No matter how well your patio has been laid and how high the quality of materials you use, you’ll still need to treat it with plenty of love in order to keep it looking its best. That doesn’t just mean regular cleaning, it also involves maintenance work that will prevent damage and prolong your patio’s life. Here’s a few top tips.
Basic patio cleaning
Basic cleaning is simple: just use a bucket of hot, soapy water and a broom with stiff bristles. Washing up liquid works perfectly, as do a range of other cleaning products, but it’s important to always check the label before use to ensure they’re acid-free and can be used on the material of your patio.
Simply pour the soapy water onto your slabs and scrub well, before rinsing off – either with a bucket of clean water, or with a hose, being careful not to loosen or dislodge your patio jointing.
Patio cleaning buckets
How to kill weeds (and prevent their growth)
Weeds are the bane of patio owners’ lives: not only do they spoil the look of a paved area, but they can also cause damage. Weeds grow as a result of seeds being spread (by the wind, by birds or by the bottoms of shoes) and landing between paving slabs. Whatever type of patio you’ve built, weeds are likely to grow: there’s no type of paving that is guaranteed to be weed-free.
What you should do, however, is deal with weeds before any serious issues arise. Regular sweeping of your patio can get rid of any seeds before they start to grow, while weedkillers that have been designed specifically for use on paths and patios will prevent discolouration of your paving slabs and won’t attack any surrounding plants that you want to keep.
Moss in the patio
Algae and lichen can be unsightly, but they’re also easy to treat. Use a diluted bleach mixture and a stiff bristled broom: you may need a lot of elbow grease to get rid of lichen that has firmly stamped its mark.
For moss, it’s best to avoid commercially sold “moss killers” from garden centres, as these can actually discolour paving slabs. Instead, simply ensure that you sweep and scrape your patio regularly to prevent it from growing: a good clean twice a month or more will nip any such problems in the bud.
Tips from the expert
Our patio expert Clive says that when it comes to patio cleaning, avoid using a jet wash – this is a very abrasive method of cleaning and can take the face off a lot of paving slabs. Stick to using a mild cleaning solution and a brush!
For all of your patio cleaning and maintenance needs, head to Bradfords.
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