucket of water being too low to handle a pressure washer.

Instead, consider using a pressure washer that comes with an optional suctional hose that is made for doing just that.

If you have the right suction hose, just put one end of it into a bucket of water and connect the other end to your pressure washer. Granted, this isn’t a perfect solution as pressure washers use lots of water per second so you’ll have to constantly refill your bucket.

Carrying heavy buckets of water back and forth is time-consuming and annoying. We recommend only using the bucket method for smaller outdoor jobs such as washing down a grill. 

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Using a barrel

If you have a barrel or a water-butt in your garden that collects rainwater, it can be used as a source of water for your pressure washer.

Water-butts will often have a small spout or tap at the front which is compatible with pressure washer hoses. Due to the way water is stored inside a barrel, gravity creates enough pressure without having to assist it. 

Using water barrels and water-butts is also the most environmentally friendly solution as it re-purposes rainwater instead of using fresh water from a tap. 

Using an indoor tap

If your kitchen or bathroom is located near the garden and has a window, you can use taps from these rooms and run a hose outside to your pressure washer.

Of course, you’re going to need a pretty long hose in the first place to use this method. You’ll also need to get yourself a special adapter that makes connecting the kitchen tap with the pressure washer hose. 

Using a washing machine tap

Behind most washing machines you’ll find a couple of small taps. These are similar in shape and size to an average outdoor tap. Thus, making them ideal for connecting pressure washer hoses to.

If you plan on using your washing machine tap for pressure washing often, we recommend investing in a two-way connecter that allows you to use it for both washing clothes and pressure washing whenever you feel like it. 

As washing machines tend to be kept in the kitchen or utility room of a house, this method does involve running a hose through your house.

You’re going to need an extra-long hose if your washing machine isn’t super close to a window that leads to the garden.

** Don’t forget to read our Karacher pressure washer post before you leave!

Using a portable pressure washer

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as portable pressure washers. These have built-in water tanks which eliminate the need to connect it to a water source. These machines are usually very user-friendly and easy to refill.

They’re also often complete with wheels so that you don’t have to carry heavy loads of water back and forth. You’ll still need to fill the internal water tank and may need a hose to do this.

This is a great method for those who will need a portable pressure washer for long periods of time.

For example, those who live in high-rise apartment buildings may find this option to be the best for them, as they know they’ll never get an outside tap, thus making it a worthwhile investment. 

Install an outdoor tap

Installing an outside tap is a fairly simple job, providing your water pipes are located in the correct places. It can be quite challenging when you have to drill a hole into the siding to connect the tap to the indoor taps.

This can easily go wrong and cause very expensive issues. It’s a cheap, quick, and permanent solution to your pressure washer problems. However, it is best left to a professional.

In the UK, it’ll only set you back around £60-£120 depending on where you live and where your pipes are located. So if you own your house and you want a permanent outdoor tap, we recommend calling a plumber. 

Where can I purchase an adapter?

Adapters that transform your kitchen or bathroom taps into being compatible with pressure washer hoses are widely available.

They can be found in all good DIY shops and garden centers. If you’d rather avoid the hustle and bustle, here’s a great one that we found on Amazon