5 ways to maintain and repair concrete and asphalt

The installation of concrete and asphalt is best left to the experts, but maintenance and repairs are easy to carry out yourself. Here are five ways to maintain and repair your concrete and asphalt.

• If unsightly oil stains are spoiling your concrete driveway, consider this unusual treatment.
• Pour a bottle of cola over the stain, leave it to soak in overnight.
• Then rinse the cola off the next morning using soapy water.
• The oil will have disappeared.

• To keep asphalt driveways and pathways in good condition, wash them thoroughly once a year.
• First sweep away leaves and dirt with a broom.
• Next, mix one scoop of laundry detergent into a bucket containing four litres (one gallon) of water.
• For spot-cleaning, splash some onto the asphalt and scrub with a stiff broom.
• Then, working as quickly as possible so as not to waste water unnecessarily, give the whole surface a good rinse with the hose.

• Use oven cleaner to scour tough stains off of a concrete surface.
• Spray the cleaner on, let it settle for 5 to 10 minutes, scrub the area down with a stiff brush, then rinse off with your hose running at full blast.
• Severe stains may require a second application.

• Concrete dust is an irritant, so make sure you wear goggles, dust mask and gloves.
• You can fill shallow cracks with a cement-based sealant.
• To fill larger cracks, chip out loose edges with a narrow cold chisel, then trowel in some bonding agent and patching concrete, and smooth with a steel or wooden trowel.

• For areas of flaking concrete, first break up the surface with some light swings from a club hammer.
• To find weakened areas, tap around suspicious spots, weakened areas will sound hollow when tapped.
• Scrub the exposed surface with a wire brush and rinse with water.
• Once it's dry, apply a bonding agent and patching concrete, and smooth with a steel or wooden trowel.

Keep these five ways to maintain and repair your concrete and asphalt, and you'll have an easy time doing so.