The basic formula: length times width
Driveway cleaning is priced by area, so the number you need is square feet. For a rectangle, measure the length and the width in feet and multiply them. A driveway 18 feet wide and 24 feet long is 432 square feet.
Measure the concrete you actually want cleaned. Start where the driveway meets the garage door or the end of the slab, and stop at the sidewalk or the street, depending on whether you want the apron included. More on that below.
Measuring with a tape (and a helper)
A standard tape works, but a long reel tape makes life easier. Have one person hold the end at the garage while the other walks toward the street. Measure the width in at least two places, near the garage and near the street, because many driveways are not perfectly straight. If the two widths differ, average them.
Round to the nearest foot. You do not need inches. A small rounding difference changes the price by very little, and the flat price is confirmed before any work starts anyway.
Odd shapes: break them into simple pieces
Most driveways that look complicated are just a few rectangles stuck together. An L-shaped driveway that turns toward a side garage is two rectangles. Measure each one, multiply, and add the results. Be careful not to count the corner where they overlap twice. For example, a main section 20 feet by 20 feet is 400 square feet, and a side leg 10 feet by 15 feet adds 150, for 550 in total. At the driveway rate of $0.50 per square foot, as of October 2026, that is $275.
Flared sections near the street are often close to triangles. A triangle is half of base times height, so a flare that is 4 feet wide at the street and 6 feet long adds 12 square feet on each side. For curves, measure along the middle of the curve for length and use the average width. That gets you close enough.
Circular and horseshoe driveways are easier to measure from above, which brings us to the map method.
Measuring from your couch with a satellite map
Google Maps has a free measuring tool. On a computer, switch to satellite view, zoom in on your driveway, right-click one corner and choose Measure distance. Then click each corner in order and close the shape back at the starting point. The tool shows the area of the shape you drew.
The satellite image may be a few years old and trees can hide edges, so treat it as a solid estimate rather than a survey. It is especially useful for long, curved or hillside driveways where walking a tape is awkward. If the map number and your tape number roughly agree, you are in good shape.
On a phone, the Google Maps app measures distance rather than area. Press and hold to drop a pin at one corner, choose Measure distance, and drag the map to the next corner. Measure the length and the width separately, then multiply them yourself. It takes a little longer than the desktop version but gets you to the same place.
What to measure separately
Walkways, side yards, patios and parking pads are priced at their own rates, so measure them separately rather than lumping them into the driveway. Driveways are $0.50 per square foot, walkways and sidewalks are $0.55, and patios are $0.65. The instant quote calculator on this page has a field for each.
The apron, the sloped section between the sidewalk and the street, is part of the driveway if you want it cleaned. Include it in your driveway number and mention it. Steps up to the front door count as walkway. Measure the tread of each step, then multiply by the number of steps.
How much accuracy actually matters
Being off by 50 square feet on a driveway changes the price by $25. That is worth getting right, but there is no need to stress over inches. Every visit also has a $195 minimum, so a small single-car driveway usually prices at the minimum no matter how carefully you measure.
When we arrive, we look at the area with you before starting and confirm the flat price. If your measurement was close, nothing changes. If the space is clearly larger or smaller than expected, you will know before any work begins, not after.
Key points
The basic formula: length times width
Driveway cleaning is priced by area, so the number you need is square feet. For a rectangle, measure the length and the width in feet and multiply them. A driveway 18 feet wide and 24 feet long is 432 square feet.
Measuring from your couch with a satellite map
Google Maps has a free measuring tool. On a computer, switch to satellite view, zoom in on your driveway, right-click one corner and choose Measure distance. Then click each corner in order and close the shape back at the starting point. The tool shows the area of the shape you drew.