DIY: How to Clean an Asphalt Driveway

When I was a child, my parents owned a fast-food restaurant with a large asphalt parking are in front. At night, when all the customers were gone and the business closed, one of the jobs my sister and I had was washing down the asphalt drives and parking areas. Back then, we weren't as aware of things like environmental issues and 'green' detergents and such, so we often took water hoses, spray nozzles and big jugs of degreaser and poured the liquid right on stains, scrubbed it up with a push broom like a brush and washed it away with the hose to who knows where.

Today, we know this isn't the most environmentally friendly way to wash a driveway, but it sure did work well at the time. So knowing degreaser and hot water can wash a drive, let's look at some more environmentally safe ways to clean an asphalt drive and remove stains, keeping the driveway of your home clean and inviting.

Removing Oils Stains from an Asphalt Driveway

Removing oil stains on asphalt is one of the most difficult and yet most common problems with having an asphalt driveway or sidewalk. If you spill oil, your car leaks oil (as all will do at some point), or you make a mess changing oil, there is a way to clean it up safely and completely. Keep in mind, the faster you clean it, the better chance of removing the stain.

First, using sand or cat litter, cover the oil stain completely and brush the sand or litter around with a broom. If you have neither sand or litter, using dry soul from the ground can help, but not as effectively. The sand and/or litter will absorb the excess oil, and you can sweep it up and dispose of it properly.

Next, you can use an organic plant-based degreaser and pour it over the stain, letting it sit for a few minutes, brush it in good, and then pour a bucket of HOT water over the degreaser. Once finished, simply hose off with your garden hose. Dawn Dishwasing Detergent is also biodegradable and is one of the best degreasers I've found for the price. In fact, there are many alternative uses for Dawn, and you can read more about them here.

Removing Vehicle Fluid Stains from an Asphalt Driveway

Mostly, you can follow the same steps outlined for an oil stain on a driveway above, but fluid stains don't have the same consistency as oil and usually will soak into the asphalt, making the need for kitty litter or sand null. Simply use an organic or plant-based degreaser and then spray it down.

Removing Dust and Cleaning an Asphalt Driveway

If you live in the desert area, like I do, you can buy a nice, sturdy steel bristled push broom and sweep off your driveway with the broom, sweeping the dust and dirt into the gutter where you can easily pick it up and dispose of it. After brushing off with the broom, you can then hose the entire driveway with the garden hose. You'll often find using the hose first when there's a lot of dirt and dust simply makes mud and makes it more difficult to clean your driveway, so sweeping it first is a must.

Removing Debris and Dust from an Asphalt Driveway

If all you have is a bit of debris and dust, like leaves and normal dust that floats around outside, you can use a leaf blower to blow off the driveway and blow it back into your yard where you can use the blower to make a pile and dispose of the leaves and debris properly. If you're looking for a guide to buying a leaf blower, I've written an article on that in the past that is sure to help you out.

Keeping your driveway clean as soon as spills and messes or leaks happen can keep it clean longer and ensure the stains don't permanently set in. Just don't ask me how to clean blood from a driveway. It seems that's a stain resistant to most every chemical I've found. Don't ask me how I know that either.