Your driveway is one of the first things that you and visitors see upon arriving at your home. It’s one of the easiest outdoor spaces to keep clean, but it’s also the easiest to neglect.

If you leave stains and other things to build up for too long, it can leave your driveway looking shabby and dirty — it’ll also feel like you may never get it clean.

So, what can you do to get rid of stains? Do you even know how to clean your driveway? Luckily, this guide is here to help.

Read on for a comprehensive guide on how to clean your driveway.

Why Would You Need to Clean Your Driveway?

Sometimes, accidents happen. Either the delivery driver accidentally dropped oil onto your driveway, or you’ve let those piles of leaves sit for just a bit too long.

Whatever the problem is, you can fix it fairly easily.

How to Clean Your Driveway

The way you clean your driveway is going to depend on what you’re getting off the concrete.

Sometimes, things might be better left to a professional concrete cleaning, but other times you can get all the gunk and grime off your driveway on your own.

Rust Stains

Rust is easily accumulated, but just as easily removed.

Instead of freaking out over the can of paint you left in the driveway overnight, head out to the nearest hardware store and get yourself some muriatic acid.

Some safety precautions are going to need to be taken, however. Since you’re working with acid, it’s best to put on long rubber gloves and safety glasses before starting.

Clean-Up

Now that you’re all prepped, you’re going to add 1/4 cup of acid to 2 cups of cold water that you’ve already added to the bucket (this is going to keep it from splashing around.)

Carefully pour the solution onto the stain, scrub with a stiff nylon brush, and leave for a few minutes to break up the stain. Once that’s done, rinse it away with a garden hose.

Oil Leaks

Anytime oil, brake fluid, or gasoline spills on your driveway, you’re going to want to clean it up as soon as possible.

To dry up the excess, pour kitty litter over it and then allow everything to soak up for a few hours. Once that happens, scoop up the excess and sweep the rest away.

For concrete driveways, you’re going to need some liquid TSP and a moisture absorber. For small spills, you can use corn starch. For larger spills, diatomaceous earth is best (you can get this online or at most pool supply stores).

From there, you’re going to mix the two together into a paste. Once you’ve reached this paste, you’re going to spread it over the affected area and work it in with a stiff nylon brush. 

Once you’re done scrubbing, spread an additional layer of paste over the stain and leave it to dry. This could take anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours depending on the temperature and humidity. 

Use a putty knife to scrape away, and then rinse the excess with a garden hose.

Algae Buildup

To remove algae from your driveway, pressure washing is often the only solution you need.

If that doesn’t work, however, you can also opt for a homemade solution of water and white vinegar. An initial spray down of the area will kill the algae.

Once the algae are dead, spray white vinegar directly onto the surface and then, using a stiff-bristled nylon brush, work it into the concrete and then rinse.

Decomposing Organic Matter

This sounds gross, but all this includes are leaves, piles of mulch, and even pine needles. As these things sit for a long time, they release a byproduct called tannin, which can leave stains if left for too long.

First, sweep or leaf blow your driveway to remove any debris and spray it down to remove excess dirt. The next steps only need to happen if you find tannin stains under all the leaves.

Next, you’re going to grab a large bucket and mix 1/2 cup liquid dish detergent with 3 gallons of hot water. Slowly pour that solution onto the stains and scrub them with a stiff-bristled nylon brush.

Rinse the concrete and then, while the concrete is still wet, sprinkle powdered laundry detergent over the stains. Scrub again and leave to sit for a few minutes before rinsing. This step can be repeated if necessary. 

Simple Upkeep

If you don’t have any of these stains on your driveway, you might find that simple upkeep is enough to keep your driveway looking clean at all times.

This can include anything from sweeping leaves and other debris off once a week or twice a month to pressure washing the concrete on occasion.

Rinse Your Plants

Think about it. Would you want dirt on you after the person next to you was sprayed with mud or some other chemical?

No matter what you do, make sure you rinse your plants, grass, or shrubbery with a garden hose when you’re done cleaning your driveway.

Even if you only pressure washed, all of the dirt and grime from the cement is going to linger on any plants surrounding your driveway, and that isn’t good for them.

Remember These Tips When Learning How to Clean Your Driveway

Learning how to clean your driveway is a process filled with a ton of trial and error. You might pull out the pressure washer one day and then realize that there is more than one layer of dirt hidden beneath the surface. 

Luckily, you can revisit this guide whenever you need to. You’ll have those pesky stains out in no time.

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