If you live in Blount or Knox County, you know red clay. It washes down onto driveways after every hard rain, gets tracked onto sidewalks and porches, and leaves an orange stain that a garden hose won’t touch.
Why it stains so bad
Concrete is porous, like a hard sponge. The fine iron rich clay soaks into the surface, and every rain adds another layer. Shady spots grow mildew on top of it, and that’s how a white driveway turns orange, gray and green.
What you can try yourself
- Hit fresh clay right away with a hose and a stiff broom before it sets
- Fix the source: a bit of edging or mulch where the yard washes onto the drive helps a lot
- Skip harsh acids from the hardware store. They can etch the concrete and hurt your plants
What we do
We pre-treat the stains, then clean the whole driveway with a commercial surface cleaner, which cleans evenly edge to edge with no zebra stripes. Most red clay comes right out. We finish with a treatment that helps slow mildew coming back.
See our driveway and concrete cleaning page, or add your curb while we’re there. It’s quick, cheap and makes the whole street front look better.
Want your place looking like this?
Free estimates from a local, licensed and insured crew in Maryville, Knoxville and all of Blount and Knox County.