Concrete is the one surface around your house that can handle real pressure. That's where pressure washing earns its name. But even here, how you do it makes the difference between a clean slab and a striped one.
Driveway pressure washing in Kannapolis
Driveways get cleaned with a flat surface cleaner. It looks like a big round lawnmower deck, with spinning nozzles inside. It holds the spray at a fixed height and covers the concrete evenly.
The alternative is a guy with a wand sweeping back and forth. That's how you get "zebra stripes," those light and dark bands you see on some driveways for months after a wash. A surface cleaner doesn't leave them.
The steps:
- Blow off loose debris and leaves.
- Pre-treat stains and heavy growth.
- Run the surface cleaner over the whole slab.
- Use a wand on edges, cracks and expansion joints.
- Post-treat with a mild solution to slow algae from coming back on shaded areas.
- Rinse everything, including the street edge and your grass line.
What gets cleaned
- Concrete driveways, front to back
- Sidewalks and walkways
- Front stoops and steps
- Back patios, concrete or paver
- Pool decks
- Garage aprons and parking pads
Stains that show up a lot here
Red clay. Kannapolis dirt is red, and it gets tracked onto driveways by tires, kids and storm runoff. Fresh clay comes up well. Clay that has sat for years can leave a faint pink shadow even after treatment.
Rust. Orange spots from fertilizer, irrigation water with iron in it, or a metal planter that sat in one spot too long. Rust needs its own cleaner. Regular washing alone just makes it look wet.
Oil and fluid drips. The technician treats them with a degreaser before washing. Light, recent drips often fade a lot. Old soaked-in oil usually lightens but may not disappear completely. A good contractor will be straight with you about that before starting.
Green and black growth. Shaded spots near trees, the north side of a house and low places that hold water. Easy to remove, and the post-treatment helps slow its return.
Pine pollen. That yellow-green film every spring. It rinses off, but it also sticks to everything else on the slab, so spring is a good time for a full wash.
Pavers
Pavers clean up well, but they need a lighter touch than poured concrete. Too much pressure blows the joint sand out and loosens the stones. The crew runs the surface cleaner at a lower setting and keeps the wand off the joints. If your joints are already low or weedy, mention it when you call so it gets looked at before the quote.
Concrete and paver sealing
After a deep clean is the right time to seal. A sealer helps the surface resist oil, clay and water, and it can bring back some color on pavers. Sealing is quoted on site, because the product and prep depend on the surface. Our paver and concrete sealing page covers how it works. It also needs a fully dry slab, usually a day after washing.
A good contractor won't push sealing on a plain concrete driveway that doesn't need it. For pavers and pool decks it often makes sense.
Before the crew arrives
- Move cars out of the driveway and off the street edge if possible.
- Pick up toys, hoses, mats and planters.
- Make sure an outside spigot works.
Most driveways take one to two hours. A long driveway with a sidewalk and patio can be a half day. You can drive on it as soon as the crew leaves.
How often
Once a year keeps most driveways in good shape. Homes with a lot of shade or red clay runoff may want it more often.
Pair it up
A driveway wash goes well with a house soft wash, since rinse water from the house lands on the concrete anyway. It's also a good add-on to deck and fence washing. Driveway cleaning is usually one of the less expensive jobs; size and how stained the concrete is set the price. See the full price guide, or call (980) 324-2648 for a firm quote.
Questions people ask
Will pressure washing damage my driveway?
Not when it's done right. Concrete is built to handle pressure. The damage people see, like stripes or etched spots, comes from holding a wand too close. A good crew uses a surface cleaner that keeps the spray at a fixed, even distance.
Can you get oil stains out of concrete?
They can usually be lightened a lot with a degreaser and enough dwell time to let it work. Fresh drips often come out almost completely. Old stains that soaked in for years may leave a shadow. The contractor should look at them and tell you honestly before starting.
How long before I can drive on my driveway?
Right away for a wash. If it gets sealed, you'll need to stay off it for about 24 hours, sometimes longer in humid weather. The contractor will give you a specific time based on the product.
Do you clean pavers without blowing out the sand?
Yes. The crew lowers the pressure on pavers and keeps the wand off the joints. Some joint sand can still loosen on older installs. If you want the surface sealed after cleaning, that gets quoted on site.