Driveway Cleaning – How-To Guide, Best Cleaners and FAQs
Driveway cleaning can be exhausting but super effective. If your driveway is left unattended, it will build up dirt and stains that can permanently affect your driveway appearance. Routine driveway cleaning will help you preserve the integrity of your driveway.
Driveway cleaning removes hot tire marks, oil leaks, mildew and mould, and chemical stains. Sweeping and removing debris is simple, but removing these stains can be difficult. There are numerous choices for cleaning your driveway, including pressure washing, using household products, and chemical cleaners for stubborn stains. Depending on the size of your driveway, power washing takes four to eight hours. Typical driveway cleaning expenses range between $150 and $200.
From paint spills to oil stains, mud, moss, or algae growth, efficient driveway cleaning can eliminate any stain on your driveway and preserve the quality for years to come. Here are simple ways to clean your driveway and the best products to help you achieve your cleaning goals.
How To Pressure Wash a Driveway With a Surface Cleaner
A pressure washer surface cleaner makes pressure washing more effective. This disc shape tool ensures that no spot is missed when pressure washing. The pressure-washing disc has a spinning wand under it and a nozzle at each end of the disc. The spinning wand helps to clean your driveway surface faster. If you have a pressure washer for your driveway and want an easier pressure-washing method, this simple guide will help you assemble your surface cleaner to the pressure washer.
- Connect Surface Cleaner: attach the surface cleaner to the high-pressure washer hose, and your spray arm will turn smoothly. Make sure all connections are secured and in place.
- Open the Valve: turn on the water and start the pressure washer. Open the trigger gun so the water can flow through the nozzle. Ensure that the nozzle is well assembled and working fine. The nozzle has to be installed parallel to the spray bar.
To start cleaning your driveway, walk behind the surface cleaner to all the spots you need to clean.
Ensure to always check the weep hole on the bottom of the swivel; this controls how water flows out of your surface cleaner.
How To Remove Oil Stains From Your Driveway
Many homeowners and commercial businesses find removing oil stains difficult. This is because most leaks or spills from cars are petroleum bases and tough to remove. This simple step-by-step guide will leave your driveway spotless.
1. Reduce Excess Oil
Reducing the oil, grease, or paint spill will help you scrub the spot even better. You can use a rag or a towel to absorb the stain from your driveway surface.
2. Wet the Area
Wet the surface with water, baking soda, or any dishwasher, and allow the surface to absorb the stain before scrubbing the area.
3. Scrub the Area
Start cleaning your driveway from the highest point and work your way down to allow stained water to flow effectively without staining other areas. Now scrub the stained area carefully and ensure that the stain is off before moving to the next area.
4. Rinse
After scrubbing, rinse your driveway with a garden hose spray to wash off accumulated dirt from the scrubbing process.
Pressure Washer Driveway Cleaner
A pressure washer driveway cleaner is a portable washing tool that can run on electricity or gas to power a pump that forces water out through a nozzle at a high pressure. Below is a list of the top three pressure washers for driveways.
RYOBI 2300 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer Bundle: The RYOBI pressure washer will bring any driveway back to life. It is easy to use and removes stains and even black algae.
Karcher Pressure Washer: Once you have assembled this pressure washer, you can expect a stainless driveway. The Karcher pressure washer is easy to use and has a circular brush that removes tire marks from your driveway.
2000 MAX PSI 1.6 GPM Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer: Sun joe electric pressure washer is lightweight and comes with three different heads for different cleaning purposes. Its wheels make it easy to move around and clean all dirt and grime off your driveway.
Best Concrete Driveway Cleaners
Some paving materials are tougher than others and can withstand stronger cleaning agents. Concrete is one of them; below are some effective concrete driveway cleaners you should consider adding to your cart;
Clorox: Clorox is a concentrated bleach that guarantees the removal of any stain on your concrete surface. This cleaning agent is effective and reliable.
