Home Owner Method For Cleaning Concrete Driveways

Here is an article I've posted over on Ehow.com



Step 1 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Locate a decent pressure washer. Its recommended for cleaning concrete to use a 3,000 psi pressure washer. Your Home Depot or Lowes should have rentals if not check your yellow pages for tool rentals. Try to get a hot water unit. Hot water will clean 100X better than cold water * "Never hook a cold water unit up to hot water coming from your house it will damage your pump".

Step 2 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Prep the driveway by removing as much of the dirt or debris as you can by sweeping it away. If you know where the water flows to wile its raining or when you wash your car, place a oil soaking mat over the storm drain. Oil soaking mats absorb oil,gas and chemicals and let the water filter threw. If the best you can do is divert it to your lawn that is better than pouring it into the waterways. Also if your caught not attempting to do so. There are Hefty EPA fines up to $10,000. So at least show an effort.

Step 3 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Fill a pump sprayer up with a diluted concentrate degreaser. I recommend ZEP TnT, Its a brush less truck wash chemical that cleans anything from gutters to industrial railroad equipment. Also awesome on carpet.
Go around to any Soil marks and spray a generous amount on top of the stain.

Step 4 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Read instruction manual that came with your pressure washer. Make sure it is fully topped up with fuel. If it is a hot water pressure wash make sure the burner fuel tank is filled. Red tank is for gasoline Blue tank is for kerosene or diesel. Place pressure washer on level ground out of the way of your work area. Always wear protective eye ware wile you Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways.

Step 5 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Place the yellow tip into the wand. If you are using a hot water unit make sure there is no hose touching the grass around your driveway because it will kill it if left in one spot to long. Fire up your pressure washer. Determine the best distance from the tip of the wand to the concrete driveway that produces the best cleaning strength. Take nice even passes in front of you in sections about a ft to each side of you all the way to the end of your drive way or do it one pad at a time. Then return to the start and make your next path overlap where you just cleaned by a half ft.

Step 6 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Once you get to a location that is covered in a oil stain take a few passes over it until you cannot see it leaving wand marks. It will still look darker than the surrounding concrete but will dry to an almost even match. Using heavy duty concrete cleaners on these spots often burns the concrete and you end up with chalk white marks all over the place. Darker marks pressure washing with a degreaser come out hidden better once a concrete sealer is applied.

Step 7 To Pressure Wash Concrete Driveways
Give the whole driveway a rinse down with the low pressure tip "black tip". Don't forget to clean off things that got splashed like house siding and your garage door.
Let it dry for a couple hours on a nice day and double check your work before returning your rental or sealing your driveway