Patio Cleaner

StoneCare4U Essential Patio Cleaner is your perfect ally in the war to keep your patio clean. Its unique, potent formula will save you time and money by making your patio cleaning more effective. Moreover, it will greatly reduce the number of hours required to do the job properly.

By reducing, or eliminating the reliance on a pressure washer StoneCare4U Essential Patio Cleaner also helps erase the potential risk of damage to the paving or pointing caused by the regular jet washing.

The Importance Of Maintenance

Regardless of the type of paving you have around your property, a little bit of maintenance will be required to keep it in optimum condition. Patios are laid in many forms, from precast concrete slabs to individual brick pavers or natural stone paving. All of these various types of materials for patios are available in countless varieties of shapes and colours.

Generally, the denser and less porous the surface is, the less frequent and easier your patio cleaning will be. Certainly, the surface that will require the most frequent maintenance is any type of sandstone! It has become very popular over the last few years. This is a very porous material, to which algae, dirt and lichens readily attach themselves. Then they become absorbed into the substrate.

If you are considering laying a new patio, this should be a major consideration before choosing your paving. At the other end of the scale, denser materials such as concrete flagstones, limestone and granite paving would prove to be far easier to keep clean.

But if you do decide to go with or already own a Sandstone patio then our sandstone cleaner will be the most effective for you.

Patio Cleaning

The principle of ‘little and often’ is generally a good place to start when looking after any external paved surface. Just sweeping the surface clean every 3 – 6 months is a start. For example, by sweeping the surface clean, muck and debris that will eventually turn into weeds, algae and green growth can be kept at bay. Certainly, this simple process will help stop various spores and seeds from becoming ingrained into the surface or establishing themselves in the joints or seams.

A dirty patio reduces the aesthetic appeal of a garden and if it becomes infested in slimy algae it can also pose a significant health risk. This is because green and black algae can be extremely slippery when wet.

With flagstones or patio slabs, an integral part of the manufacturing process includes the formulation of a protective layer on its surface. With natural stone patios, some materials are polished whilst some are naturally less porous than others. For instance, you will find many varieties of stone are vulnerable to moisture ingress due to their porosity. As a general rule, the more porous the material is, the more regularly that maintenance will be required.

Best Patio Cleaner

When considering your approach to patio slab cleaning, it is important to remember the following. Regular intense pressure washing will quickly wear away the protective film on the paving and risk damage to the pointing.

Our recommended approach to keeping your patio clean would be to reduce or eliminate the need for using a pressure washer. For instance, this can be done by using one of several patio cleaning products formulated to help easily remove organic growth without pressure cleaning.

If the surface is relatively new or still in good condition Algae Remover is a gentle way to remove green or black algae from the surface. This biodegradable product is simple, easy and safe to use. Depending on the volume of algae present, simply dilute and apply as per the instructions. As a result, over the course of the next few days, the algae will gradually melt away as the product takes effect.

When treating an older or more porous surface, a stronger type of patio cleaner might well be required. This is particularly true if black spots or a heavy build-up of lichen or dirt are present. StoneCare4U Essential Patio Cleaner or Black Spot Remover is then recommended.

Although no more toxic than many household cleaners, these patio cleaners have to be used responsibly. Above all, we would recommend safety wear such as a vapour mask, goggles and chemical resistant gloves.

Patio Cleaner Does Not Contain Acid

Prior to applying the Patio Cleaner, saturate the surrounding garden or lawn areas with plenty of water. This will eliminate the risk of damage to grass or fauna. After the product has been left to dwell, it is also recommended to use lots of water during the rinsing-off process.  Importantly, none of the products for cleaning patios contains acid. This means that no bleaching or damage can occur to the paving or pointing.  Before using the products read the label and accompanying documentation thoroughly and contact us directly if you have any questions. To ensure 100% satisfaction, there are various tips that can be adopted. For example, using the product neat where severe contamination has occurred. Work it in with a broom and increase the dwell time.

Our products also contain highly effective inhibitors to help the surface look good for a sustained period. Not only does this greatly reduce future maintenance and labour time, but if used as part of an occasional maintenance programme, eliminates the need for potentially damaging power washing. Importantly, regardless of budget, re-application of the product need not be expensive. In the majority of circumstances, as a preventative, the product can be applied at a ratio of between 1-5 to 1-10. This means that 5 litres of the product will cover anywhere between 100 – 200 m².

Patio Cleaning Made Simple!

It is difficult to be specific on how often a diluted form of the product should be applied. For example, several significant factors need to be taken into account. We have already covered how the age and type of surface laid need to be considered. The prevailing weather will always be a factor. The cooler and damper the general climate the easier it will be for the various algae and lichens to establish themselves. These organisms feed off the minerals produced in the substrate when wet, so without moisture, they cannot thrive or survive. That is to say, north-facing gardens or those shaded by trees will always be harder to maintain than south-facing gardens with plenty of sunshine.

Our simple recommendation would be, whether it is once or twice a year, at the first sign of algae forming on the surface, to apply a simple preventative treatment. As none of the products contains solvents, acid or very viscous ingredients, using a normal garden sprayer or household watering can is fine. If using a hand-held sprayer, one litre of the product can be expected to cover around 4 m² per litre. Application by watering can reduce this to approx 2.5 m² per litre. In conclusion, if the steps in this guide are followed, then any garden slabs can be kept looking good year-round, with a minimum of expense and upkeep.