You may not do it as part of your regular outdoor cleaning routine, but knowing how to clean gravel is a sure-fire way to get your outdoor space looking super smart and presentable – so that you can present your gravel garden ideas at their very best.
Gravel – which is essentially a collection of loose stones put together to create a path, driveway or fun patio ideas – might not be something you've cleaned before. But it’s a material that actually needs to be looked after in the same way you would any other surface. In fact, Martin Beaumont, founder of Monty Miracle exterior cleaner, explained that it's a must-do for a smart-looking garden or driveway.
'It’s important to clean gravel, as debris, dirt, algae and dust can quickly build up between the small stones and affect the overall appearance. However, gravel can be sensitive, so a gentle approach is needed,' he warned.
How to clean gravel
So what is the best way to clean gravel – and how often do you need to complete this task? Thankfully, whether you’re cleaning a patio, driveway, or gravel inside a garden bed (one of our favourite front garden ideas), this job is incredibly straightforward; as the experts detail below.
What you'll need
- An outdoor broom, like this affordable option from Amazon
- An outdoor dustpan and brush – this choice from Amazon is a great option
- Gardening gloves - we love these colourful options from B&Q
- A hose, like this choice from Screwfix (if you don't have one already!)
- Gravel patio cleaner for more stubborn stains, such as this Monty Miracle Patio Cleaner
- A cheap, old wheelbarrow – this is the most affordable option we spotted over on Amazon
How to clean gravel - a step-by-step guide
The go-to method for cleaning gravel is exceedingly simple, and will be very similar wherever your gravel is located. However, garden expert at Price Your Job, Harry Bodell explained that this step-by-step may need to be completed more often for lighter-coloured gravel.
'The colour of your gravel may dictate the frequency with which you clean it. White or light-coloured gravel will show dirt and stains more than dark-coloured stones,' he says.
1. Sweep down the gravel surface
To begin with, you’ll need to get rid of any excess dirt, grime, or debris, e.g. items that can easily be pushed off of your gravel. Martin says, 'Luckily, cleaning gravel is relatively easy – first, just gently brush the gravel and remove any debris such as leaves and twigs.'
You can do this with a large outdoor broom, or a small brush (like the one that comes as part of an indoor dustpan and brush set). However, the former will allow you to brush your gravel driveway or garden space without needing to bend over, so that may be your preferred tool – especially if you have a large area to clean.
It's obviously best that you don't do this job with the same broom or brush that you use for inside cleaning. You may be brushing off some pretty unpleasant stuff (such as animal faeces or insects), and you’ll want to avoid bringing that inside your home!
2. Get rid of any greenery
After brushing away all of the excess material, the next step is to tackle any more stubborn outdoor material that might be living within your gravel.
Harry told us, 'It’s important to remove weeds, leaves, cut grass and decomposing plant material before washing your gravel.' And there’s a very important reason for this. 'The stones can become discoloured if dead plant matter is allowed to remain on the gravel – and once wet, they can also add to the staining problem.'
Getting rid of weeds from gravel is pretty straightforward – tackle this and other plant material as you would unwanted greenery anywhere around your garden.
Pop on your gardening gloves and pick out any plant material with your hands, gently using a spade if necessary. You can use weed killer or weed spray as normal for any particularly stubborn clusters of weeds.
3. Clean with water and a specialist cleaner – if needed
'If the surface has only mild natural dust and dirt remaining, then water alone should suffice for cleaning,' Martin explained in regards to the next step for learning how to clean gravel.
You can take a few different approaches to clean your gravel with water, but if you’re tackling a large area, there’s one method experts recommend.
'To clean medium to large areas of gravel, the easiest method is to use a garden hose – but on a low setting,' Harry said. The process is simple; aim your hose at every inch of your gravel, lingering over any dirtier parts, until any dust or dirt remaining are washed away.
It’s likely this will be enough for most people, but if your gravel has been particularly neglected over the years or months, you may need to go a step further.
'For other organic stains such as algae and mould, you’ll need to apply a specialist cleaner (such as the Monty Miracle Patio Cleaner),' Martin said.
There are a number of different gravel cleaning solutions you can buy online or at hardware stores like B&Q, and most usually require little to no effort. With many of the relevant products out there, and the Monty Miracle option, all you need to do is pour on the solution and leave for a few minutes, before washing it away.
4. Use this method for smaller areas of gravel
If you’re got a smaller area of gravel to clean – be it within a small water feature or a small garden path – you should still employ the first two steps above – but switch out the third step for this method.
Thankfully, Harry said, 'Small areas of decorative gravel will be quicker and easier to clean than large expanses, such as on a driveway.' So how should you go about it?
'Small areas of gravel such as decorative areas in your garden can be cleaned by sifting the gravel through a metal mesh to get rid of dirt,' Harry explained. 'Alternatively, you can drill holes in an old wheelbarrow, put the gravel in and rinse with a garden hose while agitating the gravel.'
If you don’t have a wheelbarrow that you’re willing to put holes in, you could put the stones into any sieve-like container you do have to hand, and gently rinse your gravel in that.
FAQs
How do you clean a gravel driveway?
Cleaning a gravel driveway doesn’t require a special or different method to the one above. In fact, Martin explains, 'The same approach is fine; simply use a brush to first get rid of unwanted loose debris, and rinse with water. Or, apply the liquid cleaner if you have stubborn stains, leave for 10 minutes, and then rinse with water.'
If you do have a large area of gravel at home, such as a driveway, he also suggests that one of the best ways to keep it in tip-top shape is to look after it consistently, so that it never gets too dirty that it becomes difficult to return to its original clean state.
'The important thing with a larger area is maintenance,' Martin said. 'Rake and weed your drive regularly, and use a cleaner a couple of times a year.
'And every now and then, invest in a new bag of gravel to top it up, and keep it looking level.' In fact, this is good practice with all larger areas of gravel, as stones inevitably get dislodged throughout the years.
Can you power wash gravel?
Though it may sound like a quick and easy option for planning how to clean gravel, power washing this kind of surface is a huge no-no if you want to maintain its quality. In fact, it's one of many items you should never power wash.
'Aggressive jet-washing will not only destroy sealants between tiles, bricks and patio stones, but it can remove the surface layer of stone and gravel, leaving it exposed and vulnerable to further damage and decay,' Martin explained.
And that’s not all – power washing gravel can even be hazardous, Harry explained.
'Using a high-pressure washer to clean gravel will send stones flying in all directions. This has the potential to hurt someone or cause damage to your home, car or outdoor furniture, never mind any pets or humans! Instead, just use a garden hose on the appropriate pressure setting, as suggested.'
In fact, this is the main reason why it’s important to use your hose on a low setting when cleaning gravel, to avoid any damage to the material, and possibly yourself.
