Now is the time to give your patio a good clean to get it ready for the winter. Giving it a clean now also reduces the risk of any mildew growth forming on the slabs. Patios, as with most things, will require some maintenance to keep them looking their best. Remove all of the furniture and plant pots so that you have a clear space ready for work. It will then need a good sweep or a blow over with a blower first to get the area ready for cleaning. There will be leaves and debris to remove that have accumulated over the autumn when the leaves start to drop. Next give your patio a good scrub, either by hand with soapy water and a hard brush, or you can use a pressure washer. A pressure washer is good for removing any stains or spots from your patio but make sure that you have the level set correctly and not too high as this could cause damage to your slabs and potentially blow out your grout causing stability issues to your paving. Hold at a slight angle about 12 inches from the surface and use the fan spray rather than the jet in a diagonal movement across the paving. Test the pressure first on a paver that is out of the way or in a corner. Always wear safety googles when using a pressure washer to protect your eyes from flying debris. Waterproof clothing is also a good idea if you have some to hand as you will get wet! Finally go over the area one more time to rinse away any residue or cleaner from the slabs. Leave to dry for 24 hours. Continue to keep the area clean throughout the winter by sweeping regularly to maintain your paving.
Looking After Your Garden Paving
Looking after your garden paving. A patio provides a great entertaining space and is a popular choice and a great addition to your home. As with most things it requires a little maintenance and here are some tips and advice for looking after your garden paving. Sweep your patio area regularly with a stiff broom to keep away any fallen leaves or debris. Remove all furniture and give it a good all over sweep. This easy action helps to prevent seed germination. Weed your patio regularly. Try to remove the weed at the roots to prevent them from growing back. If you come across stubborn weeds or have a fair amount of weeds on your patio you can also use a weedkiller product. Be careful when removing weeds as when pulling up the weeds you can remove some of the sand from the joints and you will need to fill in this gap or the weeds will grow again. Most paving slabs just require a bucket of soap and water to keep clean. If you feel that your patio needs a deeper clean then use a specialised patio cleaner to tackle any stubborn stains. Make sure that you check that the product is suitable for the type of pavers that you have installed. This is really important as you don’t want to cause any damage to the surface of the pavers. If you have a natural stone or concrete paver make sure that any patio cleaner that you use is acid free. Test a small area before use. If you choose to use a jetwash to clean your patio make sure that it is on a low power setting and take care around joint areas as the pressure may break or damage the mortar. Work from a good range and at an angle. It is recommended to wash your patio three to four times a year. Applying a sealant will keep your patio looking its best. Again make sure you use the right product for your pavers. Try to seal your patio every few years.
