Protecting and cleaning your paving stone driveway

cleaning your paving stone driveway
1. Clean first
First step: Remove all oil, rust, paint and salt efflorescence stains.
1.1
To remove oil stains, cover them with a generous coat of TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate), let it soak 2 or 3 minutes, reapply a small quantity and scrub it in with a small brush; do not let it dry on the surface, rinse generously. Repeat if needed.
Please note: an oil stain that has penetrated into the paving stone may rise to the surface within 24 hours after cleaning; if it is the case, clean again. An oil stain on a pale surface may leave a blackish trace after degreasing; reduce the trace with a remover or efflorescence cleaner.
1.2
For rust stains, remove them with a rust remover. Remove paint, tar and rubber stains with the proper remover. Cover each stain with a generous coat of the right remover; scrub it in with a small brush until the stain is removed and rinse immediately with water. Repeat if needed.
Note: it may be difficult to remove rust stains from the rubbing of steel (snowplough).
Roofing Slate Culture Stone Roofing Culture Stone Roofing Granite stair Granite Windowsill Marble Window Sill Artifical marble Marble fireplace Grey granite 2. Prepare the pavement
Before applying the sealer, no matter if the pavement is new, old, has been protected before, it is necessary to remove any incrusted dirt and to dissolve salt efflorescence (whitish crust) on the entire surface of the pavement, with efflorescence cleaner. It ensures a uniform cleaning and allows the sealer to penetrate into the stone pavers.