There is no single schedule that suits every driveway, path or patio. How often paving needs cleaning depends on how much shade it gets, what grows or falls onto it, and how it is used. In Melbourne there is also a rule to factor in: water can only be used to clean hard surfaces in limited circumstances.
The short version: sweep as often as the surface needs it, deal with spills early, and plan a deeper clean with water only once staining has developed.
What Melbourne’s water saving rules say about hard surfaces
This is general information. Check the current rules with your water corporation, which publishes the details for your area.
In short, Victoria’s Permanent Water Saving Rules, which apply every day of the year, do not allow drinking water to be used to clean hard surfaces such as driveways, paths and patios except after an accident or other emergency, during construction or renovation, or where staining has developed — and then only once a season, with a high-pressure water cleaning device where one is available. For everyday cleaning, South East Water’s advice is to swap to a broom. The full rules, the exceptions and what counts as a high-pressure device are set out in what to know before booking driveway pressure washing.
So for most homes, the honest answer to “how often should I wash my pavers?” is: only once staining has developed, and then no more than once a season.
Why some paving needs attention more often
Shade and moisture
Paving that stays damp, such as a south-facing courtyard or a narrow side path between houses, tends to grow moss and algae faster than paving in full sun.
Trees and gardens
Overhanging trees drop leaves, flowers and fruit, and garden beds can wash soil and mulch across pavers after rain.
Cars and everyday use
A driveway used every day collects tyre marks and drips much faster than a path that is walked on occasionally. Outdoor dining areas collect food, drink and barbecue spills.
A simple routine by area
| Area | What tends to build up | Routine |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway | Tyre marks, oil drips, leaves, dirt from the street | Sweep as needed and deal with drips early; deeper clean once staining develops |
| Front path | Leaves, soil and foot traffic | Sweep as needed |
| Shaded side path or courtyard | Moss and algae | Sweep regularly and watch for slippery patches |
| Patio or outdoor dining area | Food, drink and barbecue spills | Clean up spills when they happen |
Between deeper cleans
- Sweep or blow whenever leaves, soil or grit build up. Leaves left to sit on light-coloured paving can leave marks.
- Deal with spills straight away. Oil, food and drink are much harder to shift once they have soaked in, and old oil soaked deep into concrete may never fully come out.
- Keep soil and mulch off the paving where you can, for example by edging garden beds, so it does not wash across after rain.
- Let light and air in. Trimming plants that shade a path helps it dry out after rain, which slows the growth of moss and algae.
Signs a deeper clean is due
- Staining has developed: dark patches, green or black growth, or ground-in dirt that sweeping no longer shifts.
- Tyre marks or traffic lanes are showing on the driveway.
- A path or courtyard has become slippery when wet. Growth that makes a surface slippery is worth dealing with promptly; whether it counts as a safety hazard under the rules is a question for your water corporation.
- Building or renovation work has left the area dirty. The rules treat cleaning in the course of construction or renovation separately.
When you want it done for you
Our pressure washing covers concrete and paved driveways, paths, courtyards, patios and garage floors. It is priced at $2.70 per square metre plus GST, so a 40 m² area comes to $109 + GST, and the instant quote calculator shows the total for your area. It is not a sealing or re-sanding service, and old oil stains soaked deep into concrete are not part of it.
Before you book, what to know before booking driveway pressure washing covers surfaces, access and what pressure washing can and cannot do. Property managers can add pressure washing of driveways and paths to a rental clean; our cleaning work order checklist shows what to include in the request.
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Sources
- South East Water — Permanent Water Saving Rules
- Victorian Government (water.vic.gov.au) — Permanent water saving rules
Rules change. Check the official source for your situation; this guide is general information, not legal advice.