How to maintain your concrete driveway

Concrete is the ultimate material for constructing driveways, and while it's arguably one of the toughest materials on the market, there are still ways in which you can make sure it stands the test of time. From concrete cleaning to applying sealer, if you take a little time once in a while, you'll find your concrete driveway is just as good as the day you first laid it.

Here are just some of the tasks you might want to think about to make sure your driveway stays the envy of all your neighbours.

Concrete cleaning

You should treat concrete in the same way as many other surfaces and treat it to a good clean every so often. Make sure you use specialist products designed for the material to ensure the best possible effect.

Depending on how big your driveway is, you might want to take a closer look at hiring a concrete scrubber. There are ride-on and push along options which can speed up the process and have your driveway looking good as new in no time at all.

Apply sealer

Once you've rid your concrete driveway of dirt and grime, it's time to apply a layer of sealant. Experts recommend you do this around every two years to keep your concrete looking pristine.

The Concrete Network explains that the properties of your sealer will dictate what its capable of repelling. If it's water and the salts in de-icing products you want to protect against, then an acrylic-resin sealer is the right choice.

In the event that oil spillages are your main concern, you might want to take a closer look at high-performance epoxy or urethane sealers.

Remove stains immediately

Stains are one thing that's sure to cause problems for the quality of your concrete driveway over time, which is why you need to tackle them as soon as possible. The longer you leave a stain, the further it will permeate into the surface, which means it won't be as easy to remove.

Everyday cleaning products might not be enough to tackle concrete stains.

There are various ways in which you can do this. Reader's Digest recommends using oven cleaner, as this contains the properties needed to tackle grease and grime. Leave to settle for between five and ten minutes before tackling with a stiff brush.

Although this will work on small, isolated stains, it's best to get hold of proper concrete cleaning tools for much larger areas of discolouration.