Driveway Cleaning

The surface cleaner attachment: why it matters

A surface cleaner is a circular attachment that fits onto a pressure washer wand. It rotates two or four high-pressure jets at consistent height and consistent speed across the surface. The result is even passes without the visible wand streaks that hand-held high-pressure jets leave behind. Hand-held jets are fine for small spot work but a full driveway done by hand always shows pattern marks. We use the surface cleaner on every job over 10 square metres. It is also significantly faster: a double driveway that would take 90 minutes by hand finishes in 30 minutes with a surface cleaner.

Stains we can and cannot remove

Fresh oil drips lift cleanly with a degreaser pre-treatment and a surface-cleaner pass. Older oil that has bled deep into porous concrete may leave a faint shadow even after thorough treatment. Tyre rubber lifts with degreaser. Surface rust from steel reinforcement, tools left in rain, or older steel guttering above lifts with an oxalic acid pre-treatment; deeper rust that has bled into the concrete is sometimes permanent. Jacaranda staining (a real Brisbane problem in November) needs an organic stain remover pre-treatment and dwell, then the surface-cleaner pass. Most jacaranda staining clears completely on concrete; brick pavers retain a faint shadow. Battery acid, paint spill, and concrete sealer failures we cannot remove with pressure washing alone. Those are resurfacing problems, not cleaning problems. We will tell you upfront before quoting what is realistic.

Concrete vs pavers vs stamped concrete

Plain concrete is the most common Brisbane driveway and the most forgiving. Surface cleaner handles it well; pre-treatments handle the specific stains. Concrete pavers respond well to pressure but the sand between joints can wash out, so we adjust technique to avoid this, and re-sand joints after if requested. Brick pavers are slightly more porous and may retain a faint shadow on old organic stains. Stamped concrete responds well as long as the original colour sealant has not failed; failed sealant should be addressed before the clean. Exposed aggregate driveways are robust and clean well, with the only caution being not to dislodge any loose aggregate from edges. Coloured concrete (oxide-coloured or sealed-over) may show some variation after cleaning where weathering has been uneven; the colour itself is unchanged but the contrast can be noticeable.

Our driveway cleaning process

Step one: walk the driveway with you to identify specific stains and any cracks or sealer issues. Step two: pre-treat each stain type: degreaser for oil, oxalic acid for rust, organic stain remover for jacaranda or other plant staining. Step three: dwell the pre-treatments for the manufacturer-recommended time, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Step four: surface cleaner pass at 2,500 to 4,000 PSI, working in overlapping rows from one end of the driveway to the other. Step five: spot-clean any edges, joints, or detail the surface cleaner cannot reach with a hand wand. Step six: final rinse to clear loose debris and chemistry. Step seven: walk the result with you and send photos.

Pricing and what affects it

Driveway cleaning runs $4 to $8 per square metre on concrete, slightly higher for pavers or stamped concrete because of the extra detail work. Small jobs (single-car driveway, around 30-40m²) start at $150 to $250. Standard double driveway plus front path runs $250 to $400. Larger jobs with detail paths and patios bundled in run $400 to $600. Heavily stained driveways with multiple stain types may sit at the upper end of the range because of pre-treatment time. We quote a fixed figure for the whole job including any pre-treatments, so no surprises mid-job. GST is included.

Booking a driveway clean as a one-off vs part of a package

Driveways can be cleaned standalone. Many Brisbane customers book just the driveway when oil drips or jacaranda staining become an issue. They are also a natural add-on to a house wash or roof clean. Booking the house wash plus driveway in the same visit saves on setup time, which we pass on as a 5-10 percent discount on the combined quote. The most common combined booking is house wash plus driveway plus optional gutter clearing, which we can finish in a single day on most Brisbane homes.

When DIY is fine and when it is not

A consumer pressure washer is fine for small concrete pads like a balcony or a single small path. It is not effective on a full driveway because the lack of a surface cleaner attachment means you cannot get even passes without visible streaking. Stain removal also requires the right chemistry; degreaser, oxalic acid, and organic stain removers each have their place and consumer-grade products are weaker than commercial chemistry. For a one-off driveway clean every 18 to 24 months, professional work delivers a better result for not much more than the cost of buying and storing the kit yourself.

What's included

• High-pressure surface cleaner attachment for even, streak-free passes
• Pre-treatments for oil, rust, jacaranda, and organic staining
• Works on concrete, pavers, stamped concrete, exposed aggregate
• Spot-clean detail on edges, joints, and around drains
• Joint re-sanding available on request after paver cleaning
• Pre-wet plant protection alongside driveway runs
• Before-and-after photos with every job

Driveway Cleaning by suburb

Detailed driveway cleaning guidance for the suburbs we work in most often. Each page covers local housing stock, common concerns, and pricing notes specific to that area.

Frequently asked questions