How Do You Make Old Pavers Look New
The first order of business is to wash the pavers using a brick paver or concrete cleaner. Use the cleaner as directed and for the best results use a pressure washer to rid the pavers of contaminants like dirt, grime, mold, and mildew. Clean up the pavers and rinse them well. Then allow them to dry for a day or two.
Patio Magic Green Mould & Algae: The Best Patio Cleaner For Tackling Green Mould And Algae
Price: £18 |
If youve forgotten what your patio used to look like because a slimy green mess has taken over, then you need to get your hands on a bottle of this stuff. You can use it on all outdoor hard surfaces, from decking to driveways to patios, with no need for a pressure washer or scrubbing. Once its dried, it is broken down naturally in the soil so it doesnt harm the environment.
Its not as concentrated as some, so five litres might not go as far as you think, but it gets rid of one of the main culprits of dirty patios exceptionally well. Youll need to be patient, though it can take up to four days to show the results.
Key specs Quantity: 5 litres Can you use it without a pressure washer: Yes
Price: £7 |
Kärcher makes some of the best pressure washers around, so it should come as no surprise that its patio detergents are top quality too. This one claims to have an active dirt remover protection against wind and weather and general protection to keep your patio looking good for longer. You can use it on all stonework so that includes walls as well as patios as well as aluminium, which means you can give the car a quick clean at the same time.
Key specs: Quantity: 1 litre Can you use it without a pressure washer: No
Top 7 Best Patio Cleaner Reviews
Our site is reader supported, this means we may earn a small commission from Amazon and other affiliates when you buy through links on our site.
Choosing the Best Patio Cleaner and Top 7 Models to Consider
Are you too embarrassed to entertain family and friends on your patio because it looks grungy? Is dirt or mould embedded in the patio floor? Have you tried using a pressure washer but even that didnt bring back the as-new look? What you need is a patio cleaner, perhaps along with a pressure washer. No matter how bad your patio looks, using one of the patio cleaners in this review will help to restore it towards its former glory. And you can start having outdoor barbeques and parties again.
Our Top 7 Best Patio Cleaners review explains what to look for in a patio cleaner and evaluates the best cleaners on the market. We look at the pros and cons of each cleaner we review and discuss what situations theyre best for. Our Buyers Guide looks at the few essential issues that you need to consider when making your decision.
The best patio cleaner will help you easily remove the dirt, moss and mould thats growing in places on your patio youd rather it didnt.
Our Best Pick of patio cleaners is the Smartseal 5L Patio Clean Xtreme. It not only gets rid of mould and moss, but it cleans the stones and bricks as well. This is a strong cleaner that needs extra care when being used.
Don’t Miss: Replacement Webbing For Outdoor Chairs
How To Clean A Patio With Vinegar
You may not need to buy any specialist cleaning products to clean a patio, as you may already have all you need in the house already.
White vinegar is used by many for a number of cleaning projects and you could get great results using vinegar on your patio too.
Paving specialists Marshalls include a handy guide on their website for how to clean patio slabs with vinegar.
DON’T MISS:
How To Clean Your Patio And Remove Blackspot Algae
In this article, I am looking to walk you through the easy to follow steps of how to remove patio blackspot from sandstone and natural stone and get your lovely patio looking like new again. At the end of our simple process, your paving or patio slabs will be free from dirt, algae, blackspot and those annoying lichens that always spoil its appearance! Dont worry, although you might have found this difficult in the past, with the right patio cleaner and a little bit of knowledge, patio cleaning and blackspot algae removal can now be a simple process.
Historically, trying to keep any patio clean used to be an arduous and time-consuming task. Particularly if your patio was laid with a variety of porous sandstone or Indian sandstone. Very few, if any cleaning products were effective enough as a patio black spot remover, with even algae and general dirt requiring pressure washing to keep them at bay. Not only can jet washing be a time consuming and arduous task, but it can also damage pointing. This, in turn, contributes to the paving slabs more porous and easier for the contaminants to become established and ingrained into the surface of the patio. This is particularly the case if the patio has been laid in vulnerable sandstone or Indian sandstone slabs. Blackspot and algae thrive on any variety of porous natural stone and this Inevitably leads to more regular and intense cleaning being required.
Don’t Miss: How To Spray Paint Wrought Iron Patio Furniture
How To Clean Concrete Paving Slabs
you must keep your paving area clean as well as other areas in your house. Here are guidelines to clean concrete or cement paving slabs. Move all the furniture and plants from the paving area and sweep the surface to remove the dust and dirt. Remove the weeds grown on pavers. Then you can follow any one of the paving cleaning methods mentioned above and make your cement paving clean and tidy. Instead of using acid-based cleaning liquids go for a normal soapy solution and chemical-free vinegar solution to clean the paving slab made of types of cement. Cement paving slabs are easy to maintain and clean, only a deep sweep and soapy water are enough to make the place better.
