PowerWash Simulator: Complete Guide

Everything you need to clean Muckingham efficiently: how equipment, nozzles and soaps actually work, what to buy and when, how to finish jobs without hunting for the last 0.1%, and what content is still available in 2026.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the game's final 2025 updates (The Muckingham Files 6 in May 2025 and the "Last Stop" update); the game is complete and FuturLab's new content now goes to PowerWash Simulator 2. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Status in 2026

PowerWash Simulator (the original, Steam app 1290000) is finished. Its last major free update, The Muckingham Files 6, arrived on May 29, 2025, and FuturLab describes the 2025 "Last Stop" update as the end of the original's journey. It remains fully playable, including online co-op.
The free Tomb Raider and Midgar Special Packs were withdrawn from all stores at 3PM BST on May 19, 2026, coinciding with the end of FuturLab's publishing relationship with Square Enix. If you claimed them before then, they still work; otherwise they're gone.
Paid Special Packs still on sale: SpongeBob SquarePants, Back to the Future, Warhammer 40,000, Alice's Adventures, Shrek, and Wallace & Gromit.
PowerWash Simulator 2 launched October 23, 2025 with a new 38-level career in Caldera County, 4-player online or 2-player split-screen co-op, and its own DLC (including a STAR WARS pack from July 16, 2026). If you've finished the original, that's where new content lives.

Quick Start

There's no time limit and no fail state in Career. Relax. The only "score" is finishing the job.
Match the nozzle to the job. Narrow nozzles (0 and 15 degrees) are strong but small; wide nozzles (25 and 40 degrees) cover more area but are weaker. Use wide for big flat surfaces, narrow for stubborn dirt and distance.
Rotate the nozzle. Every nozzle fan can be turned horizontal or vertical. Match the fan to the direction you're sweeping for clean, even strips.
Get closer for tough dirt. Power drops with distance. If dirt isn't coming off, step in before switching equipment.
Use soap on the right surface. The soap nozzle sprays a cleaning solution that loosens dirt on the matching material, so it comes off much faster afterwards.
Use the dirt highlight when you're near the end. The game can highlight remaining dirt so you're not searching for specks. Use it once a job reaches the high 90s percent.
Buy the Urban X U2 as soon as it unlocks (15 stars, $900). The first washer upgrade is the biggest quality-of-life jump.
Parts complete individually. Each object (a wheel, a window, a fence panel) completes on its own with a satisfying chime. Watch the job list to find unfinished parts.
Ladders, scaffolding and step stools appear in jobs that need height. Use them rather than straining with the longest extension.
Replay jobs in Free Play. It pays out 25% of the Career reward and lets you bring friends into jobs you've already completed.

Game Modes

Mode	What it is	Notes
Career	The main story: 38 jobs across Muckingham, told through texts from clients	Solo or co-op with a friend
Free Play	Replay any job you've finished	Up to 6 players online; pays 25% of Career earnings
Challenge	Time Challenge (race the clock) or Water Challenge (use as little water as possible)	Scored against your best
Bonus Jobs / Specials	Extra jobs outside the Career story	Limited equipment; not required to progress

Online co-op is the host's game: guests help clean, and in Free Play the group can tackle any job the host has already completed.

Equipment Explained

Power washers

Washer	Class	Unlock	Price
Prime Vista 1500	Light Duty	Available at start	Free
Urban X U2	Medium Duty	15 stars	$900
Prime Vista 3000	Heavy Duty	40 stars	$2,000
Prime Vista PRO	Professional Duty	90 stars	$5,000

Higher-tier washers hit harder, so stubborn dirt comes off faster and from further away. Each washer uses its own set of nozzles and extensions, so a new washer means buying its add-ons again.

Nozzles

Standard nozzles (0, 15, 25, 40 degrees). Every washer comes with four spray angles. Lower degree is narrower and more powerful.
Turbo Nozzle. A spinning nozzle that combines strength with more coverage; roughly $15 to $180 depending on washer.
Soap Nozzle. Applies cleaning solution; roughly $75 to $900 depending on washer. It uses cleaning liquid bottles.
Triple Tip Nozzle. Exclusive to the Prime Vista PRO; $2,400 and requires 165 stars.

Rules of thumb:

Situation	Best choice
Large flat walls, patios, van sides	40 or 25 degrees, fan rotated to match your sweep
Moss, mould or grime that won't budge	15 or 0 degrees, closer in, or soap first
Grilles, wheel rims, fiddly corners	0 degrees or Turbo
Out-of-reach roofs and high walls	Narrow nozzle plus extension, or a ladder

Extensions

Extensions lengthen your lance, adding reach and effective power at range.

Extension	Effect
Short Extension	About 20% more range
Long Extension	About 40% more range
Extra Long Extension	Roughly 110% to 145% more range; unlocks after the Mayor's Mansion job

Each washer has its own set; prices range from free to $1,200 depending on washer and length.

Cleaning liquids (soap)

Six cleaners, each $10 per bottle:

Cleaner	Use on
Glass Cleaner	Windows, glass panels
Metal Cleaner	Metal bodywork, railings, machinery
Plastic Cleaner	Plastic surfaces, play equipment
Stone Cleaner	Brick, concrete, paving, stone
Wood Cleaner	Decking, fences, wooden structures
Multi-Purpose Cleaner	Anything, but less specialized

Spray the matching cleaner over a heavily soiled area, then rinse. It's most worth it on big, filthy surfaces; for light jobs plain water is fine.

