How To Pressure Wash a Concrete Sidewalk

Has your concrete sidewalk lost it’s natural luster and style it once possessed? Over time, moisture, mildew and grime will begin to set into the concrete, creating a dirty appearance. Concrete is incredibly porous and absorbs any surrounding moisture or small dirt particles. The good news, however, is that you can transform your sidewalk back into its original, clean condition by pressure washing it.

Pressure washing a sidewalk offers several different benefits. Not only will it create a cleaner, more attractive area for you and your family to enjoy, but it will also reduce the amount of mud and dirt that’s tracked inside your home. This alone should be reason enough for some homeowners to take the plunge into pressure washing.

What You’ll Need

• Pressure washer (most national home improvement stores rent them out by the day or hour)
• Cleaning solution
• Plastic safety goggles
• Push brush

Preparing Your Sidewalk

Once you’ve acquired all of the necessary items, it’s time to get to work. Start by preparing your concrete sidewalk with an application of soap. Ideally, you should use all-purpose pressure washer detergent, but truthfully just about any time of general purpose soap will suffice. Apply it generously over the surface of your sidewalk and let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes. This will give the soapy solution enough time to absorb into the porous structure of the concrete and begin breaking up some of the dirt.

While you are waiting around for the soap to set in, go ahead and gear up in the right clothes. Don’t make the mistake of trying to pressure wash in shorts and sandals, as this is a disaster waiting to happen. If you happen to accidentally run the high-pressure stream over your exposed skin, it will likely leave behind some pretty nasty lacerations. Always wear safety goggles, close-toed shoes and pants.

Pressure Washing The Sidewalk

Adjust your pressure washer to the lowest possible setting before turning it on. Once it’s turned on, keep the pressure washer nozzle faced downwards and make short sweeping motions from side to side. Your goal is to push all of the dirt and grime away from the concrete sidewalk. If there’s still noticeable dirt and grim after making a few passes, turn up the pressure just slightly to see how it performs. Just remember to use caution when adjusting the settings, as too much pressure could damage weakened concrete sidewalks and structures.