Imagine pulling up to a home or business in Port Richey and seeing a dirty driveway, one with oil stains and other blemishes. We’ve all seen homes and offices like this, and it makes us think twice about going any further. People need to consider the curb appeal of their property, and the driveway plays a key role in whether the home or business looks warm and welcoming or leaves them wanting to turn around and go anywhere else. Have your driveway cleaned regularly so this isn’t a concern. However, when choosing a concrete cleaning company, ask what method they use to clean the surface. Certain methods may harm the concrete and leave the driveway looking worse than it did before they started the project.
Pressure Cleaning
Also known as pressure washing, this cleaning technique makes use of a high-pressure water stream to scour the concrete and remove blemishes. The spray eliminates these marks by ripping them from the concrete surface. No chemicals are used when this method is selected, and property owners find it removes the blemishes. However, in the process of doing so, it may also damage the concrete surface, especially when the concrete is older. For this reason, individuals should avoid requesting this method when they want to have the driveway or other concrete feature on their property cleaned.
Soft Washing
Soft washing is another technique used to clean concrete. In contrast to pressure cleaning, the soft wash system makes use of a low-pressure jet of water. Chemical solvents are used in conjunction with the water to remove fungus, algae, and bacteria on the concrete surface. The process also eliminates any mold, mildew, and other microorganisms present on the surface. Many property owners choose this method as it is safe for use on most surfaces, including asphalt roofs that may be damaged when pressure washed. In addition to cleaning the surface being washed, this process sanitizes it.
Power Washing
To thoroughly clean concrete and remove all blemishes, consider using power washing together with soft washing. Power washing makes use of a heated stream of water to remove oil stains and other blemishes on a concrete surface. The heated stream of water is combined with solvents created to dissolve oil and grease stains, among other things. The difference between pressure washing and power washing lies in the force of the stream. Both methods use hot water, but the water stream with power washing is gentler than that seen with pressure cleaning. However, the stream remains strong enough to break down organic materials quickly.
Property owners typically find soft washing is the best option for the items they need to be cleaned. In addition to being gentler than pressure washing, soft wash treatments hold up longer. To thoroughly remove stains and blemishes from a concrete surface, request power washing in conjunction with soft washing. This provides the optimal results, and there is no worry the surface being cleaned will sustain damage. The property owner gets the best of both worlds. Furthermore, they have a property that provides plenty of curb appeal for a longer period of time.
