Generally, you'll want your concrete driveway pressure washed at least once a year. This lets you treat sunbaked dirt, grime buildup, and stubborn oil stains, making regular cleaning in between professional washes much more manageable. Of course, you can always schedule extra pressure washing services as needed.
Most people believe that concrete is solid and almost invincible. However, using a pressure washer with the incorrect tip or using too much pressure or a combination of the two can etch concrete.
If your concrete has been newly poured, make sure to wait until it has fully cured. The curing process, if done correctly, typically takes around thirty days to properly dry and set to its full strength.
For concrete surfaces with minimal traffic, power washing might only be necessary once every two years or so. That said, most experts would recommend that you wash your concrete at least once a year just to be safe.
Generally, you should be power washing your driveway and patio once a year, or if there isn't much dirt buildup, once every eighteen months. However, you shouldn't wait until your exterior gets really dirty.
There are several good reasons to pressure wash your concrete on a regular basis: Reduce or eliminate dirt, sand, salt, or corrosive chemicals to extend the life of your concrete. Improve your home or business' curb appeal. Reduce or remove pollens collecting near and around your home.
An effective pressure wash cleans the pores of your concrete. Make sure to apply concrete sealer after pressure washing.
Damage From Power Washing
A pressure washer delivers water 30 to 80 times stronger than your garden hose. You know you've damaged your concrete due to a bad power washing job if it looks etched, creating an uneven surface and an unappealing driveway or surface.
Yes, a pressure washer can damage a patio by degrading the surface of the slabs. This in turn can allow more dirt to work its way into marks and pits in the stone in the future. When you clean a patio with a pressure washer, it is best not to use a super-high pressure and instead go more gently.
Oil leaks, blood, and sticky residues can absorb and result in stubborn stains. However, using a driveway sealant after pressure washing can help prevent these stains from becoming permanent features in your driveway.
After the concrete has dried for at least 24 hours, you can effectively apply a concrete sealer. A sealer helps prevent future stains and potential damage from products like ice salts.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
Our recommendation ranges from as low as 3,000 PSI to as high as 4,000 PSI. But, there are quite a few factors at play influencing your ideal PSI rating.
How often should you pressure wash your driveway? Generally, you'll want your concrete driveway pressure washed at least once a year. This lets you treat sunbaked dirt, grime buildup, and stubborn oil stains, making regular cleaning in between professional washes much more manageable.
Dish soap and water: Dish soap is a degreaser, and it works well to clean oily and grimy concrete. Create a cleaning solution of warm water and few drops of dish soap and apply it to the surface. Let it sit for a while, then mop the patio and rinse it with fresh water. Repeat the process as many times as needed.
Negatives – Using a pressure washer to clean your home may not be all that it is cracked up to be. The pressure can blast through wood, asphalt and even concrete if close enough. So, you're forcing water behind the siding which could cause problems within your walls and you wouldn't even know until it's too late.
The downside to using pressure washers is that they tend to cause damage to surfaces that are too delicate. In addition, the high pressure of the water spray can cause damage to surfaces you don't intend for it to reach, such as brick or stone surfaces.
Cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a good option if you are looking for a natural cleaner. While cleaning concrete with bleach or detergent can be effective, it can also be toxic to plants.
Left unsealed, the colors will fade, water marks may be an issue, and stains can penetrate leaving ugly oil spots where the service guy left his old jalopy parked on the driveway. It's pure and simple, the job just won't last without a good sealer.
Sealing your concrete isn't really a labor-intensive, nor costly, job. By sealing your concrete every 2-5 years, as recommended by experts, you should keep your floor in good shape, preventing cracks, pitting, and additional damage.