Removing Weeds From Your Paving
Unfortunately, theres no such thing as a weed-free surface. Hugely inconvenient, weeds will find a way to grow but theyre pretty easy to get rid of, and you need to do this before you begin cleaning garden slabs. Most weeds can usually be pulled or scraped out of paving. Once youve gotten rid of the weeds, regular brushing can help to keep them at bay, as youll disturb them before they can get established. You can also use a weed killer, but be sure to check its suitable to use on your particular kind of paving.
Recommended Reading: Refinish Wrought Iron Furniture
Best Biodegradable Patio Cleaner
The Ultima-Plus XP Moss, Mould & Algae Killer is a highly concentrated cleaner that gets rid of all the unwanted algae, moss, mould and even kill moss.
A 5-litre container covers an area of 400m2 of patio surface.You get a minimum of 50 litres at the recommended dilution of 9:1 and a maximum of 90 litres when mixed at the weakest recommended ratio. Depending on the size and condition of the area to be cleaned, dilute according to directions. The higher the concentration, the more effective the solution is at cleaning.
The ULTIMA-PLUS XP solution contains no acids or bleach but still remains effective in exterminating extra growth. It is biodegradable and once it has dried, you can let your family and pets play out on the patio. It is recommended that you use gloves if you have very sensitive skin but we would strongly advise that you wear gloves anyway.
Pros
- Includes no bleach or caustic substances that can affect surfaces.
- Safe for pets and children once dried.
Cons
- May take 2 or 3 applications for the most stubborn stains.
Thoughts and recommendations
The Ultima-Plus XP Moss, Mould & Algae Killer is cheaper than most products featured in this review yet it certainly one of the best patio cleaners we have seen. It is biodegradable, non-caustic and therefore safe to use all around. Pets and children can be let loose onto treated areas once the floor is dry, which on a summers day would be within an hour.
The Best Patio Cleaner Of 2021
Clean your patio while you do something less boring instead. This product does what it says on the pack it’s ready to use and you simply spray it on with a garden sprayer and walk away while it gets to work removing the green mould and algae.
No need to dilute or mix, it’s ready to go straight from the bottle for hassle-free cleaning. This does make it a little more expensive per volume than a concentrated alternative, but we think for the time and hassle you save it’s well worth it.
If you have a large patio area or driveway to clean then this concentrated patio cleaner offers some of the best coverage once diluted, with one 5 litre bottle covering up to 300m2 depending on the porosity of the surface.
Just mix one part Wet & Forget with five parts water, spray it on with a pump-action garden sprayer and then walk away and get on with other things while it works no scrubbing or blasting with water required.
Long-lasting and bleach-free, this patio cleaner has a long list of surfaces it’s suitable for use on and is biodegradable with a PH of 8 .
Don’t Miss: Clean Mold Off Concrete
How Can I Reduce My Patio Maintenance
Personally, I dont think brushing a patio with detergent, waiting for it to dry, then spraying it with a fungicide/biocide is a difficult task and it only needs to be done once per year.
But, if you really want to reduce the amount of time spent maintaining the patio, you could seal it with a waterproofer sealer.
This acts as a barrier and also prevents lichen from growing on the surface.
Weve created a price guide for driveway sealing, it contains links to sites where you can read reviews of the sealer products we recommend.
Yours Best Patio Cleaners
Editor’s pickIf it’s not obvious from the name, the number one best-selling mould remover Wet & Forget patio cleaner requires very little elbow grease in order to rid your patio, driveway and paths of mould and algae. All you need to do is dilute it in water and throw it over the area you want to de-moss and leave it be. It’s that easy.Review:“Works a treat. Patio and driveway have come up really nice again this summer. Have used this product a number of times and it is much easier, more effective, kinder to driveway… Neighbours blast theirs with high pressure and tonnes of work whilst I just wet and forget, their drives have sand and colour removed whilst mine looks great and retains colour.”
Best child and pet-friendly patio cleanerWith its biodegradable and non-acid formulation, the economical Defenders concentrated path and patio cleaner can clean muck from brick, block paving, tarmac, concrete and stone. It’s even great for use on walls, and is completely safe for use around pets, wildlife, and children. This cleaner might not last as long as some of the other, more heavy-duty cleaners on our list, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind.Review:“My path has never been cleaner. Doesn’t stay clean too long with awful British weather, but after using this stuff I found out my paving stones were a different colour.”
