How to Pressure Wash a Driveway

Start by getting everything off the slab. Move cars, bikes, planters, and the trash cans out of the way. Give the driveway a quick sweep so loose leaves and grit do not just get pushed around later.

Now take a good look. Find the oil spots, the tire marks, and the dark green areas where mildew has taken hold. Knowing where the worst stains are tells you where to spend extra time once the water is flowing.

Set the machine near the middle of the driveway so the hose reaches both ends. Screw the garden hose onto the water inlet and open the spigot all the way. Snap the high pressure hose onto the pump with the quick connect coupler, then attach the spray wand.

On a gas unit, check the oil and fuel before you pull the cord. Squeeze the trigger for a few seconds to push the air out of the line so the pump primes cleanly.

Wet the whole slab down first with the wand and a wide tip. Working in sections keeps the concrete from drying out before you clean it. This first soak also lifts the loose grit and shows you how deep the staining really goes.

For heavy grime, this is the point to lay down a concrete detergent through a soap nozzle and let it dwell for a few minutes. It loosens oil and mildew so the pressure does the rest.

This is the part that changes everything. Swap the wand for a surface cleaner attachment. It is a flat round housing with two nozzles that spin under a shroud, so the spray hits the concrete evenly instead of in one narrow line.

It clicks onto the same high pressure hose in seconds. The shroud also keeps the dirty spray contained instead of blasting it up onto the garage and your legs.

Set the cleaner flat on the concrete and squeeze the trigger. Walk it forward at a slow, steady pace. Rushing leaves a hazy film, so let the disc do the work.

Overlap each pass by a few inches so you never leave a dirty stripe between rows. Behind you a bright clean band opens up against the grimy concrete, which makes it easy to see exactly where you have already been.

The round cleaner cannot reach right up to the grass or into the expansion joints, so switch back to the wand. Fit a narrow or turbo tip and cut along the borders, the control joints, and any deep stains that survived the first pass.

When the details are done, give the whole slab a final rinse. Push the dirty water off the low end so it drains away and does not dry back into a film.