Can you power wash tarmac to clean it off?

Another question often asked by clients during the installation or a year or two after is whether you can wash down your tarmac using a power wash. The answer is yes, but only if you are careful not to get too close to the surface of the tarmac. Tarmac is an aggregate stone chip bonded with bitumen to create the finish, Hence the term SMA (stone mastic asphalt) or tarmac (bitumen and stone). By being too close with a power wash, you can start to chip away on the surface, which will start blowing out the aggregate stone chip.

The same applies to brushing down the driveway with a yard brush. We recommend a softer brush like a house brush vs a bristly yard brush for the works.

Generally, the best approach to cleaning your tarmac, which you should do once a  year, is to wash it down with a hose. Once it's washed down, you can brush over it using a house brush and wash it down once more with a hose to complete it.

The more intense option for cleaning tarmac is only really applied once the tarmac has become fairly degraded or a lot of moss has built up. We recommend a weed killer at that stage, along with a power wash. Once completed, you should really seal coat the tarmac or asphalt as well to ensure it stays sealed and will not unravel.

If you need help with your driveway, you can call us on 0161 399 0523. Alternatively, you can visit our cleaning options for driveways or our tarmac installation services to replace your driveway.