Zep: Now, Zep is the cleaning agent you need for your concrete bricks and surfaces. This multifunctional driveway cleaner is effective; the formula makes up to 20 Gal. Of pressure washer detergent.
Oz. Concrete Cleaner: ACT products clean without damaging the surface of your concrete driveways, patios, or walkways. This product takes about two weeks to finish clearing up but also allows you to use your driveway while killing all the bacteria.
1 gal. Hard-Surface and Polished Concrete Concentrated Cleaner: the revolutionary nano set cleaner 1 gal is a concentrated, non-corrosive cleaning agent that effectively removes dirt, soil, and grime from your concrete surface. Once you are ready to clean your concrete driveway, dilute the cleaning solution with water and use it with auto scrubbing machines.
Driveway Cleaning FAQ
How Often Should A Driveway Be Cleaned?
It’s tricky to determine how often you want to clean your driveway, but just like your homes, you must dust and clean the floor to keep it relaxing and conducive. Constructors and driveway professionals recommend cleaning your driveway at least once or twice a year. This helps you eliminate the dirt and grime and prevent them from settling.
If you prefer power washing your driveway, you should do it once every six months. Pressure washing helps you skip hours of cleaning and scrubbing. It’s effective and effortless but shouldn’t be done regularly.
The location, the amount of traffic, and other factors can help decide how often you should clean your driveway. If you live in a windy environment with heavy rainfall or high traffic on your driveway, it’s best to consider pressure washing twice a year.
Careful driveway observation will tell when your driveway requires a bath. And whenever you feel a particular area of your driveway is stained or has dirt all over, you can scrub, rake, or perform routine maintenance without cleaning the entire driveway. This way, your driveway will remain tidy at all times.
How Can I Clean My Driveway Without Pressure Washing It?
Pressure washers can be expensive, and power washing your driveway regularly has drawbacks. If there is a stain or dirt on your driveway:
- You can sweep the driveway and get rid of surface dirt.
- Sprinkle sawdust on oil stains and allow it to be absorbed.
- Sprinkle powdered dishwashing detergent or any good driveway cleaning detergent over your driveway.
- Get a bucket of warm water and scrub stained areas.
- Using a garden hose, rinse your driveway down gently and ensure all the areas are clean and stainless.
What Chemical Is Used To Clean Driveways?
The chemical used for driveway cleaning depends on the type of stain or dirt you try to remove and the paving material installed on your driveway. For oil spills or stains from a vehicle engine on asphalt driveways, hot water, scrub, and an ordinary dishwashing liquid will eliminate the stain.
To clean stains left by moss, algae, or bacteria growth on your driveway, you will need a cleaning chemical that can kill bacterial growth and completely remove the stain from the surface. For such cleaning, a Simply Gone or a Outdoor Ready-To-Spray Cleaner can take care of any bacterial growth on your driveway surface. For tarmac driveways and natural stone, reduce the stain with a rag or towel, apply Smartseal driveway cleaner in your pressure washer, and watch your driveway turn brand new.
Is Bleach Good For Cleaning Driveways?
Chlorine bleach has always been the saviour of any home, and it’s not surprising that it can extend to our driveways. The best way to use bleach is to dilute it with equal water to clean concrete driveways. When you are done diluting and preparing your mixture, spray your entire driveway and allow the bleach to sit for at least ten minutes before you scrub and rinse your driveway.
Can I Use Vinegar On My Driveway?
Vinegar is the best option if you are searching for natural cleaning to make an economic impact. Once you have your vinegar ready, mix it in a spray bottle with water and detergent and then carefully spray your entire driveway and let it sit for thirty minutes before you scrub. Your concrete driveway will look great after a good scrub.
Conclusion
The best way to clean your driveway is to use the most efficient and mild product that won’t destroy your driveway surface. The longer you leave stains to stay on your driveway, the harder it gets to clean them off. Also, when washing your driveway, ensure you know the type of driveway you’ve installed and the pressure that best suits your driveway.
