After months of shovelling, snow blowing, scraping and chipping the piles of ice and snow off your driveway, you’d think it would be time to finally put the idea of cleaning your driveway to bed, at least until next winter. But cleaning your driveway is a year-round job that is important to maintaining the overall health of your driveway. During the summer you can sweep away most debris, but how do you remove the stains and grime that can build up on your driveway? There are many different chemicals you can use, but today we’ll look at some simple, safer methods you can try to remove stains from your concrete.
Put on the pressure
One of the easiest ways to clean your concrete is with a pressure washer. Before you start, be sure to clear your driveway of any loose debris that could go flying when sprayed, potentially hurting people or damaging your car or your house. It’s best to spray with the slope of your driveway so the water runs away from your house and, if you can, runs to your grass and lawn, and not storm drains.
Soak it up
The majority of stains on a driveway are usually car-related – oil, gas and antifreeze are the usual culprits. There are chemicals and commercial cleaners you can purchase but before you do there are actually possible solutions right in your house. Baking soda, cat litter and corn starch all have absorbent properties that can soak up the stains on your driveway. If the stain is fresh and still wet simply apply the powder and let in sit for an hour of two and sweep up. If the stain is dry you can scrub with water and baking soda and then add more baking soda and let sit. You may need to repeat the process several times. It’s also important to do this on a clear day with no wind so your application doesn’t get washed or blown away.
Another popular way to remove stains is to use powdered dish detergent or baking soda and boiling water. Wet the stained area slightly and apply a liberal amount of detergent or baking soda, then pour a pot of boiling water on the stain and scrub vigorously with a stiff-wired brush and rinse off. Again, you may have to repeat this several times to get desired results.
Your driveway is literally one of the first impressions people have of your home, so it’s important to do everything you can to keep it looking its best. If you have any questions about driveway maintenance please contact us and one of our friendly team members will be happy to answer your question!
