Pressure washing costs in Las Vegas

Start with the oil spots. Clark County's water quality team says to clean them dry before any pressure washing in Las Vegas: lay absorbent over the stain, then throw the absorbent away. Oil should never be washed into a storm drain or the sanitary sewer. Paint, car fluids and other chemicals get the same care. They're collected separately and handed to a liquid waste disposal company.

That care matters because of where the runoff goes. The county's pressure washing flyer says wash water that enters a storm drain flows straight into Lake Mead with no treatment, and that pollutants carried there can contaminate drinking water supplies. When the job is more than light washing, it says to sweep first, then contain the water and either haul it off or steer it onto landscaping on your lot where it can soak in. No wash water should leave the site.

Watch the spray, too. The Southern Nevada Water Authority counts water that sprays or flows off your property as water waste. Reports go to the local water provider, whether that's Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas or Boulder City, and waste fees can follow for homes as well as businesses.

Some rinse water may still reach the street drain. The county allows it for light washing with no soap or solvent, no oil sheen, no paint or chemicals, and no dirt, trash or sediment being picked up.