How to Clean Your Driveway Without Using a Power Washer's featured image

How to Clean Your Driveway Without Using a Power Washer

 

Curb appeal is much more than a manicured lawn and some beautiful landscaping. It extends to a well-maintained driveway to provide a great first impression of your home. In fact, if looking to sell, it can even increase property value. Yes, tire marks, oil spills and other fluid leaks are major eye sores. Although a power washer is a quick and reliable way to get rid of dirt and grime, you can still wash away unsightly stains without one. 

PREP THE PAVEMENT

Much like with laundry, treating the stain before washing will help. Apply the same logic to tough spots on your driveway pavement.

  1. Sprinkle a layer of sawdust on any grease or oil stains, kitty litter works well too. Leave it to absorb as much grease as possible, ideally 12 to 24 hours. Then sweep it up and throw it in the trash.
  2. Now sweep the entire driveway to remove any surface dirt. Cracks in your driveway need a little extra sweep. Make sure to remove collected dirt so that during the washing stage it doesn’t seep out and ruin your efforts. 
  3. To ensure surface dirt has been removed, spray the entire driveway with water using a garden hose sprayer.

WASH & SCRUB IT

You can buy a commercial detergent at the local hardware store but we found a few household items will also do the trick.

  1. Washing Soda:  Add ½ cup of washing soda to 4 litres of hot water. No washing soda? Just sprinkle powdered dishwashing detergent over the entire driveway.
  2. Elbow grease: Using a standard deck brush, dip it into the hot washing soda water and scrub the driveway, rewetting the brush as needed. If you use dish detergent, all you need is a bucket of hot water to scrub the detergent into the pavement. 

RINSE IT DOWN

This last step is simple. 

  1. Using your garden hose sprayer, simply rinse the driveway clean. Aim the hose down the driveway to avoid rinsing the water into nearby plants and grass, which can be damaged by detergent.

PRO TIP: Choose a cloudy day to clean your driveway. Without the sun beating down on it, the pavement will dry much slower ensuring more effective results.

For even more fabulous cleaning tips to keep your home running smoothly and mess-free, be sure to check out our blog curated by the cleaning experts at Molly Maid Canada!