Removing Stains on Pavers: From Oil and Grease to Hard Water and Rust
Introduction
Clean and well-maintained pavers don’t just make your property look good, but also add a lot of value to it. If it gets too filthy, you can search for “paving companies near me” and hire professionals to fix it for you. For now, let’s check out how you can remove all kinds of stains from your pavers.
The Details
1. Oil stains – Oil and grease are simply part of the deal on driveways. If you have pavers on the driveway, they are bound to get sticky and dirty from grease and oil. You may even get oil and grease stains on the regular paver patio during barbeques and other such events. However, not all oil stains are created equal and require different approaches during cleaning.
You can clean food oil stains with the most easily available household cleaners. Household cleaners like baking soda, liquid dish soap, vinegar, bleach, and acetone can help you get rid of food oil stains with ease. Moreover, these cleaning agents can also help clean out other food stains like those from mustard, ketchup, wine, and other such sauces or beverages. You simply need to blot out excess oil or food from the paver with paper towels or microfiber cloths and then apply the cleaning product.
You may need to brush and scrub the cleaning agent into the stain and rinse and repeat a few times to completely remove the stain. When it comes to oil and grease stains from non-food sources, you may need to use commercial oil removers or degreasers along with detergents. While rinsing the pavers, use warm water to get more grease out.
2. Paint stains – When it comes to paint stains on pavers, you’re fighting giants the clock. You need to be as quick as possible for the best results. If the paint spill is very recent, you need to blot out excess paint that’s pooling over the pavers. You can use any rag for this job. If the paint is water-based, use a stiff brush and warm water to remove the rest of it. On the other hand, if the paint is oil-based, use a paint thinner or acetone. Work the acetone or thinner into the paver, wipe off excess paint and rinse it off. Repeat this cycle till you completely remove the paint.
If the paint spill has had long enough to dry on the paver, you’ll need to adopt different methods. If the paint spill isn’t a lot, you can use a stiff brush and a paint remover. Apply the paint remover on the stain and let it sit for the required amount of time. It would be mentioned on the label. Next, scrub off the stain with the hard-bristled brush. If the paint spill is substantial, use a pressure washer to remove it. Ordinary pressure washers won’t do the job. You’ll need to rent out something more powerful. Choose one that has at least 3000 psi of pressure and can blast the paint stain out of the pores of your pavers.
3. Hard water stains – Hard water stains are the easiest to remove from tough and rugged outdoor pavers. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. While vinegar is a weak acid, it is more than enough to remove the hard water scale from your pavers. Just make sure not to use the same hard water for removing the stains. It’s best to use distilled water for adding to the vinegar. Spray the mixture on the stain and allow it to work its magic for around 15 minutes. After that, you can scrub and rinse it off.
4. Rust stains – Rust is a major issue on many pavers. It can come from fertilizers, metal furniture, or metal pieces left on the pavers for a long time. While you can dissolve small rust stains with lemon juice or vinegar, you’ll need something different for larger stains. Visit the local hardware supply store and pick up a good rust remover. Each rust remover will have different instructions for use. Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and follow the steps. Usually, you need to apply rust removers on the stain and work it into the stain with a stiff brush. Rinse and repeat till you remove the rust stain completely.
5. Rubber skid marks – Your driveway pavers may have a lot of skid marks. Unfortunately burned rubber looks unsightly on any driveway. You need to buy a cleanser designed to remove skid marks from pavers. While it’s possible to remove skid marks with detergents, it takes long periods of scrubbing to get them out. Instead, it’s better to buy a small pack of cleansers designed to remove skid marks and agitate the skid marks with them. After that, you can scrub it a bit and rinse it off.
6. Leaf stains – Whether you have a walkway, driveway, patio, or any other space on your landscape, made from pavers, you’ll get a lot of dry leaves on them during the fall season. Leaves and other parts of vegetation may fall on the pavers for other reasons and leave stains. The best agent to remove such stains is chlorine or bleach.
Test the chlorine or bleach on a small area to make sure it won’t damage or ruin the finish of your pavers. Next, dilute one part of bleach or chlorine in 10 parts of water. You may reduce the parts of water if the stain seems more stubborn. Allow the solution to sit on the stain for at least 30 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing it off.
Conclusion
Pavers make it easy for you to repair your pavement with ease and maintain it without spending a lot of money. You can use the above-mentioned tips to keep your pavers free from stains and restore the curb appeal of your home. On the other hand, you can search for “paving companies near me” and hire professionals if you want to get your pavers replaced.