Create a sparkling clean driveway with this simple DIY project
Driveway cleaning might not be at the top of your list of fun things to do, but it can really boost your home’s curb appeal while helping to prevent driveway cracks and weed growth. Using a pressure washer is the fastest and easiest way to clean your driveway, and most homeowners can use it to tackle this project themselves with just a few tools and supplies. Use this guide to learn how to pressure wash your driveway and prevent future stains.
The first thing you’ll need to do before pressure washing your driveway is get a pressure washer. If you already have one, great. If not, you can rent one from your local hardware store. Pressure washers cost around $35 to $175 per day to rent. If you decide to buy one, expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $1,000 depending on the pressure washer’s attachments, model, and features.
In addition to the pressure washer, you should have all of the above-mentioned tools and supplies at the ready before you begin. This is also a good time to put on your safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and hands from flying debris and dirty soapy water.
Before you start spraying, make sure to remove any debris from the driveway, including dirt, stones, and leaves. A leaf blower or broom can make this step go a lot faster. You should also remove outdoor furniture, potted plants, and any other nearby items that you don’t want to get soaked or damaged from the high-pressure water.
Finally, grab a plastic sheet or tarp and use it to cover nearby in-ground plants, doors, and walls to protect them from the dirty water and flying debris.
If cars have driven on your driveway, there will likely be some greasy oil stains that you should remove before pressure washing. So grab your degreaser spray and apply it to any stains or discolored areas, spraying about six inches above the surface. Then grab a stiff brush and give the areas a light all-over scrubbing to loosen grime and grease.
Pressure washer designs vary, so carefully read the instruction manual of your pressure washer when assembling it. Or, if you rented it, make sure to ask the store from where you’re renting about assembly guidelines.
But most pressure washers are assembled by connecting the spray wand to the pressure washer’s hose. After that, you’ll need to connect the pressure washer to your own outdoor hose, which should be connected to a spigot. Once you make the connection, squeeze the pressure washer trigger for around 30 seconds. This will remove excess air from the hose and get it ready for blast off.
Once you assemble the pressure washer, choose the appropriate nozzle. Different nozzles are indicated by degrees—the higher the number, the wider and lower pressure the stream will be. For adding detergent, you should use a 65-degree nozzle. This nozzle is usually black, and it might even be labeled “Soap”.
For rinsing the surface after applying soap, you’ll want a higher-pressure nozzle. A 25-degree nozzle, which is usually green, is ideal for rinsing most driveways, but if you have a brick driveway, use a 40-degree nozzle (usually white) so as not to damage the brick.
Your pressure washer should have a dedicated detergent tube. Locate it and place it into your jug of detergent. Once you turn the pressure washer on, it will automatically siphon detergent from the jug into the pressure washer.
Take note of your driveway’s slope. You’ll want to start at the highest end of the slope so that the water and detergent naturally drip down.
With the detergent tube still in the jug, select the 65-degree nozzle, turn on the pressure washer, grab the handle, and spray the detergent onto your driveway’s entire surface. Keep the nozzle around 8 to 18 inches away from the surface of the driveway. Sweep it side to side, starting from the highest end of the driveway and working your way down to the lowest.
After spraying the detergent, remove the siphoning tube from your detergent jug and change the nozzle to 25 degrees. Just as you did when spraying the detergent, start at the highest end of your driveway and spray the water from side to side, about 8 to 18 inches away from the surface, working your way down until the driveway is free of stains and soap. If you have stubborn driveway stains, you can bring the nozzle within 3 to 4 inches of the surface to tackle them with more pressure.
Once your driveway is all clean, let it dry for 12 to 24 hours, then apply a concrete sealer to protect it from stains and make future cleaning sessions easier. You should apply it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, but it typically involves pouring the sealer into a large tray or paint pan and using an extension paint roller to coat the driveway. Let the sealant dry for at least 24 hours before driving on it.
If you don’t want to apply the sealant yourself, you can hire a pro to tackle it. The average cost to seal a driveway is around $1.15 per square foot.
Most pros charge between $0.20 and $0.40 per square foot to pressure wash a driveway, or around $100 to $250, on average. So you can often save money by pressure washing a driveway yourself, especially if you already own a pressure washer or have a large driveway. It’s also a pretty simple and straightforward job that even not-so-handy homeowners can tackle. But if you want to save some time, you can always call a pressure or power washing company to do it for you.
Pressure washing your driveway can prevent cracks in it since it removes grease and oil, which, if left on the driveway for too long, can break down compounds in concrete and asphalt, leading to cracks. It can also help keep driveway weeds, moss, mold, and mildew at bay while boosting your home's curb appeal.
It depends on your budget and how often you'll use it. Buying a pressure washer can range anywhere from $100 to $1,000 or more, depending on the pressure washer's attachments, features, and model. Renting a pressure washer usually costs around $35 to $175 per day, so you can often save money by renting one. However, if you plan to use a pressure washer at least a handful of times per year, buying one is a better long-term investment.
Experts typically recommend pressure washing your driveway at least once per year to keep it looking great while preventing stains, cracks, and unwanted vegetation. However, if your driveway gets a lot of use, you might want to pressure wash it more often to keep it looking like new.
