How To Maintain Any Paved Surface
If you are looking for a clean and low maintenance driveway or garden, you can never go wrong with a block paved driveway. Among paving options you have out there, block paving is the easiest to customise, maintain and repair. When a block goes missing, you can easily replace it without dismantling the whole surface.
Much like an investment, you want your driveway to be looking new for as long as possible. The good news is, keeping your block paved driveway at its best form is as easy as getting rid of the weeds in between:
Regularly brush your paved surface to get rid of leaves and debris
No driveway or garden is spared from falling leaves and debris. You can easily clean up dried leaves off your driveway with a good brush with a hard bristle. And since these can cause blockage, you might want to dig up a compost pit in your back garden to dispose of them.
For hard to remove oil stains, however, you can pour cat litter onto the fresh spill to absorb most of the oil and clean it up with warm water and detergent. Brush briskly. If you do not have cat litter, you can spray a generous amount of WD-40 on the affected area and leave it overnight.
Pull out weeds germinating on the surface or use a weedkiller
There is no such thing as a weed-free surface. Where there is muck or dirt, no matter how small and shallow it is, the weeds are going to invade it. Which is why it’s important that your driveway is built and maintained properly.
For new or minor weed growth, you can always remove them by hand or a gardening knife, making sure that you get rid of the roots as well. To make sure that they won’t invade your driveway again, you can cover the surface with a sealant when you’re done.
If your driveway is quite large and you don’t have time to pluck them out one by one, you can opt for home remedies such as undiluted vinegar, salt or good old soapy water. Either way, you should cap it off with a sealant to prevent the weeds from germinating on the surface again.
Lastly, you can buy a weedkiller, spray it generously on the surface, and get rid of weeds once and for all. This chemical option might not be everyone’s favourite but it gets the job done.
Use acid-free cleaners if you’re going to use soap to clean your paved surface
With the UK’s climate, it’s not surprising to find algae growth on the roof, driveway, and basically anywhere where water could build up. This one requires a stronger solution to completely get rid of. If you’re not keen on using muriatic acid – and don’t use it without safety gloves if you do! – you can buy non-acidic path and patio cleaners available online and on hardware stores. Be sure to follow safety measures and application instructions when handling strong solutions.
Give your paved surface a power wash every 3 months
With all the dust, debris, stain and strain that your driveway is exposed to every day, it’s not unexpected that it will look dirty despite the regular cleaning. Refresh the look of your driveway and extend its lifespan by giving it a power wash every 3 months. Since this will require a specialised equipment, you can simply contact your trusted home improvement company to do the hard work.
While block paved driveways and patios typically last for up to 20 years, the look and lifespan of your paved surface will still largely depend on proper care and maintenance. To preserve your home’s beauty and for your family’s safety, have your paved and concrete surfaces regularly cleaned.