Spring Cleaning: Removing Leaf Stains From Your Pavement

Leaves look beautiful when they come down in the fall; however, sometime over the course of the fall and winter, those beautiful leaves end up staining your pavement. This spring, use your own cleaning solution to remove those pesky leaf stains from your pavement.

The Solution

Mix the solution inside of a large bucket you use for cleaning and outdoor purposes. You should not use a bowl from your kitchen, as you will be using ingredients you don't want to get near your food in the solution. Wear gloves and clothes you don't mind getting bleach on while mixing and using this solution. 

First, you need to pour in about half a gallon of water. Then, you need to add four and a half cups of white vinegar. Finally, you need to pour in half a gallon of bleach. All you need to do is stir the mixture, and it is ready to go. 

Preparing The Area

Before you use the solution, you need to prepare the area where the stains are located. Sweep away any debris that is on the pavement in the area surrounding the stains. If the area is particularly dirty, you may even want to use a hose to spray off and clean the area.

Cleaning The Leaf Stains

Now that the area is clean and the solution is mixed, you are ready to attack those stains. Once again, make sure you are wearing rubber gloves and clothes you don't mind splashing a little bleach on. 

Pour the mixture over the area where the stains are located. You want to really soak the area. If the area is rather large, you may even need to make a second mixture of the cleaning solution. 

Let the cleaning solution sit and soak into the pavement for about ten minutes. Then use a scrub brush to remove the stains. You can use a regular brush, but a metal wire brush may help you get the job done faster. 

Apply as much pressure as you can, and move the brush with the grain. If you can't tell which way the grain is going, just use circular motions. After you have scrubbed the area as well as you can, wash away the cleaning mixture with a hose. 

Depending on the type of pavement you have and how deep the stain is, you may have to repeat this process a few times. After anywhere from one to three treatments, however, the stains will be gone and your pavement will be clean once again.