Welcome back to another post here at the Sunrise Asphalt blog! It’s truly Spring now (with Summer not far away, thanks Arizona!) and if you haven’t had the chance yet it’s about time to get to work spring cleaning! Spring cleaning, just reading it probably has you thinking about wiping down windows, dusting, sweeping, moving furniture around to get a good, deep clean. There’s one more thing many folks don’t consider: their driveways! Read on, we are going to give you a checklist for spring driveway cleaning that will keep your asphalt in tip-top shape!
Spring Driveway Cleaning Checklist
- Pick Up Debris
- Clean Up Green Waste
- Edge The Yard
- Weed the Driveway
- Take Care of Stains
- Repair Cracks
Pick Up Debris
This one is easy and right to the point, but it bears mentioning. Clean up any debris that got left about during winter. If a tree blew down in a storm and a few of the branches are still scattered about, scoop them up. Any debris that’s left creates a place for water to pool and gather, which is just asking for trouble!
Clean Up Green Waste
Have piles of leaves or grass trimmings strewn about? Don’t let them sit and decompose on the driveway or you’ll end up with more stains than you can stand. Get a broom and sweep ‘em up, start composting if you’re interested, but make sure it’s not decomposing where it shouldn’t! Rinse away any residue left behind and remember, water is the enemy of asphalt so make sure you don’t leave it pooling!
Edge the Yard & Weed the Driveway
If you have a weed whacker handy this job can be easily accomplished. Keep your driveway looking fresh, and prevent any wandering roots from breaking up the asphalt by edging along the driveway. Simply take your weed whacker and go at a 90 degree angle from the ground. The string will whip by as usual and remove any weeds getting too friendly with the driveway. Here’s a more indepth How To from Turf Magazine.
Speaking of weeds, if you have any growing up through any of the seams or spaces in between your asphalt and the cement of the sidewalk, etc be sure to get down and pull them free! Practice good technique, you don’t want to leave their roots intact able to spread and grow further.
Take Care of Stains
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times. Clean up stains as fast as possible to keep the job from becoming too difficult! Take the time to remove any lingering stains from winter. If you’re struggling with a particularly tough oil stain, we wrote a blog on how to remove oil stains you’ll find very handy!
Repair Any Cracks
While you are closely working with your asphalt, look for cracks, no matter how small. Catching them now can save you headaches and money down the line. When they’re small enough, a simple crack filling material can prevent larger potholes from developing. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that.
With all this taken care of, your asphalt will thank you! Don’t wait until 2021 to do it again, regular, proper care and maintenance goes a long way to extending the life and performance of your asphalt. If your asphalt is too far gone, it’s not the end of the world! You give us a call at Sunrise Asphalt and we will get you sorted out in no time! Whether it is a simple asphalt overlay or an entire, brand new stretch of blacktop – we have you covered.
