HOW TO CLEAN A DRIVEWAY

You may not pay attention to how your driveway looks daily, but a well-maintained driveway provides a great first impression of your home. Despite its tough exterior, unsealed concrete is porous and easily absorbs liquids, which can lead to stubborn stains. The texture of the surface also provides plenty of crevices for dirt, moss, and other materials to accumulate.

Oil spills, ground-in leaves and dirt, and everyday wear-and-tear make checking this home improvement task off your list seem overwhelming at first.

To clean a spotted and soiled concrete driveway, you'll need something that will be effective in removing oil and grease stains. Covering stains with cat litter, sawdust, baking soda, and other absorbent materials can take care of fresh surface spills, but do very little to absorb what sinks below the surface.

Trisodium phosphate (TSP) is widely used to clean oil off driveways. It is strongly alkaline, so it will not harm your concrete, but it could cause skin irritation and even burns. TSP is also very bad for the environment. If it ends up in lakes and streams, the phosphates trigger an overgrowth of algae that results in a depletion of oxygen levels in the water, which can endanger fish and other aquatic life.

Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete and Driveway Cleaner tackles the same oil and grease stains without TSP's health risks or bleach's damage to your equipment.

To maintain the lighter color of a concrete driveway, many homeowners turn to cleaning with bleach, but power washing with bleach can damage many pressure washers, so check your manufacturer's guidelines before doing so.

Regular cleaning at least once a year can help maintain your home's curb appeal.

Directions for Cleaning a Concrete Driveway:

Before cleaning, hose down your driveway and allow it to dry. Also wet all nearby plants, shrubs, and grass with water. If your concrete is stamped or colored and you're going to be pressure washing, test for surface compatibility in an inconspicuous area with and without the cleaner.

Pressure Washer Application

1. Prep your pressure washer. Pour full-strength Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete and Driveway Cleaner into your pressure washer detergent tank, or drop your siphon tube into the bottle of Simple Green Oxy Solve.
2. Apply Simple Green. Use the low-pressure spray nozzle to apply the solution to the driveway, and let it sit for 5-7 minutes. Do not allow the solution to dry before rinsing — work in sections if necessary to achieve this.
3. Rinse the driveway. Remove the siphon tube from the container and rinse at a high-pressure setting.
4. Rinse surrounding landscaping. When cleaning is done, use a garden hose to rinse plants, shrubs, and grass, and water in any foam or puddles of cleaner and water.

Manual Application

1. Prep your Simple Green solution. Mix 1.5 cups of Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete and Driveway Cleaner with 2 gallons of water in a separate container.
2. Scrub. Scrub the area in sections using a soft-bristle brush or deck brush. Don't use a metal brush, as it could shed tiny fibers that could eventually leave rust spots.
3. Soak. Let the Simple Green Oxy Solve solution sit on the surface for 5-7 minutes. Do not allow the solution to dry before rinsing, or it will be harder to remove.
4. Rinse. Rinse with a garden hose at the highest possible pressure.
5. Repeat. Move to a new section and repeat.