If you’re a business owner with a physical storefront, it’s always a good idea to clean up your parking lot at the end of every season. Skipping routine cleaning can cost you lots of time and money later down the road when small problems turn into maintenance disasters. Use this guide as a checklist for your end-of-summer parking lot cleaning.

Sweep the Surface

Parking lots tend to gather a lot of trash and debris over time, either from customers leaving behind garbage or from nearby trees and landscaping. Trash buildup attracts pests, obscures asphalt problems, and gives customers a negative impression of your business. While it’s impossible to prevent any trash from building up in your lot, routine cleaning makes the problem much easier to deal with.

Don’t Forget the Drains

While you’re clearing away debris, don’t forget to check any drains located on your lot. These are prime locations for debris buildup, and blocked drainage can lead to standing water on your pavement. Not only do puddles make it harder for customers to navigate your parking lot, but they can also speed up the need for asphalt repairs.

Repair Asphalt Problems

Your parking lot is designed to withstand the pressure and friction of cars driving across the surface, but eventually, this regular use will cause wear and tear. Cracking, drainage, and warping are three of the signs that your asphalt needs repairing—and the sooner you attend to the problem, the better. Spot repairs are much less expensive and time-consuming than full repaving.

Redo Striping and Lane Markers

Summer weather is great for enjoying the great outdoors, but it’s not quite so kind to parking lots. UV rays from intense sunlight gradually fade the striping on your lot over time, and this is a bigger problem whenever the days are longer. To keep your lot looking fresh and to make it easier to navigate, always redo the striping at the end of the summer season.

Reroute Traffic

One thing people often forget when completing end-of-summer parking lot maintenance is reassessing traffic patterns on the lot. Sometimes drivers find it easier to navigate through a lot differently from how the initial planners had hoped they would. Additionally, a change in customer traffic can also cause navigation problems. If you’ve noticed cars driving through your lot in a less-than-ideal manner, consider restriping with a new layout.

Having a clean and easy-to-navigate parking lot is essential for business owners with businesses that have physical locations. Always be sure to schedule maintenance at regular times throughout the year to catch small problems before they become bigger issues.