No-Nonsense Guide to Cleaning Your Own Patio

No-Nonsense Guide to Cleaning Your Own Patio

Remember that annual BBQ soiree you used to throw every April but haven’t for the past two years because, urgh, the world shut down at the exact moment the sun came out? Well, a mere 24 months since you last welcomed people into your garden and it’s looking like that moment has arrived. Congratulations, your time as grill-master has come and the stakes are high – starting with the state of your patio.

We know it might not seem like much, especially after a few glasses of Rosé, but outdoor surfaces, like your patios and paths, are one of the first things people notice when they pop over to someone’s home, especially if it’s been a while since they’ve popped over. That’s why it’s time to get your lawn looking lush and then ridding your patio of any weeds, algae and moss that’s growing through, over or around your outdoor space.

Of course, it’s not just about looks because when algae, moss and other gross-looking growths are given free rein to spread, it often makes hard surfaces extremely slippery, which isn’t ideal after a few Rosés.

Here’s everything you need to know about cleaning your patio:

How Frequently Should You Clean Your Patio?

When it comes to cleaning up your patio slabs, you should only need to do this once a year, preferably in spring when your patio is probably chock-full of winter mud, grime and a few loose weeds. That said, if you notice a few food stains, grease splatters from your BBQ or any other kind of mess throughout the summer, there’s nothing stopping you from taking on a quick autumn cleaning session. 

How To Clean A Concrete Patio

There’s no two ways about this: cleaning up a concrete patio space almost-always requires a big dollop of elbow grease, as well as a few handy supplies. From a hard-bristled broom to a heavy-duty power washer, commercial cleaning products to a homemade vinegar-and-baking soda solution, it all depends on just how stained your slabs are.

Either way, make sure you pick a nice, mild and slightly-overcast day so that you a) don’t get too hot while you work up a sweat and b) your cleaning solution doesn’t evaporate the moment you lay it down. 

And with that covered, here’s your four-step guide to cleaning your patio:

Step 1: Clear Your Patio

Sure, you cloud clean around your patio furniture and planters, but that’s kind of lazy and probably going to look that way too. So make sure you start off by clearing everything off your patio area: tables, chairs, outdoor sofas, BBQ grills, plant pots, toys, heaters, everything. Then once you’ve done that, grab yourself a broom (or that leaf blower you bought yourself for Christmas) and remove any loose debris you can. After that, it’s time to get the garden hose, twist the nozzle to a wide spray angle and wet down your patio.

Step 2: Mix Up Your Solution

Remember how fun the practical side of science classes used to be? Well, this is your chance to pop a white coat on and start creating your own cleaning solution, starting with a cup of baking soda poured into a plastic bucket. Now start slowly adding two cups of distilled white vinegar. This mixture should now begin to foam up more than a vanilla latte, but a bit of slow mixing should settle it down again until it looks like a creamy soup: not so thick that it won’t spread, but thick enough to hang onto the surface. If that’s what you have, start spreading your solution over your patio with a mop. As to how much you will need, that all depends on the size of your patio. 

Step 3: Get Your Scrub On

After you’ve covered your patio in the cleaning solution, leave it to soak for about half-an-hour before using a nylon cleaning brush to clean the entire area. The reason for nylon is simple: metal brushes can both scratch your surface and leave bits of metal in them that will quickly cause a rust stain.

Pro tip: use a scrub brush with a long handle so that you don’t suffer from the dreaded knee, back and shoulder ache.

Step 4: Rinse Off & Leave To Dry

Having scrubbed your heart out (and then slurped down the best cuppa of your life), it’s time to rinse your cleaning solution away with a hose and leave to dry out completely before putting all your patio furniture and bits back again. It’s also worth spraying down any nearby bushes, plants, shrubbery and grass that may have been splattered with your solution so that they don’t get harmed. 

Time To Call in The Professionals

Cleaning up a weather-worn, moss-heavy and pretty mucky patio can be a lot of work, and that’s without even mentioning rust stains from your garden furniture and barbecue grill. Long story short, they’re a nightmare to get out. That’s where we come in. 

Our team of expert surface cleaners not only know exactly how to deal with every kind of different stain, but we use a gentler alternative to pressure washing that is both more effective and more affordable. But here’s the best bit: this “soft washing” technique of ours is great at getting to the root cause of any growth and then killing the spores without damaging your surfaces. What’s more, just two visits a year will leave your hard surfaces looking as sublime as they did when you first laid them (and if they were already there when you bought your house, well, this could be the surprise party you never knew you needed). 

What To Expect From Our Surface Cleaning Service

Free surface analysis: With no obligation to buy, you’ll receive a full report of the current state of your patio, path or driveway. This allows us to determine the most effective course of action and to give you an accurate quote.

Bye-bye weeds: We’ll remove all weeds, moss and algae with one treatment so that you can enjoy an immaculate, slip-free surface that looks incredible, without once damaging the surface.

Soft washing treatment: Our special cleaning method is more effective than pressure washing and no damage to your surfaces. Plus, you’ll save money too.

Tailored and unique service: We know all surfaces have different needs and so won’t decide on a treatment until we’ve seen yours.

Expert impartial advice: We’ll explain, jargon-free, how our surface cleaning service works and help you maintain it when we’re not around.

Free revisits: We’ll come back and check our treatments are working as they should. And if we see an issue, we’ll fix it – free of charge.

Thanks for reading our No-Nonsense Guide to Cleaning Your Own Patio. For more lawn care tips and tricks, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.