How to Pressure Wash a Driveway

So what is the best way to pressure wash a driveway?

Everyone in the industry has different methods for how they pressure wash a driveway. I've found a specific process that works best for me and hopefully it will be helpful for those wanting to learn how. You'll want to start with at least a 4GPM (gallons per minute) machine and a surface cleaner of 15-16 inches in diameter. This will allow you to speed things up dramatically. The system I use is an 8 GPM machine with a 20 inch surface cleaner. The higher flow and wider surface cleaner allow me to wash much faster.

The first thing I do when I pressure wash a driveway is clean any and all debris located on the surface. This could be leaves, rocks, outdoor furniture, pots, literally any and everything. The next step is to pretreat the concrete with a chemical solution of sodium hypochlorite (Bleach or referred to as SH), Surfactant (sometimes referred to as soap but is slightly different) and water. What this does is allows for all the mold and grime to come to the top surface while you are prepping your system to use the surface cleaner. The next step is to use your surface cleaner and go in long vertical lines up and down the driveway until you have washed the entire driveway. Next you'll want to grab your pressure washing wand and hit all of the tough spots that the surface cleaner couldn't clean or reach (Ie. corners). You'll also take this time to wash any walls, windows, siding, etc. that were affected to the wand and surface cleaner working. Next you'll push all the waste water to the end of the driveway where you'll either collect it or divert to a drain. Once that is done, you'll want to post treat with the same chemical blend but without the surfactant. This will allow for any remaining spots to be cleaned and also brighten up the whole driveway. In some cases, you'll want to go slow or go over twice with your surface cleaner. Remember, the more detailed you are the better the driveway will look. 

For questions on the process send us an email at support@texaspremierpw.com or give us a call at 832-298-4879.