Also Check: How To Wash Patio Cushions
Repairing Paving With Jointing Compound
Over time, the jointing of your paving can loosen and crack. To ensure the longevity of your patio, you should repair any jointing that needs it, and ensure regular maintenance. For both repairing and maintaining jointing, we stock easy to use brush-in jointing compounds to give your paving a neat and tidy finish. The technically advanced formula of Easyjoint makes for a strong, yet flexible joint, and is available in five fabulous colours to match your paving, or provide a stylish contrast. For a multi-jointing and repair compound, Pointfix is the perfect solution, you simply mix together the epoxy resin and epoxy hardener to form a consistent colour, then brush into the gaps for a perfect, hassle-free finish.
To Keep Your Tiles Looking Tip
Azpects Patio & Deck Cleaner
During the duller months of the year, wind and rain will spread dirt and debris all over your garden, including your patio or decking. In which case, you can use Azpects Patio and Deck Cleaner to get it looking its best again.
Despite the name, this Natural Stone Cleaner is not only suitable for your Patio Paving or interior tiles, but it can also be used to effectively clean fences, sheds, and other concrete, stone, and wood surface, including garden ornaments and garden structures!
You can use this product directly or as an additive cleaner for use with a pressure washer. Over a period of weeks, the product continues to work away at the dirt on the surface of your patio, deck or otherwise, so you can expect to continue to notice improvements for some time.
LTP Heavy Duty Grime Remover
LTPs professional-grade Heavy Duty Grime Remover, Grimex is suitable for both interior and exterior use. It will improve the look of your slabs by removing any ingrained dirt, wax, oil, and grease, which makes it ideal for driveways!
This Natural Stone Cleaner is suitable for almost every type of stone, including Sandstone, Granite, Slate and even man-made stone such as Porcelain. You can even use it to clean brick!
Before applying the product, test it in an inconspicuous area using clean water and a sponge.
Also Check: Reslinging Patio Furniture
Ready For Some Outdoors Lounging And Entertaining Take Your Patio And Decking From Grey And Grimy To Looking Great
Patios and decking give us a useful outdoor space for relaxing and socialising, but its not always easy to keep them looking great. Once the summers over, the cold wet weather tends to hit them with a nice layer of green algae, while black mould spots, moss, mildew, plant debris and dirt can all make your decking look dreadful or your patio seem past its prime.
The good news is that it doesnt take a lot to sort this out, whether or not youve got a pressure washer. There are specialist fluids and detergents designed to deal with all these problems and get your patio or decking back to its best. In most cases theres no scrubbing or rinsing involved, and one treatment should keep you clear for around six months which should take you through most of the way to the next winter. Some will also work on any areas of paving, pathways, driveways or outdoor furniture, so everything in your garden looks great.
Which Chemicals Should Never Be Used On A Patio
Brick acid is perhaps one of the most corrosive products you can buy, its often advertised as a brick or patio cleaner but is far too abrasive for use on many patio slabs.
Ive used this chemical to remove hardened cement from hand tools, buckets and shovels. It quite literally dissolves cement and concrete and will eat into the surface of some patio slabs and make them more porous and brittle.
This is definitely one to avoid. It works great at removing cement and mortar but is far too corrosive for most patio slabs.
Read Also: How Many 80lb Bags Of Concrete Are In A Yard
General Natural Stone Cleaning Products
Just like if you were caring for a wooden or carpeted floor, Natural Stone should be cleaned regularly to ensure that they continue to look their best for longer!
When it comes to exterior paving, over time, your slabs will weather which may see them change in appearance. The colour may become darker, for instance. However, inside, especially in areas with not much foot traffic, theres no reason that any Natural Stone shouldnt stay looking the same as when you laid them!
Best Concrete Cleaner Deck Cleaner And Pressure Wash
There’s no messing about with the hassle of a pressure washer or expending your energy on scrubbing your patio clean with the Wet & Forget No Scrub Outdoor Cleaner.
The formula comes ready-mixed, so there’s no need to dilute before use, simply use the attached sprayer to spray the cleaner onto your paving, concrete or driveway and let it sit. Most importantly, dont rinse it off! The product will begin working to break down moss, mold, mildew, and algae, and, because you don’t rinse it off, its nature-depleting powers will keep your patio clean for weeks, if not months.
One bottle covers 60-180 square feet depending on the porosity of your outside flooring. And although we found it worked best on concrete, stone and other hard landscaping, it can be used on a wooden deck or porch too.
Remove black and green stains as well as dirt and grease from your wooden or composite porch and decking with the DeckMAX Concentrated Composite & Wood Deck Cleaner Kit.
The concentrated formula needs diluting before use, but this makes for a generous 1,500 square feet of coverage that’s suitable for use on Timbertech, Trex, Fiberon, or any other type of composite or wood decking.
After wetting the wood or composite deck, spray the area with the diluted deck cleaning solution . Then either use the natural bristle brush that comes included with the kit , or let the solution sit for two minutes before power washing your porch clean.
You May Like: Sub Base For Patio