A Guide to Cleaning Asphalt and Concrete Paving

Asphalt and concrete paving projects are an investment for your business. Upgrading your property can increase your ROI because it adds value when you gain repeat traffic for your business. Protecting your investment is a great way to make sure your money is well spent. Asphalt and concrete repairs will last longer if you regularly clean and maintain the pavement. Here are some tips from the asphalt experts for keeping asphalt clean.

Preventative Measures

Before we talk about cleaning your asphalt, let’s dive into the preventative measures we can take to keep asphalt looking its professional best for longer. When new pavement is laid, asphalt is fresh and polished. After some traffic, it can start to show signs of wear. Sealcoating can be applied one year after asphalt installation as an extra layer of protection to fight off car oil and grime so it won’t damage the asphalt. Sealcoating will protect and help prevent stains, dirt, and grime buildup on asphalt.

Remove Dirt and Debris

A windy day or lots of car traffic can bring tons of dirt and debris into your lot or property. Cleaning asphalt can be a tedious task, but the more you clean off the dirt from asphalt, the less dirt will stick or stain asphalt. Especially in Florida, after big rainstorms, runoff water can track dirt, oil and other debris all over your parking lot. This debris can then stick to asphalt and become hard to remove. 

Before deep cleaning asphalt, always use a long-handled push broom with stiff bristles to brush all of the dirt out of the cracks and crevices. Asphalt cleaning can be done around once a month, but it is recommended to do so after heavy storms that can accumulate debris. Don’t forget to do this before pressure washing your asphalt for the best results.

Pressure Washing

For deep cleaning asphalt or concrete, a pressure washer can be a handy tool. Pro-tip, pre-treat pavement with a pressure washing detergent to loosen stains or dirt from the asphalt. Then use smooth straight motions to pressure wash away all the dirt and grime. Make sure to pressure wash in one direction for the best results. 

Stain Removal

Stains are hard to avoid, especially when your property receives a lot of traffic. Oil, harsh weather, and cars can put some severe wear and tear on asphalt. Stains can also make cracks and impurities in asphalt more apparent. Remove stains so your asphalt will look cleaner for a longer duration. Did you know that laundry detergent, baking soda, and coca-cola can be easy remedies to remove oil, dead leaves, grease, and mud? Try it out the next time you need to remove a stain from asphalt.  

To make sure your asphalt or concrete doesn’t stain in the future, get your asphalt sealcoating done by the professionals at Southern Asphalt Engineering servicing Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee that your asphalt will be well protected and polished with our sealcoating.