Is It Better to Spray or Not Spray Before Pressure Washing? 4 Pros and Cons

Pressure washing is a great way to keep your driveway clean, but pressure washing alone isn’t always enough to blast away old or deep-set stains. If you’re dealing with stubborn oil stains, for example, you’ll need to spray them with a special cleaning agent before you break out the pressure washer. But is pretreating your driveway worth the extra work and expense? Let’s dive into the pros and cons and whether it’s better to spray or not to spray before pressure washing.

What Is Pressure Washing?

Pressure washing is a deep cleaning method that removes dirt, grime, and other buildup from outdoor areas. It uses a pressurized stream of water to blast debris off of hard surfaces, including concrete, brick, and wood decking. However, pressure washing is too harsh for soft or fragile materials, such as asphalt shingles and glass.

On its own, pressure washing your driveway can be enough to get rid of dirt and debris. However, if you’re dealing with tough stains (for example, oil or paint), consider pretreating the driveway before pressure washing.

Pros of Pretreating Your Driveway Before Pressure Washing

Spraying your driveway with a pretreatment solution can make pressure washing easier and more effective. Here’s how.

Helps Remove Difficult Stains

Pressure washing alone won’t always remove stubborn paint, rust, or oil spots from your driveway. Like pretreating a stain on your clothes, however, spraying the concrete before pressure washing helps clean the surface more effectively.

Can Reduce Pressure Washing Time

Without pretreatment, getting rid of tough stains can take more time and effort. However, when you apply a special cleaning solution before pressure washing, it can make stain removal quicker and easier.

Cons of Pretreating Your Driveway Before Pressure Washing

Pretreating your driveway has some downsides, too. Here are a couple to consider.

Not Guaranteed to Work

While often effective, spraying your driveway before pressure washing isn’t guaranteed to remove all stains. If you still have stains after pretreating and pressure washing, call in a pressure washing professional.

Costs More

You’ll need to buy special cleaning solvents to tackle tricky stains with a pretreatment spray, which will increase the cost of pressure washing your driveway. You can expect to pay between $10 and $20 per bottle.

Should You Spray Before Pressure Washing?

If you’re hoping to remove stains from your driveway, then yes—you should pretreat it with a special cleaning solution before pressure washing. However, if there aren’t any noticeable problem spots on your driveway, then pressure washing alone should be enough to clean it.

In some cases, though, it’s better to hire a pressure washing pro near you instead of tackling this project yourself—especially if you’re dealing with old or widespread stains. A pro will understand what you should spray before pressure washing and how to apply the right cleaning solutions to remove the spots effectively.