Driveways are the most exploited features of the house. The most number of stains and spots can be found on the driveway. Some of the most common stains on driveways are fuel, oil and fungal and mildew stains. The most unsightly stains among these are patches of fuel stains. Unfortunately, they are also the most stubborn and difficult to remove. One effective way of removing stubborn stains from driveways is high pressure cleaning.

Wash them off when stains are fresh

The best way of removing fuel stains is to remove them as soon as the fuel drips on to the driveway. Fresh stains are easier to remove than old stains. Concrete is porous and absorbs almost anything that falls onto it. The deeper the fuel penetrates into concrete, harder it is to get it off. Therefore, depending on the quantity of fuel that drips on to the driveway, cleaning measures need to be taken.

If a substantial amount of fuel is deposited on the driveway, then you can first use a cloth or sponge to mop the excess fuel off the surface and sprinkle fuel absorbents like cat litter, sand and sawdust in order to draw out the traces. The absorbent materials can be left overnight for best results. You can pour an absorbent over the stain and cover plastic or newspaper on it to keep it from being dislodged. Wash off the next morning with detergents and scrubber in order to get the stain off completely. Immediate action makes driveway cleaning easy.

Commercial driveway cleaning materials

You can find a whole range of commercial stain removers, which help in removal of fuel stains. You need to follow the instructions by the manufacturer about the usage of the cleaning liquid. Concrete reacts with chemicals and corrodes. Therefore, if you leave the chemical on the stain for longer than necessary, then it may damage the concrete pathway. If thinning of the solution is required, follow the exact thinning ratio in order to clean the driveway thoroughly. Gasoline is another substance that is used to remove stains. However, like with chemicals, gasoline causes concrete to corrode. Therefore, prolonged usage is not recommended.

High pressure cleaning

Using high pressure cleaning methods gets rid of fuel stains easily. High pressure cleaning is the type of cleaning in which, water jets are sprayed on to the surface with high pressures. For removal of stubborn stains, you may need a pressure of about 5000psi. Spray directly on to the stain to remove it. If the stain is not very old, then you can pressure clean it without using chemicals and detergents. If it is older, then you will have to pre-treat it before pressure cleaning.

You can hire a professional high pressure cleaning service in order to get a thorough job done. If you are cleaning it yourself, then make sure that you have read instructions about using the machine and mixing chemicals. In addition, safety measures need to be adhered to strictly. A clean driveway is a way of offering a red carpet for your guests. So, make sure that it is devoid of stains and spots.