How to Clean Gravel

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 17, 2022

To remove dirt and debris from your gravel, you can either rinse it with water or sift it. To rinse your gravel with water, drill small holes into the bottom and sides of a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow will act as a strainer so you can thoroughly rinse the gravel. To sift your gravel, cut a section of hardware cloth to make a sieve. Keep your gravel clean by lining the perimeter with an edging material, using landscaping fabric, or by spraying the surface of your gravel with a weed killer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Rinsing the Gravel

1
Drill holes into an old wheelbarrow. Use an electric drill and an eight-inch drill bit to do this. Drill holes into the bottom of the wheelbarrow, as well as the sides (about three to four inches up the sides). Drill as many holes as you can to turn your wheelbarrow into a strainer.^{[1]
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- If you do not have an electric drill, you can rent one from your local hardware store.
2
Shovel the gravel into the wheelbarrow. Only fill a quarter of the wheelbarrow with gravel. This way the water will be able to easily drain through the gravel as you rinse it.^{[2]
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3
Rinse with water. Turn on your hose and begin rinsing the gravel. As you rinse the gravel, use your shovel to move it around. This way you can ensure all sides of the gravel are rinsed.^{[3]
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- Rinse the gravel for 30 seconds to a minute.
4
Dry the gravel. Lay a geotextile fabric on the grass. Wheelbarrow the clean gravel over to the fabric and pour it on top. Spread the gravel on the fabric until it is one to two inches high. It should take about an hour to dry in the sun.^{[4]
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- Geotextile fabric is a special type of fabric that contains tiny holes, which enable water and other debris to drain. You can find it at your local hardware store.
- The size of the fabric depends on how much gravel you have. Just make sure the fabric can fit all of your gravel.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Sifting the Gravel

1
Cut a section of metal hardware cloth. Use tin snips or heavy shears to cut a 2x2 foot section of cloth. The section of hardware cloth will act as a sieve so you can sift your gravel.^{[5]
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- Hardware cloth is metal or plastic wire mesh that is sold in rolls at your local hardware store.
2
Shape the sieve. Once it is cut, roll or fold two edges of the cloth to make handles. Using your hands, slightly bend the rest of the edges up and inward to mold the cloth into a bowl-like shape. Shape it just enough so that the gravel will stay in the sieve as you sift it.^{[6]
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3
Position a tarp on the ground near the gravel. Stabilize the tarp with rocks or another heavy object. Place your sieve on top of the tarp. The tarp will catch the debris as you sift your gravel.^{[7]
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- The tarp will enable you to easily discard the dirt and debris without too much mess.
4
Sift the gravel. Use a flat-bottomed shovel to place the gravel on the sieve. Shake the sieve to remove dirt and other debris from the gravel. Shake the gravel until all of the dirt and debris are removed.^{[8]
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- Remove large chunks of dirt and debris with your hands.
5
Place the clean gravel in a bucket. Use a gallon bucket, or another type of container. Only fill the bucket a third of the way with gravel. This way, the bucket will not be too heavy to lift when you transport the gravel.^{[9]
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- Alternatively, you can use a wheelbarrow to transport the gravel.
6
Transport the clean gravel. Do this once the bucket is a third of the way full. Place the clean gravel on a tarp or a geotextile fabric while you can clean the rest of it.^{[10]
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- If you are cleaning the gravel to be placed somewhere in your yard, then transport the gravel there instead.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Keeping Your Gravel Clean

1
Line the perimeter. Use pavers, bricks, or another type of decorative stone to line the perimeter of the gravel. This will help keep the gravel in place and prevent leaves and other debris from mixing with the gravel.^{[11]
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Use landscaping fabric. Landscaping fabric is a great way to keep plant growth, dirt, and debris out of your gravel. Lay landscaping fabric on the bare ground before arranging the clean gravel.^{[12]
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3
Apply a weed killer. To keep weeds at bay, spray the surface of the gravel with a weed killer. Do this once every 10 to 15 days. Additionally, use a rake to remove any weeds and other debris from the gravel as they surface.^{[13]
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Community Q&A

Question

Is it necessary to tell people to spray weed killer on their gravel? Seems like an unnecessary step.

Community Answer

Not necessary, but beneficial to prevent any seedlings germinating once the gravel is re-laid