How to Pressure Wash Your Driveway

Erase years of wear and tear from your driveway in just a few simple steps with a pressure washer.

Driveway with a child's car after it has been power washed.

Refresh Your Driveway With a Power Wash

Erase years of wear and tear from your driveway in just a few simple steps with a pressure washer. Power washing can remove stubborn stains and make an older driveway's concrete sparkle.

Tools and Materials:

  • broom
  • stiff brush
  • pressure washer
  • pressure-washer detergent
  • bottle of spray degreaser
  • safety manual
  • safety gloves
  • plastic sheeting
  • painter's tape
  • 50-ft. garden hose
  • paint tray
  • waterproof sealer
  • extender pole
  • roller cover
  • roller handle

1. Sweep Surface

Clear debris and excess dirt or dust from surface using a broom.

2. Protect Exterior Walls and Doors

Cover nearby exterior walls and doors with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape. This will protect doors and walls from loose debris as well as any accidental paint or stain removal from the pressure washer.

Man covering window with plastic before power washing a driveway.

Protect Home's Exterior with Plastic Before Power Washing Driveway

After clearing away debris, Step 2 in power washing a driveway is to cover nearby exterior walls and doors with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape. This will protect doors and walls from loose debris as well as any accidental paint or stain removal that could occur from pressure washing.

3. Read Safety Manual

Thoroughly read the proper steps pertinent to your specific pressure washer. Each is different and may require special preparation, assembly or attachments.

4. Degrease Surface

Ensure proper cleaning by spraying concrete with a bottle of spray degreaser, keeping a distance of 6 inches from the surface. Scrub degreaser into the concrete using a stiff brush or pressure-washer attachment tool.

Step 4: Degrease surface
Ensure proper cleaning by spraying concrete with bottle of spray degreaser, keeping a distance of 6-inches from surface. Scrub degreaser into concrete using stiff brush or pressure washer attachment tool.

BPF_original_pressure-wash_step-3-read-safety-manual_h

Step 4: Degrease surfaceEnsure proper cleaning by spraying concrete with bottle of spray degreaser, keeping a distance of 6-inches from surface. Scrub degreaser into concrete using stiff brush or pressure washer attachment tool.

Photo by: Brian Patrick Flynn

Brian Patrick Flynn

5. Attach Spray Wand Tip for Detergent

First, select a tip designated for washing often labeled “soap.” Then snap it into place at the head of the spray wand.

First, select tip designated for washing, often labeled “soap”. Then snap into place at head of spray wand.

BPF_original_pressure-wash_step-5-attach-spray-wand-tip-for-detergent_h

First, select tip designated for washing, often labeled “soap”. Then snap into place at head of spray wand.

Photo by: Brian Patrick Flynn

Brian Patrick Flynn

6. Attach Hoses

Connect supplied pressure-washer hose and wand to pressure washer. Next, attach a 50-foot garden hose to the pressure washer’s water supply, then turn on the water.

DIY Professional Pressure Washing

Pressure Wash Step 6: Attach Hoses

Connect supplied pressure washer hose and wand to pressure washer. Next, attach 50-foot garden hose to pressure washer water supply, then turn on water.

7. Prepare Pressure Washer for Detergent

Place detergent siphon tube, usually supplied with and attached to pressure washer, directly into detergent container. Once the pressure washer is crank-started, the tube will immediately bring detergent into the water stream of the spray wand.

Place detergent siphon tube, usually supplied with and attached to pressure washer, directly into detergent container. Once pressure washer is crank-started, tube will immediately bring detergent into water stream of spray wand.

BPF_original_pressure-wash_step-7-prepare-pressure-washer-for-detergent_h

Place detergent siphon tube, usually supplied with and attached to pressure washer, directly into detergent container. Once pressure washer is crank-started, tube will immediately bring detergent into water stream of spray wand.

Photo by: Brian Patrick Flynn

Brian Patrick Flynn

8. Spray Detergent

Protect hands with safety gloves, then apply the detergent by holding down the spray handle, keeping a consistent distance of 8 to 18 inches from concrete. Work your way back and forth in a smooth, controlled manner, overlapping each stroke by 6 to 8 inches. Let the sprayed detergent sit on the surface for 5 minutes.

Protect hands with safety gloves, then apply detergent by holding down spray handle, keeping a consistent distance of 8 to 18-inches from concrete. Work your way back and forth in a smooth, controlled manner, overlapping each stroke by 6 to 8 inches. Let sprayed detergent sit on surface for 5 minutes.

BPF_original_pressure-wash_step-8-spray-detergent_h

Protect hands with safety gloves, then apply detergent by holding down spray handle, keeping a consistent distance of 8 to 18-inches from concrete. Work your way back and forth in a smooth, controlled manner, overlapping each stroke by 6 to 8 inches. Let sprayed detergent sit on surface for 5 minutes.

Photo by: Brian Patrick Flynn

Brian Patrick Flynn

9. Pressure-Wash Concrete

Change the tip labeled “soap” to the tip labeled “25 degrees.” Pressure-wash concrete by holding down the spray handle, working your way back and forth from one side of the concrete surface to the other, overlapping each stroke by 6 to 8 inches. For tougher stains such as paint, hold the tip 3 to 4 inches from the concrete surface, moving with slower, nearly still strokes to ensure removal.

10. Seal Concrete

Pour waterproof sealer into paint pan, add roller cover to roller handle, and attach extender pole. Next, starting in the middle of the area, roller waterproof sealer out from the middle to all edges of concrete. Allow 24 hours before parking on the surface.

Waterproof sealer in a paint pan with roller, on exterior concrete.

Power Wash Your Driveway: Applying Waterproof Sealer

After the driveway is pressure washed, it helps to eliminate future stains by applying a waterproof sealer to its surface. Pour waterproof sealer into a paint pan, add a roller cover to a roller handle, and attach an extender pole. Next, starting in the middle of area, roll waterproof sealer out from the middle to all edges of the concrete. Allow 24 hours before parking on the driveway's surface.

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