Another spring season is upon us! And you know what that means? Yeah, that’s right Spring Cleaning is all the rage! This month on the blog we’re going to lay out what you need to know to spring clean your driveway, and next time we’ll take a look at the garage too! For now, let’s jump right into spring cleaning the driveway!

The Official Sunrise Asphalt Spring Driveway Cleaning Checklist

 

Okay, that might sound a bit more impressive than it needs to be but hey we’re having fun aren’t we? Here are the main things to check off in your pursuit of a clean and clear driveway!

  • Pick Up Any Debris
  • Edge Your Yard
  • Weed the Driveway
  • Clean Stains
  • Repair Cracks

Pick Up Any Debris

First and foremost clear away any debris that’s lingering from winter. If you had a tree blown down or maybe a build up of dead leaves, it’s time to get them together and remove it. Anything that’s left behind creates a situation that is ready for water to collect, pool, and gather – and that’s looking for trouble. Not to mention it’s a safety hazard for those walking on the surface or even to your vehicle.  Left behind leaves and yard trimmings can start to decompose and stain your driveway as well.  So yeah, let’s clear up that debris first thing first.

Edge Your Yard

Believe it or not, if you want to keep a clean and clear driveway you should probably get started in the yard. If you have any plants, grass, etc. that grows near the edge of your driveway you should ‘edge’ it. Edging the yard means creating a hard edge, or border, between your yard and the driveway to prevent roots from spreading into the asphalt and breaking it apart. To do this, get a weed whacker, turn it sideways at a 90 degree angle from the ground and create a strip (or edge) between the yard and the asphalt keeping those weeds at bay. Don’t have a weed whacker? You can get the same effect with a small garden trowel and elbow grease.

Weed the Driveway

While we’re on the subject of weeds, what about weeding the driveway? If you have an older stretch of asphalt there’s a chance that weeds have been sprouting up in seams and cracks in the asphalt, or in between the driveway and any walkways/pathways you may have. Practice good weeding technique – pulling the intruders up from their roots to keep them from growing back.

Clean Stains

Cleaning oil stains (or any other stains) up as soon as they occur will save you a ton of hardwork and headaches – but sometimes that’s not possible, don’t beat yourself up. Just take the spring cleaning momentum and tackle them now. Here’s a blog to help you get going.

Repair Cracks

Alright, this isn’t so much cleaning, but it is necessary maintenance and the sooner you do it the better. Keeping the cracks from growing larger will keep potholes from developing and keep your asphalt from just crumbling into nothing as cracks widen and criss-cross. Use a simple crack filling material and you’ll be in good shape. We’ve said it once we’ve said it a million times, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

With these five steps taken care of, your asphalt driveway will be in tip-top shape for the next few months! Now, don’t feel like you have to wait until next spring to take care of your driveway! Stay on top of it now and you can have an easier time in 2023 and beyond! 

Is your asphalt in need of more than a simple clean-up? Well hey, we got you there!

Give Sunrise Asphalt a call today for all your repair, demo, and paving needs!