Patio cleaning… gadget or chemical?
Discussion
98elise said:
Road2Ruin said:
I used a cheapo bottle of bleach from Tesco, a 5L bucket and scrubbed it in with a brush. Worked perfectly and cost about £1
It won't touch white lichen though. I tried everything and 15% Sodium Hypochloride was the only thing that killed it.giving it a go.
Just did mine, generic patio cleaner diluted and sprinkled on with a watering can, scrub with deck brush, then next day use Patio Magic on all the joints to get the black and green out, and a final light spray over the whole patio with what’s left.
Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
Gooose said:
Just did mine, generic patio cleaner diluted and sprinkled on with a watering can, scrub with deck brush, then next day use Patio Magic on all the joints to get the black and green out, and a final light spray over the whole patio with what’s left.
Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
No pressure washing at all? Used a patio cleaner attachment on mine last year with some bleach brushed on and it helped, but wasn't perfect and it's gone back to being grimy and slippery this year. Will need to sort it before the weather is nice enough for the little one to go out there.Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
We need some before and after photos!
AyBee said:
Gooose said:
Just did mine, generic patio cleaner diluted and sprinkled on with a watering can, scrub with deck brush, then next day use Patio Magic on all the joints to get the black and green out, and a final light spray over the whole patio with what’s left.
Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
No pressure washing at all? Used a patio cleaner attachment on mine last year with some bleach brushed on and it helped, but wasn't perfect and it's gone back to being grimy and slippery this year. Will need to sort it before the weather is nice enough for the little one to go out there.Back to looking like new!
I tried a pressure washer before and it just blasts out the joint cement
We need some before and after photos!
Gooose said:
No pressure washing at all, just elbow grease, used screwfix patio cleaner, then patio magic. I had black build up in the joints and the slabs were getting green, this solves it. Easy really just a bit of hard work
Just squirted mine with a hose after spraying it with sodium hypochlorite 30 minutes prior, came up almost like new. No elbow grease.bennno said:
Gooose said:
No pressure washing at all, just elbow grease, used screwfix patio cleaner, then patio magic. I had black build up in the joints and the slabs were getting green, this solves it. Easy really just a bit of hard work
Just squirted mine with a hose after spraying it with sodium hypochlorite 30 minutes prior, came up almost like new. No elbow grease.What is best for moss in between block paving? My limestone patio responds very well to a straightforward jetwash, in fact it comes up beautifully with little effort - a very satisfying task each spring. My block paving driveway, on the other hand, seems to get thick lines of moss between the blocks (not so much weeds - just moss) and it takes a long time to scrape it all out, only for it all to grow back a few weeks later.
mikey_b said:
What is best for moss in between block paving? My limestone patio responds very well to a straightforward jetwash, in fact it comes up beautifully with little effort - a very satisfying task each spring. My block paving driveway, on the other hand, seems to get thick lines of moss between the blocks (not so much weeds - just moss) and it takes a long time to scrape it all out, only for it all to grow back a few weeks later.
You could try non biological washing powder. Sprinkle it on a couple of days before rain is expected. Sounds odd, but it worked for me a few years ago.When the dead stuff has dried out, a yard broom will brush it off.
NDA said:
mikey_b said:
What is best for moss in between block paving? My limestone patio responds very well to a straightforward jetwash, in fact it comes up beautifully with little effort - a very satisfying task each spring. My block paving driveway, on the other hand, seems to get thick lines of moss between the blocks (not so much weeds - just moss) and it takes a long time to scrape it all out, only for it all to grow back a few weeks later.
You could try non biological washing powder. Sprinkle it on a couple of days before rain is expected. Sounds odd, but it worked for me a few years ago.When the dead stuff has dried out, a yard broom will brush it off.
I have a lot of limestone paving which was pretty badly afflicted with black spot.
Got some 15% sodium hypochlorite, sprayed it on at 4:1 dilution, let it sit for 24 hours. Then used spray nozzle high power on jet washer to “paint” every slab methodically. It was slow work (1 day spraying and 3 days jetwashing) but it’s come up sparkling like new.
I believe the chemicals work better while wet so I did the spraying on an overcast day after some rain.
It’s also killed anything green growing on the paving.
Got some 15% sodium hypochlorite, sprayed it on at 4:1 dilution, let it sit for 24 hours. Then used spray nozzle high power on jet washer to “paint” every slab methodically. It was slow work (1 day spraying and 3 days jetwashing) but it’s come up sparkling like new.
I believe the chemicals work better while wet so I did the spraying on an overcast day after some rain.
It’s also killed anything green growing on the paving.
mikey_b said:
What is best for moss in between block paving? My limestone patio responds very well to a straightforward jetwash, in fact it comes up beautifully with little effort - a very satisfying task each spring. My block paving driveway, on the other hand, seems to get thick lines of moss between the blocks (not so much weeds - just moss) and it takes a long time to scrape it all out, only for it all to grow back a few weeks later.
I found MMC-Pro to be pretty good for killing the moss, but a block paving takes constant care. I used MMC-Pro and left for a few weeks, then pressure wash, then re-sanded. Then re-apply MMC pro about twice a year for any light growth.What impact does the BAC-50/patio cleaner have on grass? we have grass in both front and back gardens. I previously used a pressure washer, this was probably 7-8+ years ago. Took ages. Both the slabs at the front and rear have grass right next to them and naturally i don't want to be damaging/killing that.
The front garden probably isn't that much of an issue as the perimeter is lined with raised brick, so this can sheild the chemical, rain water or occasional rinsing down with a garden hose (if needed).
However the rear garden doesnt have anything, so any potential rain water could potentially rinse it off into the grass lawn.
The front garden probably isn't that much of an issue as the perimeter is lined with raised brick, so this can sheild the chemical, rain water or occasional rinsing down with a garden hose (if needed).
However the rear garden doesnt have anything, so any potential rain water could potentially rinse it off into the grass lawn.
Anyone with blackspot issues, this isn't cheap, but it absolutely does the job: https://patioblackspotremoval.com/products/patio-b...
ambuletz said:
What impact does the BAC-50/patio cleaner have on grass? we have grass in both front and back gardens. I previously used a pressure washer, this was probably 7-8+ years ago. Took ages. Both the slabs at the front and rear have grass right next to them and naturally i don't want to be damaging/killing that.
The front garden probably isn't that much of an issue as the perimeter is lined with raised brick, so this can sheild the chemical, rain water or occasional rinsing down with a garden hose (if needed).
However the rear garden doesnt have anything, so any potential rain water could potentially rinse it off into the grass lawn.
BAC50 is OK with grass and plants. Although I do try to avoid getting it on plants and grass. Never noticed any grass dying in all the years I have used it.The front garden probably isn't that much of an issue as the perimeter is lined with raised brick, so this can sheild the chemical, rain water or occasional rinsing down with a garden hose (if needed).
However the rear garden doesnt have anything, so any potential rain water could potentially rinse it off into the grass lawn.
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