To clean a concrete driveway, sweep it clear, pre-treat any oil or stains, wet the surface, apply a concrete-safe detergent or degreaser, agitate it with a stiff broom, then rinse it off, ideally with a pressure washer for an even finish. For general grime a detergent and a pressure wash does the job; for oil, rust or moss you treat those spots first, because a plain wash rides straight over them.
The method depends on the mess. A driveway that is just dull and grubby needs a very different approach to one with a set-in oil patch or a green film of moss down the shady side. This guide covers the full method, what to clean concrete with, whether you really need a pressure washer, and how to deal with the stubborn stuff.
The method in short:
- Clear first: sweep off leaves, dirt and loose debris.
- Spot-treat stains: oil, rust and moss get their own treatment before the main wash.
- Detergent and agitate: a concrete-safe cleaner and a stiff broom.
- Rinse evenly: a pressure washer with a flat-surface cleaner gives the most even result.
- Consider sealing: a sealer keeps it cleaner for longer.
How do you clean a concrete driveway?
The reliable method is sweep, treat, wash, rinse, in that order. Clearing the surface first stops you grinding grit around, treating stains before the main wash means you actually shift them, and a proper rinse lifts the loosened grime instead of leaving a tide line. Work in sections so the detergent does not dry on the concrete before you have agitated it.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Clear | Sweep off debris, move cars and pots |
| 2. Pre-treat | Degrease oil, treat rust and moss spots |
| 3. Wet and wash | Wet the slab, apply concrete-safe detergent |
| 4. Agitate | Work it in with a stiff-bristled broom |
| 5. Rinse | Pressure wash or hose off, section by section |
What is the best thing to clean concrete with?
For everyday grime, a concrete-safe detergent or a simple mix of dish soap and warm water does most of the work. For oil you need a degreaser, and for the green and black organic staining that builds up in shade you want an oxygen bleach or a diluted sodium hypochlorite solution rather than scrubbing, because those stains are living growth, not just dirt. Match the cleaner to the mess and you save yourself a lot of scrubbing.
| The mess | What to use |
|---|---|
| General grime and dullness | Concrete detergent or dish soap and water |
| Oil and grease | Degreaser (see the oil-stain guide below) |
| Moss, mould, black or green film | Oxygen bleach or diluted sodium hypochlorite |
| Rust marks | An acid-based rust remover, never chlorine bleach |
A quick warning on mixing: never combine cleaning chemicals, especially anything containing bleach with an acid or ammonia, because the fumes are dangerous. Use one product, rinse well, then use another if you need to.
Do you need a pressure washer to clean a driveway?
You do not strictly need one, but a pressure washer gives by far the most even result on a whole driveway, and a flat-surface cleaner attachment stops the zebra striping you get from waving a wand around. Without one, you can still get a good outcome on a smaller or less-soiled driveway with detergent, a stiff broom and plenty of rinsing water, it just takes more effort and more time.
If you do use a pressure washer, keep the nozzle moving and do not sit a narrow high-pressure jet in one spot, because on older or exposed-aggregate concrete that can etch the surface and leave permanent marks. A wider fan tip held at a steady distance cleans without cutting into the slab. For the difference between high-pressure and gentle low-pressure cleaning, our guide on soft washing versus pressure washing runs through when each one is right.
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Get a free quoteHow do you get rid of moss, mould and black stains on concrete?
Moss, mould and the black or green film on shaded concrete are living growth, so the fix is to kill them chemically rather than blast them off. A diluted sodium hypochlorite solution or a dedicated oxygen-bleach cleaner, left to dwell for a few minutes and then rinsed, does far more than pressure alone, and it stops the growth coming straight back. Pressure washing wet moss just spreads the spores and leaves the roots behind.
This is the one where DIY most often falls short, because getting the dilution and dwell time right without streaking or killing the surrounding lawn takes a bit of doing. It is also the most satisfying to get right. One driveway we cleaned in Bacchus Marsh had gone almost fully black down the southern side, and the owner had been pressure washing it every few months to no lasting effect. A proper soft-wash treatment cleared it in one go and it stayed clear.
Should you seal a concrete driveway after cleaning?
Sealing is optional, but a concrete sealer applied to a clean, dry driveway makes future cleaning much easier and helps resist oil and stains soaking in. It is not essential, and plenty of driveways are never sealed, but if you have just gone to the trouble of getting yours properly clean, a sealer protects that result and slows the next build-up. Let the concrete dry fully first, since sealing over damp concrete traps moisture and can go cloudy.
How much does professional driveway cleaning cost?
Professional driveway and concrete cleaning in Australia is usually priced per square metre or as a flat job price, and a standard residential driveway commonly lands in the low hundreds of dollars. These are general market ranges, not a set price, because the number depends on the size of the area, how stained it is, whether it needs sealing, and access.
That is why we quote each job rather than posting a flat rate. At Outdoor Revival you deal with Michael, who looks at your driveway and gives you a straight number with no call-out fee. We clean driveways, paths and concrete across Melton, Werribee, Sunbury, Caroline Springs, Bacchus Marsh and the rest of Melbourne’s west. You can see the kind of turnaround we get in our before-and-after gallery, and the full service is on our driveway and concrete cleaning page.
Common questions about cleaning a concrete driveway
How do you clean a really dirty concrete driveway? Treat the stains first, then wash the whole slab. For a badly soiled driveway, degrease the oil, treat any moss or rust in their own step, then apply detergent across the whole surface and pressure wash it section by section. Trying to blast everything off in one pass without pre-treating the stains is what leaves patchy results.
Can you clean a driveway with just a hose? A hose helps with loose dirt but will not shift ingrained grime, oil or moss on its own. You need detergent and agitation with a stiff broom to actually clean the surface, with the hose doing the rinsing rather than the cleaning.
Will bleach clean a concrete driveway? Diluted bleach works well on organic staining like moss and mould, but never use it on rust, because chlorine bleach can set a rust stain and make it worse. Match the product to the stain, and never mix bleach with other chemicals.
How do I remove specific stains? Oil and rust each need their own approach. See our guides on removing oil stains from concrete and removing rust stains from concrete for the step-by-step on each.
