Pressure washing costs in Riverside

Ash has landed on Riverside County driveways before. During the Holy Fire in August 2018, county health officials warned that ash from burned homes would likely carry toxic materials, including metals, chemicals and possibly asbestos. Their cleanup advice is worth keeping, and none of it calls for a pressure washer.

Don't sweep dry ash into the air. Wet it lightly first with a hose or a spray bottle, then sweep gently with a push broom, or pick it up with a HEPA shop vacuum. Bag it for the trash. Only then hose the surface lightly, and go easy on the water. For bigger cleanups, the county called for a tight-fitting N95 or P100 respirator, gloves, long sleeves and long pants, and it said people with lung or heart conditions shouldn't take on larger jobs. Children shouldn't play in ash or be nearby while ash-covered things are being disturbed.

The regional air district adds two warnings for anyone about to pick up a hose. South Coast AQMD, which covers large parts of Riverside County, said in January 2025 that wind-blown ash can be too large for air monitors to detect. So the air quality reading can look fine while ash still settles on your patio. It also said contact with wet ash can cause chemical burns or skin irritation.

The county's sharpest warning was about leaf blowers: keep them off ash, because they stir it up and can break large particles into smaller, more hazardous ones.