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How to Clean Your Driveway or Sidewalk with a Pressure Washer

How to Clean Your Driveway or Sidewalk with a Pressure Washer

How to Clean Your Driveway or Sidewalk with a Pressure Washer

Both your driveway and your sidewalk are high-traffic areas. They get abuse not just from people and cars, but from weather and other elements. As a result, pressure washing is a great way to keep them clean. This is important not just to make them look nice but to keep them safe. Read on to learn all about it and then contact Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 if you need help selecting the right pressure washer.

Reasons to deep clean your driveway and sidewalk

First of all, you’ll find that many people don’t realize just how important it can be to deep clean sidewalks and driveways. As time goes on, your driveway and sidewalk can end up slippery and dangerous due to car tire marks that darken and slicken the surface, foot traffic that tracks dirt and causes wear and tear, organic materials from plants that can turn into moss, which is extremely slippery when wet.

The most important steps involved in pressure washing

Though the specific steps you’ll follow will depend on your particular driveway and the type of machine you’re using, here are the basic steps to follow:

  • Get rid of large debris. If there are sticks, pine cones, grass, etc. on the driveway or the sidewalk then we encourage you to get rid of it. Depending on what it is, you may need a leaf blower or a broom or shovel could do.
  • Pre-clean the surface. To pre-clean the surface, use your pressure washer with a 40-degree tip. If you want a faster result and have access to a turbo nozzle, then you can use that just make sure you’re staying back an appropriate distance. Remember that these turbo nozzles are very strong and should be used with caution – and only on driveways or sidewalks that are extremely dirty.
  • Apply a fungicide. This will prevent fungus, mold, and mildew from growing. There are products on the market to do this, but you can also just mix 2/3rds household bleach with 1/3 water. Then add a little dish soap to help it stick to the surface. Make sure to avoid getting any of the mixture on plants or garden beds as it can damage them. Leave the bleach and water solution on your driveway and / or sidewalk for half an hour.
  • Do a final pressure wash. Once the fungicide has had half an hour to work, get out your hot water pressure washer and do a final wash. When you’re done, your sidewalk and / or driveway should look incredible and the results will last for much longer than if you’d simply swept and hosed it down.

Remember that this technique is not just for your sidewalk and driveway. You can also use it on your patio, pool, and anywhere you have concrete. If you’re ready to get the equipment you need to get this job done, reach out to Hydro Tek at 800-274-9376 today.

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  • Hot Water Pressure Washers

    Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers are designed to tackle the toughest messes wherever they may occur. Our products feature high-quality stainless steel construction, simple controls, and an innovative Spiralast™ heating coil that improves efficiency and reduces your fuel costs. We manufacture the Spiralast™ coils right here in our facility using a proprietary cold rolled process and robotic welds for exceptional strength and unimpeded flow. Our Spiralast™ lifetime warranty is the ONLY lifetime heating coil warranty in the industry.

  • Advantages of a Hot Water Pressure Washer

    Simply by heating up the water, a hot water pressure washer delivers dramatically improved cleaning power compared to a cold water machine. Hot water pressure washers are especially useful for cleaning sticky, greasy, or oily surfaces, because they will loosen the dirt much faster without the large amounts of soap, detergent, or other cleaning chemicals that must be used with a cold water system.

  • Hot Water Pressure Washer Applications

    A hot water pressure washer is essential for any cleanup job involving a sticky, greasy, or oily mess, as well as for applications where a surface must be sanitized. With a variety of models available, including self-contained mobile units with gas, diesel, or electric power, Hydro Tek hot water pressure washers can go anywhere and clean anything. Some common applications include heavy equipment cleaning, vehicle cleaning, graffiti removal, restaurant hood vent cleaning, and livestock facility cleaning.

Quality & Innovation Since 1985

Hydro Tek

From simple beginnings in 1985, Hydro Tek has grown to become the most trusted name in the pressure washer manufacturing industry.

How did we do it? By continually focusing on quality and reliability as the key to customer satisfaction, and by incorporating the latest technologies into our design and manufacturing processes.

By 1991, we were using computer-aided drafting systems to refine our product designs and improve efficiency. In 1997, we brought the power of computers to the shop floor by incorporating laser-cutting and other CNC manufacturing machinery, and in 2001 we began focusing on improving efficiency through the latest manufacturing techniques. The end result has been superior products delivered at a superior value to our customers. Through the next decade, we look forward to fulfilling our vision of making our products the "obvious choice" for all your industrial and commercial cleaning needs.