Driveways aren’t at the top of most house cleaning to-do lists, but they are an important aspect of your home’s exterior that requires regular care and maintenance.  Let’s take a look at some simple tips for keeping driveways clean:

 

Items Needed for Cleaning Driveways 

  • Seal Coating
  • Saw Dust
  • Bucket
  • Tarp
  • Scrub Brush
  • Trash Bags
  • Broom/Push Broom
  • Concrete repair mix/ready-made
  • Dishwashing Detergent
  • Hose with Power Washer Attachment

 

A Home’s Appeal Includes Keeping Driveways Clean

 

Start with a Thorough Sweeping

Before you get into the meat and potatoes of cleaning your driveways, it’s important to remove as much dust and debris from the surface as possible.

Over time, the regular movement of your cars and foot traffic, stir up yard clippings, leaves, and dirt. These items ultimately collect in piles, leaving your front yard looking like an eye sore.

Start by taking a push broom and sweeping any visible debris off of your driveway. Sweep the dust, organic materials, and trash into a dust bin and throw them out.

 

Focus on The Stains

Even the newest, cars have a tendency to leak automobile fluids all over our driveways and parking areas. If you regularly park on black top, it might not seem like that big of a deal, but on virgin pavement, it’s undoubtedly noticeable.

Oil and liquid stains aren’t just unsightly though, they can also lead to the breakdown of the concrete driveways are constructed out of. This can lead to structural integrity problems.

The easiest, most effective way to protect driveways from chemical damage is by investing in a sealcoat, but if that isn’t an option, you can at least get rid of the stains with simple house cleaning tools.

Fill a bucket full of sawdust, and cover any oil or grease stains that are visible. Let the sawdust sit for at least 12 hours and preferably overnight. In the morning, sweep up the pile of sawdust. Believe it or not, it will have absorbed any auto liquids that were left behind, leaving your driveway looking perfectly new.

 

Keeping Driveways Clean and focus on stains

 

Scrub Down Problem Areas

With the dust, debris, and major stains out of the way, it’s now time to focus on the trickier aspects of cleaning driveways. Sidewalk chalk, contractor markings, and spray paint are just some of the unusual substances that can end up on your driveway, leaving stains and unsightly splotches behind.

To remove these markings, you’ll have to do some scrubbing. Depending on how dirty the driveways are, there are a couple of different ways that you can do this. Either use the hose and a power washing attachment, or a bucket of warm water and dish soap. Accompanied by a sponge and plenty of elbow grease, the choice is yours.

 

Scrub down problem areas and keep Driveways Clean

 

Fill Up Cracks and Pot Holes

Our driveways and parking lots wear down over the years, and as they age, cracks and potholes start forming. Home improvement mixes or ready-made mixes, from the local hardware store, provide DIY solutions. Paying a team of professionals to get the job done works just as well.

 

Further Protective Measures

Once your driveway looks how you want it to, keep it that way. While regular maintenance, like sweeping, scrubbing, and washing is one way, hiring a team of cleaners or investing in a tarp makes the most sense. When you maintain a busy schedule, options are needed.

In closing, keeping your parking areas and driveways clean and nice is one of the few house cleaning tasks that really requires very little work. Follow these steps once every three months, and you’ll keep clients and visitors coming back again and again. Good luck!