HOW TO HIRE · CLEANING

How to hire a driveway cleaner in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to driveway cleaners. Check the pressure for the drive, the chemicals and where the run-off goes.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a driveway cleaner in five steps

  1. Block, tarmac or concrete?It changes the method.
  2. Re-sandingIncluded or extra.
  3. SealingOnly in dry weather.
  4. Outside tapCheck there is one.
  5. Move the carsBefore the visit.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Nothing licenses driveway cleaners in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, so driveway cleaning can be offered by anyone; trader status, insurance and references carry the weight.

Ask for a business name, an invoice for the driveway cleaning and the name of the insurer.

Cleaning chemicals and COSHH

HSE applies the COSHH rules to self-employed people carrying hazardous products onto someone else's premises. For driveway cleaning, that means knowing what each degreaser, descaler or biocide is and how to use it safely.

Ask which products the driveway cleaning uses, and whether they are safe on your surfaces. hse.gov.uk →

Public liability insurance

No register requires it, but public liability insurance is what pays if driveway cleaning damages a floor, a fabric or a fitting. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, driveway cleaning that damages something through carelessness is the trader's to put right.

Get the insurer's name from the driveway cleaner before booking the driveway cleaning.

Damage to the surface and your rights

Too much pressure can etch stone, strip joint sand or blow out pointing. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the driveway cleaning must be done with reasonable care and skill, and damage from careless work is the driveway cleaner's to put right at their cost.

Before the driveway cleaning starts, photograph the drive and point out any loose pointing or cracked slabs.

VAT

Cleaning a driveway is standard-rated at 20%. A driveway cleaning business above the £90,000 threshold must register, add the 20% to the cleaning, re-sanding and sealing, and list it on its own line.

Ask for the VAT number before the driveway is cleaned and check the 20% is a separate line on the price. gov.uk →

“What pressure suits my driveway surface?”

A good answer: Lower for tarmac; a rotary cleaner for block paving.

“Will you re-sand the block paving after driveway cleaning?”

A good answer: Yes, with kiln-dried sand, priced.

“Where will the driveway slurry go?”

A good answer: Swept up, not washed into the road gully.

“Can you treat oil stains on the driveway?”

A good answer: Priced as an extra.

“Should the drive be sealed?”

A good answer: An honest view, in dry weather only.

“Are you insured if the drive is damaged?”

A good answer: Public liability, insurer named.

Getting the quote right

  • Area and surface
  • Weed and moss treatment
  • Re-sanding and sealing priced
  • Who actually attends with the jet washer, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately from the cleaning and re-sanding

Walk away if

  • No re-sanding after washing block paving
  • Washes slurry into the road drain
  • Seals a damp drive
  • No insurance
LOW
£100
TYPICAL
£250
HIGH
£400

What a driveway cleaner costs: £100–£400 per job

Driveway cleaning is priced per job by size and surface; re-sanding and sealing are extras. Driveway Cleaning price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Driveway cleaners near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Weed outJoints cleared of weeds and moss.
  2. WashAt the right pressure.
  3. Sweep slurryCollected, not washed away.
  4. Re-sandKiln-dried sand brushed in.
  5. SealOn a dry day if agreed.

Block paving
Interlocking concrete blocks.
Kiln-dried sand
Fine dry sand for paving joints.
Rotary cleaner
A spinning washer head.
Sealant
A coating that resists stains and weeds.
Slurry
Dirty water and grit.
Tarmac
Asphalt surface needing lower pressure.

AFTER

When the job is done

Check the jointsSand back in.
Wait to drive on sealantAs advised.
Keep the invoiceProducts noted.
Review the visitA few lines on the driveway cleaning help the next household choose. If there is a problem, the make-it-right step sends it to the driveway cleaner before your review appears.

STEP 1Complain to the driveway cleaner firstStart with an email to the driveway cleaner: the problem, photos and what would put it right. A trader's driveway cleaning is covered by section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the remedies — doing it again, or a price reduction — follow from sections 55 and 56.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right stepIf you rate the driveway cleaning under four stars, Locufy asks whether to send the problem to the driveway cleaner first, and we follow it through before your review goes up.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplinesTrading Standards is reached through a helpline, not directly: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland can log a complaint about the driveway cleaner and pass it on.
STEP 4Small claims, if money is owedA claim against the driveway cleaner that will not settle can go to court without a lawyer — the small claims track for up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure for up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court for up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a driveway cleaner: questions people ask

No. No licence or register applies.

HSE's COSHH rules apply to hazardous products used by a self-employed contractor.

Ask about public liability insurance.

£100–£400 per job, about £250 for a typical double drive. What pushes it up or down is in the driveway cleaning price guide; search above by town for cleaners in your area.

It strips the joint sand, which should be replaced.

Half a day for most drives.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in cleaning

How to hire: Patio CleaningHow to hire: Pressure WashingHow to hire: Roof CleaningHow to hire: Gutter CleaningHow to hire: Window CleaningHow to hire: Conservatory CleaningHow to hire: Solar Panel CleaningHow to hire: After Builders CleaningAll 701 hiring guides →

Driveway cleaners near you

Driveway cleaners in LondonDriveway cleaners in ManchesterDriveway cleaners in BirminghamDriveway cleaners in GlasgowDriveway cleaners in BelfastAll driveway cleaners on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. HSE — does COSHH apply to the self-employed?
  2. HSE — safe use of cleaning substances (CAIS22)
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue (England)
  5. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  6. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register