A properly laid and sealed driveway adds value to your property and improves the appearance. As with any concrete surface, maintenance is an important part of keeping your driveway looking new and fresh. Part of that maintenance includes resealing when areas become dull or stained. This process, when done correctly, only needs repeated after several years. If you have recently had your driveway resealed, here are a few tips to maintain it to prolong the life of the sealant.
Let it Dry
Just as you wouldn’t walk across a freshly waxed floor, concrete sealers need time to dry and cure before the area can be used. Your contractor will explain the length of time needed for best results in your circumstance.
Sweep and Rinse
Once the sealant has dried and cured the necessary amount of time, maintaining is a simple task that takes very little time. Sweeping every few days will help keep dirt and debris from building up, and a quick blast from a leaf blower about once a week will blow away anything the sweeping missed. Leaves left in place for too long have a bad habit of causing unsightly stains. A rinse-down with a garden hose once in a while is helpful. However, if you choose to use a power washer, be extremely careful -too much pressure can cause damage!
If you live in an area with ice and snow, be aware that salts and other chemicals used in deicing compounds can harm your sealant and weaken its ability to protect the concrete. Consult a concrete expert on which agent may be safely used, then use it sparingly. Don’t forget that when you park a car that has been traveling on deiced roadways, the deicer will drip onto your surface and should be rinsed off as soon as possible.
Keep the Grease Away
Grease and oil stains may be an issue but are easily removed when not left for too long. There are detergent products on the market designed to remove these stains with little effort. Again, check with the experts on the best detergents to use with your sealant. A handful of cheap kitty litter thrown on fresh oil or grease drips will soak up the majority of the oil, leaving little to no stain.