Take a good look at your driveway. Do you see grime, mildew, dirt, and stains? Pressure washing your driveway will increase your home’s curb appeal without spending tons of money, and restore it to its former condition. Before you run out to start pressure washing, keep in mind there are two types of driveways – concrete or brick. Let’s look at the correct ways to pressure wash a driveway of both types.
How to Pressure Wash a Concrete Driveway
Attach your garden hose to the cleaner, and ready the nozzle. Make sure it’s the 25 degree nozzle. To start, turn on the hose, and give the driveway a first blast to remove any loose debris that might be there, like grass, pebbles, any small branches, or leaves.
Once the driveway is clear of debris, this is when you apply the detergent. Keep in mind, that your pressure washer will require specific detergents, so make sure you’re using the right one. Change nozzles too – attach the soaping nozzle before you use the detergent. Using the soaping nozzle allows the driveway to soak with the detergent, rather than blasting it clean.
Once the detergent is on the driveway, let is sit for about 5 minutes, and soak in. After 5 minutes the detergent will have broken down the stains, grime, and dirt on the driveway, and now you’re ready for the clean. You should have a surface cleaner attachment on the washer at this point, which will allow a faster and better clean. You can also buy a rotary cleaner. Both of them do similar things to the water flow, which is pulsing or rotating the water to push the dirt and grime from the surface.
Now that your driveway is clean, it’s time for the final rinse. Re-attach your 25 degree nozzle, and rinse away. With that final thorough rinse, your driveway will be as good as new.
How to Pressure Wash a Brick Driveway
With a brick driveway, you need to soak it down with water, using the most delicate spray nozzle you have. This is so you can get the entire brick surface wet, so that the detergent will not be absorbed. Now use the detergent nozzle to apply the correct detergent, making sure to cover the entire driveway surface. Like with the concrete driveway, let it soak in for 5 minutes.
Once it’s done soaking in for 5 minutes, bring out the 25 degree rinsing nozzle, and use that to hose the driveway to remove all the detergent, along with the dirt, mildew, and grime. The key to cleaning a brick driveway is to use more detergent, and less water pressure, so that the mortar will not be destroyed. And that’s it. Your brick driveway is going to look like a million bucks.
Finally, this should go without saying, but before you start to pressure wash your driveway, ensure that you move your cars, any toys, or anything else that might be sitting on your driveway. If this is your first time using a pressure washer, read the manual beforehand so you know how to properly use it. And always know what chemicals are safe to use in the detergent tank.