Spring cleaning is for both the inside and the outside of your home. This includes your walkways. Clean walkways are often safe walkways, but they have to be cleaned the right way. Cleaning them the wrong way can damage them. When they’re damaged, they’re much less safe to walk on, especially in low light. Here are ways not to clean your walkways in spring.
Not to Clean at All
Never cleaning your walkways allows dirt and debris to accumulate to the point where they become trip-and-fall hazards. Broken pavement, pebbles, twigs, leaves, and debris made slimy by rain are dangerous, especially if the walkways are not lit at night. Even if the walkways don’t become hazardous to walk on, lack of care leaves stains and other types of blight on them. You may find it’s almost impossible to clean them without using harsh chemicals, which cause their own sort of damage.
Use of Harsh Chemicals
As mentioned, walkways that have been neglected for a long time can become so unsightly that you may be tempted to use frankly corrosive cleaners to deal with it. You may resort to using harsh cleansers anyway because you think that pavement such as stone, brick, or concrete can’t be damaged by them. This is a mistake. Though an abrasive cleaning product might remove stains on your walkways, it can also eat into the pavement and damage the vegetation around it. This can be expensive to fix. If your walkways need cleaning, it’s always the best idea to use something gentle and environmentally friendly.
Incorrect Cleaning
You may believe that brutality is needed when it comes to cleaning your walkways. This means everything from blasting with scalding hot water delivered at high pressure to using harsh cleansers to scouring with wire brushes. On the contrary, the best way to clean your walkways is the use of low-pressure washing with mild detergents and brushes with soft bristles to remove stains.
Not Pre-treating Stains
If your walkways have stains, the stains should be pre-treated before the walkways are washed. It’s also important to remember that all stains shouldn’t be treated the same way. There are different methods for stains caused by mold, oil, rust, fallen leaves, and even coffee.
Doing It Yourself
It’s possible for you to clean your walkways yourself, and a layperson can do a good job of regular cleaning. However, it’s still a better idea to call in a professional if your walkways haven’t been cleaned in a long time and are badly stained or damaged. Contact us at Princeton Turf Care in Lawrence Township, NJ for reliable, prompt walkway services.
