Concrete slab/patio cleaner ?

Apr 03, 2005 16 Replies

I have a large patio at the rear of my house, which is in the shade and out of the weather most of the year, and therefore gets green with algae and also dirty.



I've tried a couple of cleaners, like Jeyes etc., and nothing seems to



*really* work - it still looks a bit dingy even after a good soak and scrub with a brush. It's spring again, I've just had a good go at it this morning and it doesn't look that good ...

Any suggestions for a really good, effective cleaner anyone ?



Thanks.



Barbara


Yes, a power washer! You won't believe how effective they are at cleaning patios etc, plus no elbow grease needed. The other advantage is that males are genetically programmed to adore playing with them, so if you have one of them around (a bloke that is) you'll never have a mucky patio again.

David

Barb wrote: :: I have a large patio at the rear of my house, which is in the :: shade and out of the weather most of the year, and therefore gets :: green with algae and also dirty. :: :: I've tried a couple of cleaners, like Jeyes etc., and nothing :: seems to *really* work - it still looks a bit dingy even after a :: good soak and scrub with a brush. It's spring again, I've just :: had a good go at it this morning and it doesn't look that good ... :: :: Any suggestions for a really good, effective cleaner anyone ?

Algy dosn't like alkalines...use a detergent like washing soda or a mild caustic soda solution, either water it onto a damp[1] surface with a watering can or spray it on and leave it for a while (45 mins+) then scrub with a stiff brush and finally rinse with the hosepipe.

[1] if the patio is very dry, the solution will not penetrate as well, just give it all a blast over with the hosepipe twenty mins before you apply the soda.

Thanks for the suggestions, chaps.

(The power washer sounds good .... so does the beer!)

Barb

Pressure washer.

Pressure washer = big boy's water pistol :-)

Trouble is you have to do it yourself.

If you get SWMBO or teenagers on the job they get bored and, moving in close with the lance set to a fine jet start writing names or drawing patterns on the soiled paving.

These you can *never* get off.

DG

If you have adequate mains pressure an ordinary hose has enough grunt, mostly.

But does tend to use a heck of a lot more water!

Nick Maclaren muttered:

Or cars, a neighbour got one and his pressure washer made all the gravel fly up and chip off the paint work of his new Mercedes in the drive ;o)

|> >> Any suggestions for a really good, effective cleaner anyone ? |> >

|> > Yes, a power washer! You won't believe how effective they are at cleaning |> > patios etc, plus no elbow grease needed. The other advantage is that |> > males are genetically programmed to adore playing with them, so if you |> > have one of them around (a bloke that is) you'll never have a mucky patio |> > again. |> >

|> Absolutely right, it's a bloke thing - they are fantastic - will clean your |> patio up a treat. All you need to do is make him a cup of tea or better |> still give him a beer.

Nuts. The gimmick freak in my house is my wife. I am old fashioned. A stiff broom, a handful of sharp sand, some water with washing up liquid in it and SEVERAL beers.

Cheaper, needs less space to store, better for you, usable in areas with hosepipe bans, less damaging to plants etc.

Regards, Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren wrote: .

My mother uses a broom and a mixture of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Works a treat it seems, though mind the plants !

I'll bet your mother never measured the mix. If she was like mine it was a bucket of wate withe a 'Good' dash of bleach and 'Heres the brush'

Ha yes, I was guestimating her formula :-)

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