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PATI-WOAH!
I’m a patio pro – you don’t need a pressure washer to clean your slabs…just two household items will get them sparkling
Scroll down as the experts shared the FREE way to remove weeds from in between your slabs
IF you’ve got plans to have guests over this weekend and your patio could do with some TLC, then you’ve come to the right place.
There’s nothing worse than relaxing in the garden on a sunny day, only to have moss and algae covered patio tiles staring at you.
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But fear not, thanks to the experts at Simply Paving, you’ll never need to worry about having a messy patio ever again.
And even better, you won’t need to splash the cash on a posh pressure washer, as thanks to their tips, you can use two household items to get them sparkling in an instant.
The paving specialists at shared their top tips and tricks with Fabulous, just in time for summer.
WASH THIS
The experts claimed that you don’t need ‘fancy products’ to clean your patio, and in fact, can use washing-up liquid to get them gleaming.
The experts revealed: “Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need any fancy products to clean a patio without a pressure washer.
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“In fact, one of the most effective patio cleaning products is good old-fashioned washing-up liquid mixed with warm tap water.
“All you need to do is squirt a little washing up liquid into the base of a bucket and fill with warm water. Using this soapy mixture, start from the corners and splash a little water onto your patio, grab a hard-bristled brush and scrub.
“Repeat with the splashing and scrubbing routine until you’ve covered your whole patio. You will likely need to head inside a few times to top up your cleaning solution if you are cleaning a large patio.
“Clean the dirty water away with a bucket of clean water so that it flows into a drainage point.
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“A top tip is to scrub diagonally as this is gentler on the jointing compound and less will come out during cleaning.”
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And don’t worry, using washing-up liquid is not only effective, but it’s safe to use too, as the experts added: “Washing up liquid is safe to use when cleaning a patio, and will actually garner great results!”
GRAB THE VINEGAR
Not only this, but there’s another cheap buy that’s probably lurking in your cupboards that you can use.
The patio pros advised: “White vinegar is safe to use as a patio cleaner – in fact, it has many benefits as it is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and non-chemical.
“Tailored to tough cleaning jobs, white vinegar is a good cleaning method if you are freshening up a very dirty patio.
A hard-bristled brush is best for cleaning the patio
Experts at Simply Paving
“To clean with white vinegar, mix it with water in a 1:1 ratio in a bucket. Pour your vinegar and water solution over your patio and leave the vinegar to work its way into the paving slabs for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, clean the dirty water away with a bucket of clean water.
“However, you shouldn’t use this to clean limestone pavers as the acid will permanently damage their surface.”
And if you aren’t sure which brush to use, the experts advised: “A hard-bristled brush is best for cleaning the patio.
“We would recommend using a hard-bristled brush instead of a sponge. A sponge won’t cause any harm to your patio, but it won’t be as effective at scrubbing away stains.”
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
To make things that bit simpler, the pros shared their step by step guide to cleaning a patio.
They explained: “Here are our top tips for how to clean natural stone, concrete and porcelain paving slabs.
Firstly, you’ll need to sweep away the day-to-day dirt that builds up on your patio over a few months.
Next, scrub the pavers with warm soapy water. If you have natural stone paving, you may notice some slight discolouration after cleaning, but don’t panic; this is perfectly normal and a characteristic of natural stone.
If you have concrete paving, do not take a shortcut with a pressure washer to clean your patio
Experts at Simply Paving
Following this, if the sweep and scrub solution isn’t cutting it, then consider a specialised patio cleaner or white vinegar to tackle those tougher stains.
However, the pros highly recommend you check the suitability of the product for use with your patio, as an overly acidic patio cleaner can cause irreversible damage to certain types of pavers, such as limestone paving.
The experts then added: “If you have concrete paving, do not take a shortcut with a pressure washer to clean your patio. It may save time, but this method is too aggressive and can damage the surface and performance of your pavers.
