A driveway takes more abuse than any other surface at the house: tires, oil, road salt, leaves, and years of dirt ground in by foot traffic. Pressure washing restores it in an afternoon, but concrete is not as tough as it looks — a narrow nozzle held still carves a permanent line into it. The technique is the same as washing a deck, with different settings: the deck washing guide covers wood, this one covers concrete.
A pressure washer of at least 2,000 PSI for a driveway — a gas machine around 3,000 PSI is faster, an electric one works if you are patient. A 25-degree (green) nozzle for the main wash, a degreaser for oil stains, and eye protection and closed shoes. A surface cleaner attachment helps on a large driveway: it washes a wide path evenly and stops the stripes a wand leaves. The pressure washer safety guide covers the machine itself; this guide covers the driveway.
Clear and sweep. Move the cars, the toys, and the potted plants off the driveway. Sweep the loose dirt and leaves away — washing loose dirt just moves it around, and leaves under the spray turn into a brown paste.
Pre-treat the stains. Spray degreaser on the oil stains and let it sit for 10 minutes. Scrub the worst ones with a stiff brush. Pressure washing alone rarely lifts an old oil stain; the degreaser does the work and the washer rinses it away.
Wet the surface. Rinse the whole driveway with low pressure first. Wet concrete cleans more evenly than dry concrete, and a wet surface shows you where the dirt is.
Wash in passes. Use the 25-degree nozzle, held about 12 inches from the concrete, and wash in straight overlapping passes. Keep the wand moving at a steady pace and work downhill so the dirty water runs away from the clean area. Overlap each pass by a third so you do not leave stripes.
Treat stubborn spots. Go over a stubborn spot a second time, or switch to the 15-degree nozzle briefly. Never hold any nozzle still on one spot, and never use the 0-degree nozzle on concrete for more than a second — it etches a hole.
Rinse. Rinse the dirty water toward the street or the drain with a wide nozzle. Do not wash it toward the house or into the garage — the water carries the oil and dirt you just lifted.
Let it dry. Let the driveway dry for 24–48 hours. If you plan to seal it, this is the moment: a clean, dry driveway is ready for sealer, and the driveway sealing guide picks up where this one ends.
| Nozzle | Angle | Use on a driveway |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 0° | Never for general washing — etches concrete |
| Yellow | 15° | Stubborn stains, brief passes only |
| Green | 25° | The main wash nozzle |
| White | 40° | Rinsing and delicate areas |
Start with the green nozzle. If it is not cleaning, move closer or slow down before you reach for a narrower nozzle — a narrower nozzle is a last resort, not a first step.
Never hold the wand still on one spot — it etches the concrete. Never use the 0-degree nozzle for general washing. Never wash toward the house or into the garage. Never pressure wash concrete that is already crumbling or spalling — the washer blasts the loose pieces off and makes it worse. Never wash in freezing weather: water in the cracks freezes overnight and cracks the concrete further. And never point the wand at people or pets — the spray cuts skin.
At least 2,000 PSI for concrete, and 3,000 PSI is faster. An electric washer at 2,000 PSI works if you are patient and use the right nozzle; a gas machine finishes the job in half the time.
Yes, if the nozzle is too narrow, too close, or held still. A 25-degree nozzle at 12 inches is safe on sound concrete. Crumbling or spalling concrete should not be pressure washed at all.
For general dirt, no — water and the right nozzle are enough. For oil stains, yes: a degreaser applied before washing does the work the water cannot.
Once a year for most driveways, more often under trees or in wet climates. Wash it before sealing, and seal every 2–3 years.