driveway clean up

[coldshowerkid]

Hi

I thought I would give the drive a bit of a clean up this weekend. its a Marshalls product (see link) im going to get out the weeds and moss and put some new kiln dried sand. the question I have is where the car have been the are some oil marks and rust marks. whats the best to attack these with before a put the sand down.

im thinking Gunk and fairly liquid for the oil and the jet washer. and the rust ,bleach but now sure it this will effect the colour of the block.

Your advice would be apprecaited as always

regards

http://www.marshalls.co.uk/transform/products/driveway-range/drivesett-range/drivesett-priora/

 

[JohnD]

jetwasher will wash the sand out and make them as loose as an old man's teeth

you can get Oil Patch cleaners in Halfords and similar places. They are basically a strong water-miscible detergent version of Fairly liquid. Gunk make one (but be sure to get the water-based "detergent" type, not the old-fashioned engine degreaser) but I am using a "Swarfega" brand one now. It comes in a 2.5 litre red plastic container, you dilute it something like 40:1 with water but can scrub it on neat to bad patches. Let it soak in but try not to let it dry in the sun. I also use it on a sponge or soft brush for cleaning under the bonnet of the car.

 

[coldshowerkid]

Hi John

the jet wash was really for the top of the pavers, im out there now clearing between by hand,(sweating with a mongoose on heat)
i will leg it up halfords and see whats about thanks for the advice

regards

 

[coldshowerkid]

thanks for the gunk driveway cleaner. works well. any ideas about rust marks. im tried chemical warfare, wd 40, breach,mister muscle combo but no luck any ideas?

 

[coldshowerkid]

next attack.lemon juice and vinegar!

 

[pantsmachine]

Donkeys years ago my old boss was having the front of his granite cottage overhauled(someone had pebble dash covered the granite blocks)! All this coating was being chipped off to bring the blocks back into the light of day. One of the things he used was an acid to clean the blocks. He gave me a few ltrs of the acid so i could treat my granite front doorstep. This stuff was mental, it sent up acrid smoke on contact with the granite(assume burn fumes were from the old crap/organic material in the granite surface). Anyway washed it off later and the step was brand new. Can't tell you the name of the stuff as i never knew. Defo an industrial strength acid but maybe you can hunt it down if you can check with stonemasons, renovation firms etc.

 

[Donkmeister]

That was probably "brick acid", aka hydrochloric/muriatic acid.

Whilst pantsmachine's step obviously came out just fine, it's worth noting that granite reacts with strong acids such as HCl so you don't want to leave it on too long before rinsing it off!

(Aberdeen granite must be harder than soft southern granite )

 

[JohnD]

acid also eats holes in limestone and (ordinary) concrete, which I think these Marshalls pavers will be.

 

[paulc7617]

Approx. 25 years ago,i used to work as a stone cleaner using chemicals.It was hydroflouric acid(sp) neat it would burn a hole straight through you,no kidding.We used to mix it about 5 litres acid into 50 litres of water,still burnt badly at this strenght! Probably isnt available these days due to health and safety etc.hyrdochloric acid we used to use for getting cement etc. of mainly new builds.
Paul

 

[JohnD]

here is my Cordura (heavy woven nylon) jacket. Some dilute boiler-descaling acid dripped onto it from the drain cock.

View media item 390
View media item 391

 

[rich22]

this might sound daft but try a bit of sharp sand just on 1 or 2 blocks work it about a bit with a small block of wood like your sanding it might just rub it off

 

[pantsmachine]

On the other hand, i do occasionally come out with some right old rubbish that could cause injury or asset damage. Maybe the acid idea is best left where it is. 15 years ago......

P.s Muriatic acid rings a distant bell with me, not that it matters of course as it is a silly idea.....

 

[Donkmeister]

hydroflouric acid(sp) neat it would burn a hole straight through you,no kidding.

Hydrofluoric acid is nasty stuff! In my former life as a physicist, it was one of the chemicals where a spillage would mean evacuating the lab (as fluorine gas is produced), and it had to be stored in plastic containers as it dissolves glass.

Funnily enough, regular aqueous hydrofluoric acid isn't particularly acidic compared with hydrochloric acid. It's sheer corrosiveness is down to its ionic structure. But, concentrated HF... that's the serious glass-eating, death-inducing bad-ass acid.

 

[paulc7617]

Donkmeister,glad someone knew off it (HF).We used to get it from ICI in plastic flasks with a metal frame around it.We did indeed have to cover windows as it etch them terribly.We used to mix this stuff in the street when cleaning terraced houses!!! imagine that today.We always mixed it with the wind behind to carry away the deadly noxious fumes.Had a few bad burns in my time even with wearing wet suits and gauntlets,from diluted HF,caused severe sunburn like blisters.People used to ask us what it was,we always said a strong detergent Happy days