DeWalt 15 in. Surface Cleaner

A surface cleaner that makes flatwork less of a chore

A pressure washer wand can make quick work of grime, but it also leaves telltale stripes and sends dirty water everywhere. I brought out the DeWalt surface cleaner to tidy up a 2-car driveway, a patio, and a short stretch of sidewalk. Over several sessions with a mid-range electric pressure washer (rated around 2100 PSI, 1.2 GPM), this 15-inch head proved to be a straightforward, effective upgrade for routine flat-surface cleaning—provided you match it to the right machine and expectations.

Setup and compatibility

Hookup took seconds. The unit uses a standard 1/4 in. quick-connect, so I clicked it onto my spray wand with no adapters. At 3.2 pounds, it’s light enough that you’re not muscling it around; once the jets spin up, the head essentially glides on a thin cushion of water.

A couple of compatibility notes matter here:
- It’s designed for cold-water pressure washers only.
- Rated up to 3000 PSI and a maximum 1.7 GPM flow.

That flow rating is key. Many gas machines push 2.3–2.8 GPM; those exceed the spec and aren’t a fit. If you own an electric unit in the 1.0–1.7 GPM range, you’re right in the target zone. The rotating bar is spec’d at 885 rpm, and in practice it spun briskly with my 1.2 GPM machine; I never felt starved for rotation, though I wouldn’t go much lower in flow.

Build and ergonomics

The housing is compact—about 15 inches wide—and the footprint makes it easy to maneuver between expansion joints and around patio furniture bases. The shroud keeps spray contained; it’s not mess-free, but overspray is far better controlled than with an open wand. The low weight helps on vertical transitions like garage thresholds, though you still need to tilt and approach lips at a shallow angle to avoid catching the edge.

The internal bar uses two nozzles. That two-jet layout is common at this size and price; it prioritizes simplicity and maintenance over absolute cleaning speed. There’s no adjustable spray angle or pressure regulation onboard, so your washer’s tip/orifice pairing and the accessory’s fixed jets determine the cleaning behavior.

On concrete: steady, even results

On brushed concrete with a season’s worth of dirt and light algae, the surface cleaner produced a uniform finish with noticeably fewer stripes than a single fan tip. The 15-inch path covered ground quickly, and the floating head encouraged a consistent standoff distance—which is the real secret to less striping.

A few technique tips that helped:
- Move at a slow, even pace and overlap passes by 30–50%.
- Work in a cross-hatch pattern on stubborn areas.
- Let the jets do the work—don’t press down aggressively.

With mild staining, a single pass was enough. For older grime and faint tire marks, I needed a second cross-pass. Oil spots and deep rust stains still required pretreatment and a follow-up with a pinpoint nozzle; the surface cleaner isn’t a magic eraser for embedded stains.

On pavers and sidewalks: controlled splash, careful edges

The contained spray really shines on sidewalks and pavers. Splash stayed mostly under the skirt, so I wasn’t wearing the runoff. On uneven pavers, I slowed down to keep the head from rocking, which can momentarily break contact and lift dirt rather than remove it. Along edges and near walls, the round housing leaves a narrow strip the jets can’t reach; I switched back to a 15-degree nozzle for a quick perimeter pass.

On decks: workable but take it slow

On a weathered softwood deck, I tested in a low-visibility corner first (always a good idea). Moving slowly and keeping the head gliding—not pressing—lifted grime without carving the grain. Still, wood is a surface where you must be conservative: use the lowest effective pressure and plan on sanding if you’re after a perfect finish.

Speed, coverage, and streaking

Compared with a wand alone, the time savings were real. On my driveway, the 15-inch path and even standoff roughly halved the cleaning time. Streaking was reduced, not eliminated. If I moved too quickly, faint “tiger stripes” appeared—evidence that the jets hadn’t fully dwell-cleaned the surface. Slowing down and overlapping eliminated them. With very light-duty electric washers under about 1.0 GPM, I’d expect more overlap and patience to be necessary to avoid striping.

Maintenance and troubleshooting

There isn’t much to maintain, but a little care goes a long way:
- Rinse the unit after each use to clear grit from the jets and housing.
- If rotation stalls or gets rough, shut off the water, disconnect, and inspect the two nozzles for debris; a small cleaning wire or back-flush typically fixes it.
- Check your inlet filter on the washer—clogging upstream can reduce flow and slow rotation.
- Store it dry to keep mineral buildup from seizing the swivel over time.

I didn’t encounter leaks or wobble, and the swivel remained smooth across multiple sessions. With a 3-year limited warranty and a 90-day return window, it sits in the “confident consumer” territory rather than pro duty-cycle gear.

What I’d change

Two things kept this from feeling truly universal:
- The 1.7 GPM maximum narrows compatibility. It’s excellent for many electrics but excludes a lot of gas machines. A broader flow window—or a separate orifice kit—would widen appeal.
- Two nozzles are fine for this size, but a three-jet bar could smooth the cleaning footprint further on marginal machines, reducing the chance of striping at faster walking speeds.

A minor ergonomic quibble: a directional arrow on the top would be handy for lining up straight passes, especially when working under poor lighting or trying to keep lines parallel to expansion joints.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners with cold-water electric pressure washers rated up to 3000 PSI and 1.0–1.7 GPM who want cleaner driveways, patios, sidewalks, and garage floors without the mess of a fan tip.
• Anyone fighting overspray near landscaping or siding—this accessory keeps the majority of splash contained under the housing.
• DIYers who value a light, easy-to-store accessory for regular maintenance rather than intensive stain restoration.

Who should look elsewhere:
- Users with high-flow gas machines (2.0+ GPM) that exceed the max flow, or pros who need a 20-inch head to cover very large areas fast.
- Those expecting it to erase deep oil, rust, or tannin stains without chemicals or pretreatment.

The bottom line

Matched with a mid-range electric washer, the DeWalt surface cleaner did exactly what I hoped: it sped up flatwork, improved finish consistency, and kept the mess under control. It’s not a cure-all for heavy staining, but for routine maintenance of concrete, pavers, and cautious deck cleaning, it’s a meaningful upgrade over a bare wand.

Recommendation: I recommend this surface cleaner for homeowners running cold‑water electric pressure washers within its 3000 PSI and 1.7 GPM limits. It’s light, easy to use, and delivers even, predictable results with less overspray. If your washer exceeds the flow rating or you need pro-level speed and stain removal, consider a larger, higher-spec head—or plan to supplement with pretreatments and targeted wand work.