Coming home to a clean driveway is a lovely feeling after returning from the events of the day. Over time, a pristine driveway can accumulate stains, weeds, dirt and tire marks that can spoil the polished look.
However, regaining the curb appeal is not too difficult with a little bit of effort! In this guide, we’ll show you how to do a driveway clean, including methods such as how to clean a driveway without a pressure washer.
How to clean a driveway with a pressure washer
- Clear the driveway space
Move vehicles, plants and any furniture ahead of the clean. There’s likely to be loose debris such as leaves, twigs and dirt, give these a sweep from the driveway ahead of the clean. This will make the driveway cleaning more effective and prevent any drain clogging when the time comes to wash the driveway.
- Remove weeds
The pressure washer is unlikely to remove the weeds compared to pulling them out using a weeding tool or by using weed killer. Ahead of the driveway clean, pull out or take care of any weeds across the driveway.
- Use the pressure washer
Set the pressure washer to a low-medium setting and spray in a sweeping motion, keeping the nozzle at least 12 inches from the ground. The sweeping motion contributes to even results whilst the setting and distance can avoid etching the driveway with these powerful tools.
Allow a couple of hours to let the driveway dry and come back to review the results.
If your pressure washer comes with a detergent chamber, you can use a homemade or specialised detergent if the initial clean doesn’t quite do the job. If you make a homemade solution, check the ingredients are suitable for the driveway. For example, acids can erode concrete paving driveways. You can also use a non-pressure washer method to finish up.
And that’s it! After following these steps, you should have a lovely clean driveway.
How to clean a driveway without a pressure washer
Cleaning a driveway to a good standard without a pressure washer is surprisingly possible! You’ll just need a home-made driveway cleaning solution or a detergent, a hard thistled brush, and a container to store water in.
- Clear your driveway
Get ready for the driveway cleaning by removing pot plants, vehicles and other obstacles for a full clean. You may want to remove any weeds by pulling them out or by using a weed killer.
Sweep any loose debris such as leaves, twigs or loose dirt from the driveway.
- Prepare your driveway cleaning solution
You can use a driveway cleaning detergent or mix soaps such as washing up liquid with water to create a homemade solution. Mix them in a bucket or other container ready for cleaning.
- Pour or spray water onto the driveway
If you have a garden hose, spray the entire driveway in an even sweeping motion.
If you don’t have a garden hose, you can fill up a bucket or other large container and pour the water across the driveway. Again, take care to do this evenly.
- Brush the driveway
Dip a garden or hard thistled brush into the solution bucket and scrub the driveway thoroughly. You may want to test the solution on a small part of the driveway that is normally concealed.
- Rinse the driveway
After the driveway cleaning is done, rinse or pour water over the driveway and allow some time for it to dry so that you can review the finish. Be careful to get the detergent excessively into plant areas as it can cause harm to plant life.
How to clean oil off a driveway
Deeper stains such as oil, grease and grime on driveways can be unsightly and appear difficult to remove, but this is also possible to do. Here’s how!
You’ll need certain materials that can absorb these stains. Pour a thick layer of sawdust, cat litter, or loamy garden soil over the affected area. Concrete degreasers can also be very effective. Leave these areas for between 12 to 24 hours to absorb the stains, and then follow the relevant guide above to clear the remaining stains.
How to clean leaf stains off a driveway
Stains from organic materials like leaves and grass can be tricky to completely clean and may need organic stain removers to treat completely. The compounds in these products are designed to target organic matter and will not discolour or harm your driveway.
Apply the organic stain removers and leave it to settle for 15 minutes, and then scrub the stained area vigorously. Rinse the area and repeat the process as needed.
Maintaining a clean driveway
Now that you know how to clean your driveway, the question becomes how often this should be done and how to maintain your driveway.
With good cleaning, you likely won’t need to clean your driveway more than twice a year. A great way to protect your driveway and save money in the long term is by sealing it. Sealing restores a beautiful appearance to driveways and protects them more from stains; sealing only needs to be replaced every few years.
It’s good to maintain your driveway. Avoid stains from leaves by giving it a sweep every so often, and take care to pull up weeds that pop up in between slabs, pavers and stones. If a spill occurs, its better to act sooner than later as this makes the driveway cleaning much easier to do.
Driveway Cleaning Experts in Colchester ⭐
If you need a hand, Universal Eco Homes can help. We are a fully licensed business with a track record in delivering high-quality home improvement services in and around Colchester. Don’t just take our word for it, you can see what our customers say in Trust A Trader. Give us a call on 0800 047 2404 and we’ll be glad to help you! For more info, you can also visit our driveway cleaning and sealing page.
