6 Reasons Why You Need to Keep Your Driveway Clean

According to Parking Review, almost two-thirds of homeowners in the UK have driveways. Although the styles and materials used to construct the driveway will differ from house-to-house, it’s important that people look after their driveways effectively to help ensure its general look and integrity. It’s paramount for a number of reasons and we’ll be delving into those in this article.

1. It will improve the overall safety of your driveway

Ensuring the safety of your driveway is imperative, not only for pedestrians, but for ensuring the car actually stays on the drive, especially if it’s on an incline in decline. Your car tyres need excellent traction to be able remain stationary on your driveway, especially if weather conditions have made the surface frosty or icy.

Traction is also required to enable a motorist to manoeuvre the car on and off the drive, no matter what. If your driveway has been allowed to clog up with fungi, algae, mould and other unwanted materials, then it could make the surface even more slippery, especially during wet or cold weather.

Making sure your driveway is clean and free of debris will ensure your car can be taken on and off the drive safely, as well as ensuring pedestrians can travel up and down the driveway without worrying about slipping or falling over.

2. It helps to keep the weeds at bay

If your driveway is cracked or if sand is missing in between your block paving, then it makes weed growth almost inevitable. The weeds will establish exceptionally-deep roots that grow, not only in between openings in the drive, but underneath as well, especially if it’s not bedded down on the right materials to start off with.

These thick, deep roots can cause damage to your driveway, moving bricks around or making materials loose. Even concrete driveways could become cracked as a result of plant roots. The best thing to do is to keep the driveway clean and, if there already are weeds in the area, to pull them up (best you can) at the root and spray some bee-friendly weed killer for good measure.

If there are gaps in your block paving, be sure to fill them back in with fine sand to prevent weed growth in the future. Jet washing is an effective way of ridding the drive of weeds and Total Pressure Cleaning is on hand to do it for you with our pressure washing cleaning services.

3. It prevents mould, algae & fungi from forming

Lichen, moss, algae, mould and fungi all have the opportunity to grow on your driveway, especially if there are cracks and/or openings all over it. These materials need to be removed as quickly as possible as it all has the ability to negatively impact your driveway’s longevity.

Over time, it has the ability to corrode and damage your driveway which could cost you a considerable amount of money in repairs. If you get rid of fungi, moss, algae, lichen and mould almost as soon as you notice it appearing, then you’ll help to keep your driveway in tip top condition for as long as possible.

Weather sealing your driveway can also help to protect the surface of your drive, even if mould forms. It will make penetration more difficult for algae, moss, lichen etc that might be present. We are proud to be able to perform exceptional weather sealing services for your driveway (and patios), so you don’t have to spend time doing it all yourself – perfect if your driveway is a considerable size.

4. It will elongate the lifespan of your driveway

No matter what you do, whether it be ripping up weeds or scrubbing away moss, it all helps to elongate the lifespan of your driveway, regardless of how it’s made or what it’s been made from. You don’t want to spend thousands on a block paved driveway to have it succumb to considerable repairs in as little as a few years.

Accumulation of dirt, weeds, fungi and plant material in general (even wet leaves), can have a detrimental effect on the integrity of your driveway. This is why it’s important to clean it all away as soon as it appears. It all has the ability to loosen materials and hamper the strength of your driveway – not what you want when you’ll be parking at least one car on there.

Clean the drive with non-toxic materials to protect the wildlife and ecosystem and make sure you do this at least once a year. For extra convenience, you can count on our professional team here at Total Pressure Cleaning to clean your driveway for you.

5. It enhances curb appeal

It might seem like somewhat of a trivial reason to keep your driveway clean, but it can affect how the rest of your home looks from the outside. It’s also especially important if you’re looking to sell your home as it could compromise a prospective buyer’s first impressions of the property.

An accumulation of dirt can also hide the beauty of a driveway, especially if it’s not long been replaced or has been well looked after in previous years. It’s critical that you look after every aspect of your home, including the driveways and patios (which Total Pressure Cleaning can also wash for you), to help protect its market value.

6. It will eliminate the need for expensive repairs

If you protect your driveway from the offset, then you’ll be able to prevent any repairs further down the line. This is especially the case if it’s been freshly laid. If looked after properly, a driveway could last for at least two or even three decades before being completely replaced or having extensive repairs made. Save some money in the long run by investing in driveway pressure cleaning services from us here at Total Pressure Cleaning. We’ll help restore your driveway so that it looks as good as the day it was laid.

Conclusion

If you would like further information about how Total Pressure Cleaning can help with driveway cleaning, patio cleaning, roof cleaning, weather sealing and more, get in touch with a member of our expert, professional team today – we’re pleased to be able to provide sterling services to both commercial and domestic customers alike.