How to Clean a Concrete Driveway

LESLIE: Now we have a call from Roy in Georgia who wants to clean his driveway.

Roy, what kind of driveway do you have?

ROY: It’s concrete.

LESLIE: Do you have a power washer?

ROY: Yes, I do have a power washer. I was really looking for a product that would be good to scrub with and use with a power washer.

TOM: OK. There are a number of additives that you can buy for a pressure washer. Another product that works good is OxiClean; the same OxiClean that you use for …

LESLIE: In the laundry.

TOM: Yeah, exactly. It’s an oxygenated stain remover and you mix that up and you brush it on. And it helps if you let it sit five or ten minutes so it can really go to work and then you power wash that off or you simply rinse it off with a hose. With the power washer, you want to be careful because if you put too much pressure on there you will actually erode the surface of the concrete and start to see the aggregate. So it’s good to use a very good cleaning product like OxiClean on there first to brighten it up.

ROY: It’s dirt and then scuff marks and tire tracks and just everything you could imagine; tree sap and all that.

TOM: Right. Yeah. Well, I mean that’s exactly what you need to do. You mix it up, brush it on there with a stiff brush, let it sit for a while and then work it with a pressure washer.

LESLIE: And make sure you do it on a sunny day because the sun actually activates the oxygen in the OxiClean and will help it to work better.

ROY: And you must brush it, right? It’s a big driveway. (Leslie chuckles)

TOM: Yeah, you’re going to have to work it, Roy.

ROY: It’s going to take some work, I’m sure.

TOM: Well, just do a little at a time.

ROY: OK.

TOM: Alright, Roy?

ROY: Well, I think that answers my question. I just needed a product that you guys recommend and …

TOM: You’re very welcome. I think that’ll work fine for you.

ROY: Thank you very much.

TOM: OK, thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974. The website is MoneyPit.com.