When it comes to outdoor maintenance many homeowners will have their gardens landscaped or their patios cleaned and sealed ahead of the summer months, but what about their driveways? Here, Andrew Cummins, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Thompson’s explains how you can revive a customer’s driveway with ease.
Driveways are one of the busiest areas of a home, as they are used all year round, day in, day out. Whether they are hosts to cars, vans, motorhomes or caravans, driveways will inevitably become contaminated with dirt, petrol and oil stains. Additionally, overtime tarmac driveways can also lose their dark black colour, fading to a lighter grey due to UV rays and wear and tear.
This combination of contaminants and colour loss will make driveways look worn, affecting the overall appearance and kerb appeal of a home.
However, there are products available on the market that can revive driveways quickly and easily, such as Thompson’s Quick Drying Drive Seal and Oil and Drive Cleaner.
Thompson’s Quick Drying Drive Seal has been designed to revive old tarmac fast. Ready to drive over in just four hours, it protects drives from oil and fuel stains, whilst also being slip resistant.
Before applying the seal first use Thompson’s Oil and Drive Cleaner to remove any oil and fuel stains. Scrub the driveway with a stiff bristle brush, then apply the cleaner. For general cleaning, pour 1Ltr of cleaner into a 5Ltr bucket, and fill the bucket up with water. Then use a stiff bristle brush to clean the whole area. For more stubborn stains, apply the cleaner directly onto the oil, grease or petrol stains. Using a stiff bristle brush work the cleaner into the stain. Then leave the cleaner to do its job – leave it for five minutes on tarmac or 20 minutes if it has been applied to concrete or stone. This will break down the stain and help to get rid of the mark, returning the driveway to its original appearance.
The final step is to hose down the area where the cleaner has been applied, ensuring any remaining suds are removed.
After you have followed these steps, you can then apply Thompson’s Quick Drying Drive Seal. For best results, the seal should be applied on a dry day above 10°C. Firstly, give the tin a good stir, before pouring the paint into a roller tray. Next, using a long pile roller, fully load it with the paint and starting from the furthest point – don’t paint yourself into a corner – use long strokes to cover the driveway. If a second coat is required, wait four hours before reapplying.
For more information about Thompson’s weatherproofing solutions, visit www.thompsonsweatherproofing.co.uk
