A driveway or patio doesn’t age gracefully on its own. Algae, moss, oil stains, and general grime build up gradually enough that most people don’t notice how far it’s gone until they see a before-and-after photo, or a neighbour’s drive freshly cleaned next door. Trendline provides jet washing for driveways, patios, and hard exterior surfaces across Croydon and the wider South East, using professional equipment that lifts years of buildup without damaging the surface underneath.
Jet Washing: Restoring Your Driveway, Patio, and Exterior
What We Jet Wash
Our jet washing service covers driveways, patios, block paving, and other hard exterior surfaces around a property. This includes tarmac, concrete, natural stone, porcelain, and composite paving, each of which responds differently to pressure and needs a slightly different approach to clean properly without causing damage. We adjust pressure and technique to the surface in front of us rather than running every job at the same setting.
What We Don’t
Jet washing isn’t the right tool for every surface. Roof tiles, for example, are better suited to a lower-pressure soft wash or left to our Reach & Wash system for anything reachable from the ground, since high-pressure jetting can dislodge tiles or strip away protective granules. If a surface on your property isn’t a good match for jet washing, we’ll say so and suggest the right approach instead of forcing the wrong tool onto the job.
How Long Does Jet Washing Take?
This depends heavily on the size of the area and how much buildup there is to remove. A small patio that’s been maintained reasonably well might take an hour or two, while a large driveway that hasn’t been cleaned in several years, with ingrained oil stains and moss worked into the joints, can take considerably longer. Block paving in particular adds time, since getting the joints properly clean rather than just blasting the surface of the blocks is a slower, more deliberate process. We’ll give you a realistic estimate for your specific job when we quote, rather than a generic “half a day” answer that doesn’t account for the condition of your surface.
Driveway Cleaning
Tarmac and Concrete Driveways
Tarmac and concrete are two of the most common driveway surfaces, and both tend to show algae and general grime as dark, uneven patching rather than the more obvious green streaking you’d see on stone. Jet washing lifts this effectively, restoring the surface back to something close to its original colour and texture. Concrete in particular can suffer from etching if the wrong pressure or technique is used, so we’re careful to use a setting that cleans thoroughly without pitting the surface.
Oil Stains and Tyre Marks
Oil stains and tyre marks are some of the most common complaints we hear about driveways, and they’re also some of the most stubborn to fully remove. Fresh stains lift more easily than ones that have had months or years to soak into a porous surface like tarmac or concrete. We won’t promise a stain will disappear entirely if it’s deeply set, but jet washing combined with the right approach typically lightens even old stains significantly, and fresher ones often come up almost completely.
Block Paving and Joint Cleaning
Block paving looks sharp when it’s properly maintained, but it’s also one of the surfaces most likely to look neglected because of what happens between the blocks rather than on them. Moss, weeds, and compacted dirt build up in the joints over time, and simply jet washing the surface of the blocks without addressing the joints leaves a driveway that looks clean from a distance but still has a ring of green creeping up between every block close up.
We treat joint cleaning as a distinct part of the job rather than an afterthought, clearing out the built-up debris and moss from the joints themselves, not just blasting the flat surfaces. This is typically the difference between a block paved driveway that looks freshly laid and one that still looks tired even after a clean, and it’s worth asking about specifically if joint condition is what’s bothering you most about the current state of your driveway.
Patio Cleaning: Algae, Moss, and Black Spot Removal
Natural Stone and Indian Sandstone
Natural stone and Indian sandstone patios are popular for their appearance but can be more porous than manufactured alternatives, which means algae and moss work their way into the surface rather than just sitting on top of it. Black spot, a particularly stubborn form of algae that shows up as dark, almost tar-like patches, is common on natural stone and needs a slightly different approach than general grime, since standard cleaning alone often doesn’t fully shift it. We adjust our method accordingly rather than treating every stone patio the same way.
Porcelain and Composite Paving
Porcelain and composite paving are less porous than natural stone, which generally makes them easier to clean and less prone to deep-set staining, but they’re not maintenance-free. Algae and general dirt still build up on the surface, and porcelain in particular can show water spots or a hazy film if it’s not rinsed properly after cleaning. We use a pressure setting suited to the material, since porcelain can be more prone to surface damage from an overly aggressive approach than people expect from a material marketed as low-maintenance.
How Much Does Jet Washing Cost?
One-Off Cleans
Most jet washing work is booked as a one-off, whether that’s an overdue driveway clean, a patio ahead of summer, or preparation before a house sale or a big event. Pricing depends on the size of the area, the surface type, and how much buildup needs to be removed, since a driveway that hasn’t been touched in five years takes considerably longer than one cleaned last year.
Maintenance Cleans
Some customers prefer to keep on top of it with a regular clean every year or two rather than letting things build up to the point where it becomes a much bigger job. This tends to be quicker and more cost-effective per visit than an overdue deep clean, since there’s simply less buildup to remove each time. Either way, we’ll give you a free, no-obligation quote based on the actual condition and size of your driveway or patio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you remove oil stains from my driveway completely?
Fresh stains usually lift well. Older, deeply set stains often lighten significantly but may not disappear entirely, depending on how long they've had to soak into the surface.
Do you clean the joints on block paving, or just the surface?
We clean the joints as a specific part of the job, not just the flat surface of the blocks, since that's usually where the most visible moss and weed growth builds up.
Is jet washing safe for porcelain paving?
Yes, with the right pressure setting. Porcelain is less porous than natural stone but can still be affected by an overly aggressive approach, so we adjust accordingly.
Can you jet wash my roof?
No, roof tiles are better suited to a lower-pressure soft wash or our ground-based Reach & Wash system rather than a high-pressure jet, which can dislodge tiles or damage protective coatings.
How often should I get my driveway or patio jet washed?
Every one to two years is typical for most surfaces, though this varies depending on how shaded the area is and how much moss or algae growth it's prone to.
Do you offer a combined driveway and patio clean?
Yes, if you'd like both done in the same visit, we can quote for the full job together rather than as two separate appointments.
Can I book jet washing alongside window or gutter cleaning?
Yes, if you're already a regular customer for another service, ask when you book and we can look at scheduling them together.
