Maintaining Driveways

Have you ever noticed how much a driveway can say about a home? This is part of the whole first impression thing that we all try to avoid, but are always taking part in. Even for the best maintained home, if your driveway isn't up to snuff then the rest of the home will tend to look dirty and old as well. Maintaining driveways is usually a task that will take a weekend to do, but it is something that every home owner should do.

• Assess what needs to be done. Part of maintaining driveways is assessing what needs to be done. This means that you will need to take a serious and straight forward look at your driveway and ascertain what type of shape it is in. If it is simply dirty, then all you need to do is a little cleaning. However, if it is more than that you will need to do some repair work.
• Clean any spills. When maintaining your driveway the biggest thing that you will need to do is clean any spills that may have happened on it. Some of the most typical types of spills you can find on a driveway are going to be things like oil, fuel, or other petroleum based stains. While somewhat messy, they are pretty simple to clean. Grind some kitty litter into each of the spills, and then sweep up the used kitty litter. Repeat the process as necessary until the spill has been removed.
• Sweep and wash the driveway. Part of maintaining your driveway is also periodically cleaning it. This means that you should at least on a monthly basis (while the weather is warm at least) sweep the entire driveway. Doing this will allow you to get the vast majority of the large dirt and grime that can make a driveway look dirty. After you have swept the driveway, you should also wash it and rinse it. The easiest way to do this is with a power washer. The extra pressure that such a tool can provide will help get rid of any ground in dirt, algae, or other grime that can discolor your driveway.
• Regular maintenance. Over time all driveways will get cracks, divots, and other problems that will need to be repaired. While you can do this yourself, it is usually better to get a professional to do it for you. The reason for this is that to repair such things like a crack or a pothole in your driveway, you will need to work with hot materials that can seriously hurt you. While it may be more expensive, hiring a professional will save you from possibly hurting yourself, and ensuring that you get the job done right the first time.