The Best Way To Clean Your Patio

  • Editor: Alex
  • Time to read: 4 min.

Walking by your patio and you are consumed with that sense of shame? Well, do not go blaming yourself; maintaining a clean patio can be time-consuming and stressful. Nevertheless, you will be glad to read this post as we would be breaking down the steps to effectively clean your patio.

The biggest enemy to patios is moisture which is obviously inevitable. It promotes the growth of algae, fungi, lichen and moss which can stain or mask the colour of the pavement with time. With our step-by-step guide, you will learn how to clean your patio with soapy water, bleach, vinegar[1] and pressure washer.

Tools Needed

  • Bucket
  • Protective gloves
  • Access to Warm water
  • A big hard-bristled brush
  • Heavy-duty garden broom
  • Watering can for bleach or vinegar method
  • Suitable detergent for pressure washer method
  • Liquid or powdered soap for soapy water method

 

 

How To Effectively Clean Your Patio With Soapy Water

Step 1: Eliminate the Weeds

If you find yourself with weeds, begin cleaning by removing them. You can do this by uprooting or using a weed killer in extreme cases.

Step 2: Make A Soapy Solution

Fill your bucket with warm water and add soap to it, mix till the top becomes foamy. Soaps with acid should not be used on concrete paving, irrespective of materials any soap containing marble or limestone should be equally avoided.

Step 3: Brush Away

Map out a portion, to begin with, especially if your patio is big- let your mind do the markings. Pour your soapy solution on the areas you choose to start with. Remember to put on protective gloves. Then with a long handle bristle brush, begin scrubbing.

Step 4: Rinse Off

Once you are certain you have dislodged all the debris, rinse that portion with clean water and avoid the garden areas. After rinsing, if the patio looks like it could use a little more scrubbing, repeat the process after waiting a few hours.

Step 5: Don’t Forget Your Joints

Remember to clean your joints, they are important features of your pavings- they hold the structure in place. So, remove weeds and fill any visible gaps in the joint.

Regular cleaning of your patio ensures a neat appearance of your home.

How To Clean The Patio With Bleach

Step 1: Prep Your Patio

Sweep off the dirt on your patio before you start cleaning.

Step 2: Mix the Bleach with Water

Bleach trumps soapy water due to its cleaning power and although it can be disastrous to plants, it effectively removes stains and dirt. One disadvantage is that it could fade artificial pavings upon frequent usage; thus, it is suitable for natural paving stones.

Mix your bleach with water using a ratio of 1:5. Do this in a watering can.

Step 3: Dress and Brush Your Paving

Pour the mixture all over your patio, avoiding garden areas while wearing a glove. Start brushing, till you notice white foam build-ups. When you are done cleaning, allow the bleach to do its magic for fifteen minutes.

Step 4: Rinse Off

Lastly, with clean water, rinse off the washings.

How To Clean The Patio With Vinegar

Step 1: Clean the Area

Remove any furniture or ornaments in your patio and cover the immovable ones. De-weed, sweep and clean your space.

Step 2: Mix Your Vinegar with Water

Mix both items together in two equal parts. You can use the white vinegar made from grain, it is eco-friendly and also possesses high cleaning power. In extreme situations, mix your water with more vinegar.

Step 3: Spread the Mixture Evenly

Pour your mix into a watering can. Use the watering can to spread the mixture all over your patio till you have adequately covered the area. Allow soaking for twenty-five minutes.

Step 4: Brush Off Dirt and Grimes

Once the given time is completed, the solution should have lifted all the dirt, then you can brush away the dirt/grimes. Make sure to brush the cracks and joint as vinegar will do an excellent job of killing any untouched weeds.

Step 5: Mop to Rinse Off

Get cold water in a bucket and mop the area- this will kill off the vinegar mix and its smell. Replace moved furniture after your patio surface is completely dry.

How To Clean Your Patio With a Pressure Washer

Step 1: Prepare the Area

Using a pressure washer is effortless, but first, you must remove furniture and weeds then you can proceed to sweep and clean the patio.

Step 2: Connect the Machine to The Mains

Pressure washers require a constant supply of water to do work.

Step 3: Fill with Detergent

Add a suitable detergent to the mix in the pressure washer. Spray unto your patio and allow to settle for ten minutes.

Step 4: Keep Your Variance Lance at Medium Pressure

Twist the nozzle of your pressure washer and set at medium pressure level. Make sure to cover all the area when spraying your paving- use a wide fan. Ensure that the angle of your spray is at 45 degrees, this will give an extreme cleaning force to the machine.

Step 5: Disconnect the Pressure Washer

After cleaning, disconnect and empty the water.

Glossary

[1] Link

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