How Often Should I Clean My Driveway and Sidewalk

When it comes to driveway and sidewalk cleaning it generally varies from area to area as well as the specific daily uses of the driveway and sidewalk. A restaurant for example may have to clean weakly if they incur a heavy  amount of foot traffic from customers and degrease the back area such as the dumpster pads to fight off pests from eating the food scraps. When it relates to homeowners driveway and sidewalk the common uses that make the walkways dirty are usual foot traffic, car marks, car stains from grease, oil, transmission fluid and so on, cutting the grass, rainy climate calling for more mold and mildew to build up, rust from the sprinklers irrigation system. 

Below are a few examples of the mold and mildew that are on the driveway and sidewalks in south florida........

The most efficient and practical method to clean any sort of flatwork is with a pressure washer and the correct cleaning detergents. When the surface is only cleaned with high water pressure this may look good at first but will not hold off the organics for long enough. The mold will come back quickly within the next 2 months but when the correct application of chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite and soaps are added the organic growth is killed off instead of removed from the naked eye. Making for a much cleaner and longer lasting clean.

When done properly and thoroughly the cleaning should last just under a year until the next cleaning should be done. As stated before it is tough to say exactly when the cleaning should be done because this varies on your personal situation. We would strongly urge you to contact a pressure cleaning professional in your area to better guide you in this matter. The professional in the area will go over the common practices in the area and what intervals he or she recommends to use for the best results. To find a professional it is suggested to do a detailed search into google for their past work pictures, how long they have been in business and what kind of reviews they have in store.

The biggest factor in cleaning any flat surface from driveways, sidewalks, patios, street gutters, concrete, pavers and walkways are the mold and mildew that build up on the material. From a far these look like black and brown patches of dirt but upon closer inspection we notice they are organic embedded in the surface.  

For the homeowners who have a overhanging tree over the sidewalk or driveway they may notice orange colored stains that at first seem to be rust but are in factor organic growth. Typically caused by tree nuts and leaves (these stains are tough to get out with water pressure alone) the best method to get the stains out are by using a strong mixture of chemical (preferably 50/50 ratio of chlorine and water) to eat at the organics deep in the stones pores. Please note when using a strong chemical such as this mixture to use gloves and do not inhale the fumes and be very careful with the landscape around the affected area.

Thank you for taking the time to read our article on "How often you should clean your driveway and sidewalk" 

For more information on professional pressure cleaning tips and tricks please refer to your blog page.