Every aspect of your business, from the door to the bathroom, matters to your customers. It’s easy to overlook the exterior of your business when you’re handling the myriad of tasks that require your attention. Maintaining your parking lot may not be a priority to you, but your customers are watching. Your parking lot makes an impression, good or bad, depending on its condition. Make the best impression by improving your parking lot with these pavement maintenance projects. The pavement maintenance team at DRYCO put together our top three tips to help improve your parking lot.
Keep Oil Stains Cleaned Up
Oil stains on your parking lot aren’t just an eyesore. The oil can break down the pavement, which leaves cracks and holes that can be hazardous to customers. At DRYCO, we recommend a few ways to clean up oil stains:
- Kitty litter absorbs oil stains. Leave the kitty litter on the oil stain overnight. Sweep up in the morning.
- Baking soda or powdered laundry detergent can also help pick up oil stains. Sprinkle a little of the soda or detergent on the stain. Add a little water and scrub the pavement. Let the mixture sit on the stain for 30 to 60 minutes. Rinse and repeat if necessary.
- Pour a can of cola, any brand, onto the oil stain. Let it sit overnight. Pour another can on the stain and scrub. Let it sit for an hour or so. Rinse.
- WD-40 can also be used on oil stains on the pavement. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before rinsing off with water. WD-40 isn’t particularly eco-friendly, so be cautious about using too much.
Repair Minor Cracks
Pavement cracks, no matter how well you take care of it. Minor cracks are just going to expand, so take care of them before they cause major problems to your parking lot. In the winter, those cracks can get worse with the freezing temperatures at night. Heavy traffic in your lot can cause damage to your pavement. Poor quality asphalt cracks, too. Sealing the pavement can help your parking lot last longer. Fixing minor cracks prevents future damage. Making repairs keeps your property safer. Your customers won’t worry about falling. You reduce your liability with regular maintenance, which gives you peace of mind.
Repaint Lines
There’s nothing more impressive than fresh parking lines in your parking lot. Customers enjoy knowing exactly where to park. We recommend a fresh paint job every two to three years, but you may need to paint more often if the weather conditions have been rougher or if the paint contractor used low-quality paint the last time. When you repaint, you may need to reseal the parking lot, which protects the pavement even better by filling in cracks. DRYCO recommends resealing your parking lot every three years, at a minimum, but if you get a lot of traffic, you may need to reseal it more often.
Whether you’re a property manager or business owner, paying attention to your parking lot will save you many headaches later on. Protect your pavement and keep it looking great to prevent falls and future damage. Schedule a free estimate for parking lot repairs with DRYCO.