“Regardless of your methodology, we recommend you thoroughly wash your patio three to four times a year, rather than just at the beginning and end of the summer season.”
The experts shared their thoughts on jet washers, as they added: “We would recommend cleaning your patio paving with more gentle methods such as hot water and washing up liquid.
“However, if you are tackling tougher stains, and white vinegar isn’t cutting it, then a pressure washer could be a good investment.
“Just ensure that your patio or paving is suitable for this harsher cleaning method and that you don’t overdo it – one clean with a pressure washer each season is more than enough.”
How to repair broken patio slabs
THE paving specialists at Simply Paving told Fabulous how you can repair broken patio slabs, without the faff.
The experts advised: “If you have a loose paving slab, then it’s unlikely it can be lifted straight by hand. Instead, you will probably need a hammer and chisel to prise the paver free of your patio.
“To remove loose paving slabs without damaging your flagstones, carefully chip away at the mortar around the paving slab with the plugging chisel and rubber mallet until the slab comes completely loose.
“Then, slide the spade into the gap left by the mortar and prise the paver free of the patio.
"As you lift it up, place a short piece of timber underneath the spade to act as a lever, making it easier for you while protecting the slab underneath.
“When the paver starts to give, place the cylindrical wood underneath it and roll the slab out of the patio.”
WEED IT OUT
If that wasn’t enough, if you’ve got stubborn weeds in between your patio slabs that won’t shift, fear not.
And don’t worry, you won’t need to spend money on any fancy cleaning products or tools, as the pros recommended: “When it comes to removing weeds, you can get the best results with the most straightforward method: stripping them out by hand.
Baking soda is probably the simplest and safest way to soften up and kill weeds
Experts at Simply Paving
“Ensure you wear a thick pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands and get a good grasp on the stems, then pull the weeds out, roots and all.
“White vinegar and salt can be used to dry out the weeds, often making them easier to remove.”
To ensure that your weeds don’t return, the experts added: “But removing weeds is only half the job: you need to ensure they don’t just return in a month’s time too.”
The pros then shared two simple ways to keep your patio free of weeds, as they advised: “Baking soda is probably the simplest and safest way to soften up and kill weeds.
“All you need to do with it is sprinkle it over your patio slabs and then sweep it into the gaps between your slabs. Once you’ve done this, simply pour some water down the gaps too.
“Not only does this kill the roots, the combination of baking soda and water also means they’ll be easier to uproot too. If you repeat this process every month or so, you’ll easily be able to stop grass growing between slabs.”
Not only this, but boiling water will do the trick too, as the experts continued: “Boiling water can cause serious damage to any weed roots or seeds you missed with your gardening gloves.
“Simply boil the kettle, or heat up some water in a pan, and then pour the boiling water into the gaps between the paving slabs to prevent weeds from growing.
“Pouring boiling water onto weeds can also make pulling them out easier. The soil and roots soften up and do not cling as stubbornly to the earth.
“Make sure to take care when pouring the boiling water, always pouring from a short height and directly onto the weeds themselves.
“These tips will help to stop weeds growing in your patio, as well as algae and moss.”
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ALGAE BE GONE
If your patio needs a little more TLC when it comes to removing algae or pesky lichens, the experts shared some extra easy steps you can take.
They explained: “Wearing protective gloves, dilute equal parts warm water and bleach and mix together.
“When combining any harsh chemical, like bleach, to water, always remember to fill your bucket with water first, and then add the chemical. This helps to reduce potential splashback.
“Pour the solution over your algae and lichen-covered areas and leave it to work its magic for a few minutes.
“Once your time is up, rinse away with clean water. The bleach should have lifted the algae away by itself, but if it hasn’t, a quick scrub with a hard-bristled brush and more water should clear away any remaining green specks.
“Lichens will take several scrubs to remove completely, so keep repeating step three until your block paving is all clear.
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"It could take around four or five attempts to remove every lichen speck, so be patient and persevere – we promise your efforts will pay off.”
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