If you are lucky enough to have a patio, you understand how wonderful it is to have a space where your family and friends can gather to share time together outdoors. Especially now that we are living through a pandemic, patios are becoming more and more popular as they provide a safe and comfortable environment for people to gather outdoors.
With all of this extra time spent on your patio, you must be interested in how to keep it properly maintained. Cleaning pavers certainly takes some skill. It’s nothing too difficult, but cleaning patio pavers takes time and attention to detail. Allow us to explain exactly how you should clean your patio to keep it looking spectacular all year long!
Cleaning Your Patio
- Prepare The Space: Before you do anything, make sure you clear off the entire patio! This includes all patio furniture, potted plants, grilles…you name it. If it’s on the patio, it’s gotta go so that you have a completely clear surface to clean. Next, you want to determine what kind of staining may have taken place. You could have leaf stains, grease stains from food or mildew. This is important to take note of for later when you do your best to remove them. After you determine what stains you will be attacking later, check out your paver joints to see if any sand has started to wear away. Finally, look to see if any weeds have started to grow in between the pavers.
- Get Those Stains!: Now that you have determined which stains you have, allow us to share how you can attack them to restore the beauty of your paver patio. Start by using a leaf blower to blow away any extra debris that is sitting on the patio. Next, wash down the whole patio with clean water. Use a hose to make it easier!
Grease: For grease stains, you can actually use a degreasing dish soap that you likely have in your house. To remove the stain, start by cleaning the surface with a towel, followed by boiling hot water all over the stain. Then, place a generous amount of the dish soap on the stain and let it sit for about 30 minutes before you scrub it off. Repeat as needed.
Mildew: For Mildew stains, a bleach solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach will do the trick. Sprinkle the solution across the entire area that needs to be cleaned. You will also want to allow this solution to sit for about 30 minutes before scrubbing it off – this time with a stiff nylon bristle brush. Finish it off by giving the patio a clean bath of clean water. Repeat as needed.
- It’s All About The Weeds: The best way to get rid of weeds is to purchase a weed killer. Once killed, remove the weeds from the sand joint. It’s imperative here to get the root!
We hope this gives you the confidence you need to get out on your pavers patio when you have the time to clean it up so that you can enjoy this space throughout the year. For more information about how to clean your paver patio, give us a call at 610.844.9450.
