More power to it...

We all have an extra pep in our step when the clocks go forward, signalling the arrival of Spring and brighter — and warmer (hopefully!) — days.

But with that comes the stress of getting your garden guest-ready for all those outdoor dinners and summer BBQS.

And if you’re anything like me, the thoughts of pulling weeds is enough to make you avoid sitting out your back garden, even when the sun is shining.

This year, though, instead of the painstaking, back-breaking effort of pulling weeds, I took to my small but very unloved back garden with a Karcher K4 pressure washer — hoping the water pressure would blast the weeds out while also washing away dirt and moss that had gathered on the paving over winter.

And the results (below) speak for themselves. In just under an hour, my pavement was transformed — using nothing but the Karcher K4 and water.

However, you can also invest in some of the Karcher accessories, like the Stone and Facade Cleaner, for a really deep clean.

The pressure washer itself comes unassembled but it is very easily put together — then, simply connect your garden hose to the washer and go.

There is also an app full of helpful hints, from setting up the machine to step-by-step application tips — this is especially useful if you’re a first-time user like I was.

The Karcher K4 has four different settings — mix, soft, medium and hard. I used the hard setting to really give my stones a deep clean and get those weeds out.

But I also learned the hard way that this setting will strip paint off your walls (impressive in the right setting!) — so go for soft or medium when hosing down exterior walls.

The K4 also has wheels and a 8m high pressure hose so it’s easy to move around and it also has on-board storage which keeps the trigger gun, hose and lances neatly stored away.

Top tip: A good garden hose works perfectly with the Karcher power washer but to avoid kinks in the hose and for more extension, I bought the 40m Superhoze Expanding Garden Hose Pipe (€70, above) and it was worth every cent.

See www.karcher.ie or www.kaercher. com/ie for more.