It’s typical that you just walk straight past your driveway on a daily basis. But, there’s more to its functional purpose. A clean, well-maintained driveway can also be a decorative feature that improves your home design. It can create an impressive first impression while improving curb appeal, which also boosts your home value.
The thing is, driveway cleaning is not as easy as it seems. Aside from getting rid of dried leaves and other debris, wear-and-tear also comes from oil and grease stains. In worse cases, moss and mildew accumulate on the surface over time.
Save yourself from the hassle and seek help from the experts. If you want to have an idea of how professional driveway cleaning is done, here’s an overview to check out.
Oil and Grease
A lot of homeowners will surely agree that oil and grease are a total eyesore on any garage or driveway. So if you can spot some stains on your surfaces, it’s highly crucial to get rid of them before they become semi-permanent.
Still, it’s good to keep in mind that the size and age of the stains will help you figure out how hard are they to remove. If the oil spill just happened yesterday, you can get rid of it easily. But if it has been seeping in your concrete for years, it’s hard to tell whether you can transform your driveway into a spotless space.
Now, if oil and grease just sit on top of the concrete, it will definitely seep back on the surface and give your driveway an unsightly look.
A professional driveway cleaner can do more than applying household products over oil stains. They can use an advanced high-pressure rotary washer to scrub off the stain, and a specialised solution for cleaning and disinfecting the space. Bleach is not recommended. It won’t do anything but inflict some damage to your cleaning equipment. Of course, washing off oil and grease from a concrete surface can take some time. But, you can guarantee that experts know the right driveway cleaning techniques that work best for your situation.
Mould and Mildew
Mould and mildew are common household invaders. If you currently see some fungal patches on your concrete driveway, it’s time to get some cleaning done.
Mould typically looks like black or green spots. Some of them are white, but they’re rare to find. You’ll know that your driveway has some accumulated mould if it has a fuzzy texture. On the other hand, mildew spots can be grey, white or yellow. They’re usually powdery or fluffy.
Warm, moist or wet conditions cause these pesky fungi to appear on your driveway. Shaded areas are more prone to accumulate mould and mildew because they don’t get enough sunlight. This also explains why nooks, crannies and other hard-to-reach areas have the toughest stains.
Mould and mildew should be off your concrete driveway as soon as possible, as both can pose health issues to your family. If you can only spot small spots, you can remove them on your own. But if the patches have been lingering in your area for months, contact your trusted professional house cleaning company.
Tire Marks
Tire marks occur on your driveway if you always spin your car to get to the street, or if your tires are exposed to extreme heat for a long time. This leaves dark stains that discolour the concrete.
Some DIY enthusiasts will probably tell you to use white vinegar and muriatic acid. But if not done properly, you will not get the results you want. A professional house cleaning company will use a much better cleaning solution that can get rid of tire marks accordingly.
Leaf Stains
Believe it when leaves, grasses, saps and other greeneries also leave stains on your concrete driveway. When left unattended, they can get tougher to remove. A pressure washer is necessary to get rid of leaf stains properly. Then, a special cleaner will do the rest of the job for you. So if you have no idea how to use one, it’s best to rely on house cleaning experts.
Driveway Maintenance Tips
Aside from cleaning your driveway, there’s one thing you can do to cut down costs and prevent further issues: maintenance. Here are some quick tips that you can start doing at home.
- Reseal your driveway every few years.
- Once you spot some dirt, debris, or organic matter that accumulate on your concrete driveway, get rid of them as soon as possible. Tough, and hard-to-remove stains are commonly the result of being negligent.
- Steer clear from harsh household chemical cleaners that barely remove tough stains.
- Hire a professional house cleaning company regularly.
Driveway Cleaning: DIY or Professional?
For homeowners, taking the DIY route might be the fastest and most convenient thing to do. You’ll see some online tips about covering the stains with baking soda, cat litter, and even sawdust. Let them sit for several hours, and stains are gone. But the reality is, it barely does the job. Some DIY methods work for small and mild problems, but concrete driveways are prone to have tough stains. Household products do so much little to absorb all impurities and leave your driveway clean.
Say you’re now convinced to let someone take care of it for you, but you hired your gardener or a handyman. And, you realised that they’re using harsh acids to clean your driveway. Should you still continue? The obvious answer is no. Cleaning professionals don’t recommend using acids on concrete, and you should not use it with a pressure washer, either. Otherwise, you’ll cause more harm than good.
So instead of hiring a rookie, a professional house cleaning company will definitely use an advanced high-pressure rotary washing equipment for the job. They will also use a specialised cleaning solution that kills germs on surfaces.
Here’s how House Washing Experts can help. We are a Brisbane-based external house washing company that specialises in professional driveway cleaning services. Our priority is to give you a fresh, clean home that you and your family deserve. Call us at 1300 927 433, and we will provide you with a free, no-obligation quote!