You might want to thoroughly clean your driveway if it is coated in moss, weeds, and dirt. The ideal and most efficient approach to cleaning your driveway is pressure washing. And you should do that sometimes, because moss and dirt may quickly accumulate on your driveway.
In consideration of this, how often should you pressure wash your driveway? You should try to pressure wash your driveway at least once a year in order to maintain it and keep it looking clean and new.
This post seeks to provide all the information you need about pressure washing your driveway.
Why Should Your Driveway Be Pressure Washed?
Did you know that dirt has a mildly acidic nature and may eat away at things like concrete, leading to surface cracks and chips? It’s the truth!
This might result in future repair and replacement costs in the hundreds of dollars, depending on where the issue area is located. Mould and algae can also grow in areas with grime, ruptures, and chipped surfaces. Even with expert cleaners, it is quite difficult to eliminate these contaminants.
The health of your family should be one of the main considerations when determining whether to power wash your driveway. It could be a good idea to have your driveway power washed more regularly if you or a member of your family has asthma or any allergies in order to prevent the growth of dangerous mildew, bacteria, and other creatures.
Pressure washing will not only preserve your driveway in perfect condition but also raise the house’s value. So, you’d better get to work!
What Types Of Dirt Can Be Removed By A Pressure Washer?
- Mould
- Mildew
- Chewing gum
- Dirt
- Silt
- Moss
- Dust
- Tree sap
- Acid rain
- Heavy manufacturing pollution
- Exhaust fumes
- Grime
- Loose paint
How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your Driveway?
Most furnishings and surfaces should be pressure washed once a year in general. Additionally, it is a good idea to pressure wash your driveway if it begins to appear particularly grimy, mossy, or weed-covered. If left untreated, filth, moss, and weeds can constitute a serious threat in addition to being ugly.
You may have to pressure wash your driveway twice a year if you live in a place where there is a lot of dirt and dust, such as near a freeway or major roads. Weather is also another factor that can influence how often you need to pressure wash, since extreme weather like rain, snow, or storms can make your driveway full of trash.
There is also another way to keep your driveway clean. However, it will be more time-consuming and less efficient. The most common is a short cleaning each day using a safe and mild cleaner.
How Should You Pressure Wash Your Driveway?
Here is my five-step procedure, and it works every time:
- If there are weeds, remove them first using weed killer.
- Wait a week and a half to two weeks so that they die entirely.
- Pressure wash your driveway.
- Clean off the driveway: Clear the driveway of all items. Make sure to get rid of any obstructions like planters, garden hoses, or toys. To prevent damage from the pressure washer, be sure to park your car and any other cars somewhere else.
- Protect things that can’t stand pressure: Use cloth or plastic sheets to cover windows, doors, and other surfaces while keeping them in place using painter’s tape. Consider covering any shrubs or flowers close to the surface you’re power washing if you can to prevent damaging them with the high water pressure.
- Beginning at the top, work your way down the driveway, allowing a foot or so between each pass. Till you reach the end of the driveway, go from side to side.
- Use your paint stick to run the pressure washer without creating a mess.
- Concentrate on the places where dirt tends to stick around longer than normal.
- If you work with block paving, you may notice that 1 cm of sand will be blasted away. Substitute it with kiln-dried sand instead (do this on a dry day).
- Remove the sand between the blocks by sweeping it with a yard broom.
If you employ a professional cleaning service and they miss step 1 (getting rid of the weeds), the cleaning won’t be done thoroughly enough. It is important that you remove the roots of weeds.
Check out this video if you are not sure what to do:
When Should You Pressure Wash Your Driveway?
Although you may clean your driveway whenever it’s convenient for you, most cleaning experts recommend the spring and summer seasons as the best times. Weather variations and the chance for consumers to enjoy their spotless patios and driveways during peak usage are to blame for this.
It is significant to notice that because of the excessive humidity during these two seasons, algae and fungi are more obvious and develop more quickly. Therefore, it is crucial to do the task before or during these strong growth seasons.
Additionally, this is the time of year when pollen is most likely to spread and build up on your deck and driveway. Power cleaning will keep the surfaces clean, get rid of the stickiness, and reduce the accumulation of dirt and dander. If you are allergic to mould or have sensitivity to other plant growth, the beginning of summer is the best “time” to clean.
Conclusion
So, how often should you pressure wash your driveway? Once a year, but more if you live in certain places. Although driveway cleaning may be done year-round, many homeowners opt to do it in the spring and summer when algae development is most obvious.
Pressure washing is a preventative maintenance procedure that should be carried out annually. It’s one of the best ways to safeguard your property investment. Follow me for more tips!
