If There's One Thing You Do To Your Driveway In September, Make It This [Pub 1st Wk Of Sept]

School's back in session and hints of fall are slowly drifting across the neighborhood. Even if there's not much of a chill in the air yet, it's still time to think about those home maintenance tasks that prepare your property for the colder weather. You have a lot to figure out, like the best time to stop watering your lawn in the fall. So your weekends can end up being quite busy. Just make sure you leave time for one important driveway maintenance task: pressure washing away all of the gunk and grime of the summer.

Summer leaves little memories behind on your driveway, often in the form of pollen, dust, mildew, and even sidewalk chalk or other kids' activities. A good pressure wash not only makes your driveway look fresh and new heading into the holidays, but it also removes all of that gunk that can cause deterioration. And that is a costly situation to have repaired.

The weather is also prime for pressure washing in September. It's usually still warm enough to clean well without freezing, but the slightly cooler weather slows down the evaporation process so you can soak the area well. You'll also have a clean surface if you want to seal your driveway in September before winter hits. Even if pressure washing is one of the fall maintenance jobs you hate, you should do it anyway to avoid problems next year.

Of all the unexpected things you can clean with a pressure washer, your driveway probably isn't much of a surprise. Concrete, asphalt, brick, and stone surfaces can be pressure washed safely, but it's important to prepare your driveway carefully and follow best practices. If you're going to be doing some landscaping or pruning near your driveway in September, handle those tasks first. This prevents you from needing to re-clean the area after you pressure wash. The same goes for cleaning your gutters, which often leaves debris scattered below. If you're planning to seal your driveway, schedule your pressure washing around the same time. It should dry for at least 24 hours before you apply your fall sealer.

If you want to pressure wash your driveway yourself, brush up on best practices to avoid damaging the surface. Sweep or leaf-blow dry debris off the driveway before starting. Start with a lower pressure and a gentler nozzle to apply the least amount of pressure necessary to clean the surface. Hold the nozzle at an angle and keep it moving across the concrete slowly.

For professional pressure washing, schedule your appointment early to avoid delays caused by other homeowners scheduling September cleanings. Hiring a pro means less work for you, and the job will likely be done with commercial-grade equipment by someone who's experienced. This can give you better results that are worth the cost of paying for the service.