At this time of year, leaves are everywhere! In your yard, on your roof, and all over the walkways. While it may seem like a never-ending task to try to keep up with leaf removal in October, we encourage you to try. What few people realize is that this common debris can leave lasting stains behind—especially with all the rain we’ve had recently. Fortunately, you can work to prevent this, and we can help! Simply by following these tips.
Start Early & Work Quickly
According to the experts, you should start your leaf removal when about 30% of the leaves have fallen. So, if you haven’t started raking yet, now’s the time! By starting early, you’re making the maintenance easier on yourself. This first session might be a lot of work, but afterward, you’ll be able to keep up easily with only an hour or two a week! Although, you may want to add a session here or there after rain. Allowing wet leaves to sit for prolonged periods is a recipe for stains. Whether you’re comfortable using a rake, leaf blower, vacuum, or other tool, try to get out there as soon as you can.
Understanding Why They Stain
Have you heard of tannins? These are the same substances often found in red wine that cause a “dry” flavoring. Much as red wine can leave burgundy or brown stains behind, so can leaves. Typically, they have to be wet and allowed to sit, but staining can occur in just a few hours! Concrete and natural stone are especially prone to these pattern changes—unless they’ve been properly sealed, of course. (See our previous blog post to learn how we can help you with that, too.) Still, many people never notice these effects. If you live in a sunny area, the natural light can bleach away these leaf stains with enough exposure and time. Unfortunately, in more wooded areas, there’s too much shade for this to happen. Plus, if you have an event coming up, you may not want to wait for the unsightly stains to disappear on their own. That’s where we come in.
Use the Right Cleaners
When it comes to removing leaf stains, it’s all about the right combinations of cleaners. Some people think that if you use enough bleach, it’ll remove virtually anything. While that’s not necessarily false, harsh chemical clearers can also damage outdoor surfaces—not to mention the surrounding landscape. Allow us to try our soft washing technique instead. This milder approach to power washing allows us to customize our cleaners to the situation at hand. Plus, it uses a fraction of the chemicals and a fraction of the water for better results. At Peak Power Wash, we believe in environmentally-friendly solutions, even for hard-to-remove problems like leaf stains. Call us today about our green approach to pressure washing and have a great leaf removal season!