Money

Completing every Career job earns $23,385, while every shop item together costs $26,315. The gap is made up by Free Play (25% of Career pay), Bonus Jobs and Specials. You don't need everything; prioritize washers and the Turbo Nozzle for each.

Suggested buying order:

Urban X U2 at 15 stars.
Turbo Nozzle and a Short or Long Extension for your current washer.
Prime Vista 3000 at 40 stars.
Soap Nozzle and a couple of cleaners for the surfaces you see most.
Prime Vista PRO at 90 stars, then the Triple Tip if you're a completionist.

Cosmetics (gloves, outfits and washer modifications from $25 to $2,000) are purely visual. Buy them last.

Content: Career, Bonus Jobs and Specials

Career

38 jobs, from vehicles and back gardens to playgrounds, houses and bigger civic sites, with a light story delivered through your phone. Several jobs provide ladders or scaffolding. Harder jobs come later with tougher dirt; that's your cue to upgrade.

Bonus Jobs

Bonus Jobs sit outside the Career story and aren't required to progress. FuturLab's May 2026 announcement counts 21 free Bonus Jobs in total, most added by the free Muckingham Files updates (1 through 6). Known examples by update:

Added in	Bonus Jobs
Launch / early access	Mars Rover, Gnome Fountain, Mini Golf Course, Steam Locomotive
The Muckingham Files (1.2, April 2023)	Satellite Dish, Food Truck, Solar Station
The Muckingham Files 2	Paintball Arena, Excavator, Spanish Villa
The Muckingham Files 3 (July 2024)	Aquarium, Submarine
The Muckingham Files 4 (August 2024)	Modern Mansion, Fire Plane
The Muckingham Files 5 (April 2025)	Dessert Parlor
The Muckingham Files 6 (May 29, 2025)	Subway Train, Sculpture Park

The wiki's lists aren't fully complete, so check the in-game Bonus Jobs menu for the full set on your version.

Special Packs

Pack	Status (September 2026)
Tomb Raider	Withdrawn May 19, 2026 (still playable if claimed)
Final Fantasy VII Midgar	Withdrawn May 19, 2026 (still playable if claimed)
SpongeBob SquarePants	Paid DLC
Back to the Future	Paid DLC
Warhammer 40,000	Paid DLC
Alice's Adventures	Paid DLC
Shrek	Paid DLC
Wallace & Gromit	Paid DLC

Special Packs are frequently discounted (25% off in the 2025 Winter and 2026 Summer sales).

Efficient Cleaning Technique

Survey first. Walk around the object and note which parts have the heaviest dirt.
Top to bottom, big to small. Do large surfaces with a wide nozzle first; the percentage jumps quickly and the remaining areas become obvious.
Work in strips. Rotate the fan to match your stroke and overlap slightly, like painting.
Switch to narrow for leftovers. Don't grind a 40-degree nozzle over tough dirt; swap to 15 or 0 degrees and step closer.
Finish one part at a time. Each part completing is satisfying and makes the job list shorter.
Highlight the last bits. Use the dirt highlight to find the flecks you missed on edges, undersides and inside corners.
Check undersides and insides. Wheel arches, under benches, inside frames and behind railings are the usual last 1%.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a wide nozzle from far away on tough dirt. It looks like it's working but barely is. Get close or go narrow.
Never rotating the nozzle. A vertical fan on a horizontal sweep wastes half your spray.
Forgetting to buy nozzles and extensions for a new washer. Each washer has its own.
Blowing money on cosmetics early. Equipment first.
Hunting the last speck by eye. Use the highlight feature.
Soaping everything. It's only worth it on heavy dirt; bottles cost money.
Waiting for new content in the original. Development moved to PowerWash Simulator 2 after the final Muckingham Files update.

Advanced Tips

Water Challenge: narrow, precise nozzles and short bursts. Avoid overspray and wide sweeps across already-clean areas.
Time Challenge: your best washer with Turbo, plan a route that finishes whole parts, and avoid backtracking.
Co-op division of labor: split by object or side, not by nozzle. One player on high areas with the long extension, one on ground-level parts.
Make art. Nozzles are brushes: graffiti-free walls, logos in the grime, or patterns on a patio. There's no penalty for taking your time.
Replay for money. If you want every shop item, Free Play replays and Bonus Jobs cover the roughly $2,930 shortfall between Career pay and the full shop.

FAQ

How many levels are in PowerWash Simulator? 38 Career jobs, plus 21 free Bonus Jobs (mostly from the Muckingham Files updates) and the paid Special Packs.

Can I still get the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII packs? No. They stopped being claimable on May 19, 2026. If you downloaded them before then, you can keep playing them.

Is PowerWash Simulator still getting updates? No new content. The Muckingham Files 6 (May 2025) was the final major update. New content goes to PowerWash Simulator 2.

How many players can play co-op? Career supports one friend helping (2 players); Free Play supports up to 6 players online on jobs the host has already completed.

Should I buy PowerWash Simulator or PowerWash Simulator 2? The original is cheaper on sale (it was 60% off in the 2026 Summer Sale) and complete. PWS2 has more features, split-screen co-op and ongoing DLC. Either is a fine start; owners of the original got a loyalty discount on PWS2 at launch.

What do stars do? They gate equipment: the Urban X U2 needs 15, Prime Vista 3000 needs 40, Prime Vista PRO needs 90, and the Triple Tip Nozzle needs 165.