Driveway & Patio Cleaning - The ProTeam Way
Posted on 24th April 2020 at 18:20
Written by T Buckley, Director
Read time: 5 minutes
A clean, well maintained driveway or patio is focal point of any home. It can completely transform the look and feel of your property, and add real value.
In this blog we'll cover the process and techniques we use when cleaning patios and driveways in order to deliver the very best results to our customers.
Cleaning your patio and driveway can be a time consuming task. You've most likely seen a neighbour out on their driveway with a small yellow domestic pressure washer for hours and hours on end, moving at a snails pace from brick to brick and smothering themselves with dirt and sand in the process. Not only can it take longer than you anticipated, the results are often below par.
I'm sure you'd rather spend your weekends enjoying your family and entertaining friends on your newly cleaned patio. With the warmer weather approaching and barbecue season nearly upon us, there's no better time to turn that dull and dirty patio into place to hapilly spend more time outside.
The Process
Pre Clean
Before any cleaning can take place, we fully assess the area and surface paying close attention to the growth of any algae, weeds and lichen in order to work out the most effective type of clean needed. Lichen is a combination of algae and fungus, and can be easily identified as those white, black and even yellow patches on the damp areas of your patio or driveway. If you've cleaned your own patio or driveway in the past you'll know how difficult these are to remove, they usually require you to hold your jet wash steady over the top of each one for 10-15 seconds to only partially remove them!
To remove lichen, algae and stubborn dirt, we soak the surface pre-clean using a precise blend of anti-mould and anti-algae products to effectively break down the lichens robust exterior and dissolve any algae along with any stubborn dirt. Not only does this assist in removing the lichen, it also acts as a potent weed eradicator as its seeps between the brick or slabs and find its way to the root of the vegetation.
The clean
After being left to soak for roughly an hour, the clean can commence. Unlike the traditional method of simply jetting the surface with an aggressive fan of water, we use a rotary flat surface spinner. The head is surrounded with a protective skirt to contain the water, dirt and loose stones. Equip with twin jet nozzles and fitted to a rotating arm its spins at a very high RPM and essentially scrubs the surface with water in a circular motion . During this process any old sand and dirt between the blocks is removed, and swept away.
Re-sanding & Sealing
Post clean, the surface is left to dry for 3-5 days depending on the conditions to make sure the area is fully dried and the gaps between the slabs or bricks have been sufficiently aired.
For block paving, it will now be ready to be re-sanded and sealed. Using premium kiln dried sand, we carefully sweep the sand between the blocks until there is an even coverage across the whole area - you'll be surprised how defined and sharp the re-sand will make your patio look, it really makes each individual brick stand out!
Now its time for the seal. We use an all weather, matte sealant to provide long lasting protection to either natural stone or block paving inhibiting regrowth of moss, mould and lichen. Not only will the sealant protect the surface from elements, it also locks in the sand between the block paving and holds it firm whilst still allowing water to soak away and flow freely between the joints.
All of our block paving cleans come with a complimentary re-sand as standard
What are the benefits of having your patio or driveway sealed?
Most surfaces that turn green, dull and dark are usually caused by excessive moisture and damp. The moisture sits within the pores of the brick or stone and eventually leads to the growth of algae, moss and lichen. Our sealant prevents the moisture from being able to seep into the pores by acting as a hydrophobic barrier and causes the water to either run off of the surface or to evaporate. This in turn keeps the surface looking cleaner for longer and allows you to enjoy your patio or driveway for even longer.
Aftercare
After the clean is completed, it's sure worth considering a maintenance plan. We offer an annual care package whereby for a fraction of the clean and seal price we will return once a year to clean off and re-seal any areas where for example excessive damp may be a problem, or for where the surface may just need a light wash down to revitalise its appearance.
Conclusion
Its important when paying for a patio or driveway clean that you receive the best possible care and above all else, results for your money. ProTeam Cleaning, with our extensive knowledge and expertise are fully confident that we can service your needs and provide a high quality service that leaves you feeling great and your home looking amazing.
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