A step-by-step guide on getting your patio spring-ready.
The most efficient way to clean your patio is by using a pressure washer, it does not waste as much water as you would when using a normal hosepipe and it gets the job done in half the amount of time. You can use a pressure washer on wooden decking, stones or brick paved patios which are bound together with concrete. However, we don’t recommend using it to clean a block-paved patio, as it will simply wash away all the sand and dirt which binds the bricks together.
The strength of a pressure washer is measured in bars, for wooden decking you can use anything up to 130 bars and for stone or brick patios anything up to 140 bars.
So let’s get started!
1. Get your patio ready to clean
Start with a clear workspace removing any furniture, plants and pots from your patio before you get started. Make sure any items which you don't want to get dirty are kept far away or properly covered. You should use a broom to get rid of any debris such as dead leaves or large clumps of dirt, which will make the job easier.
2. Connect your high-pressure washer to the water supply
Most pressure washers can connect to the mains with a simple Gardena connector, press down on the gun lever to make sure the water is flowing freely through your pressure washer before turning on the power.
3. Spray detergent on your patio
Mix the Active Stone Cleaner detergent with a 2-5% mixing ratio in your dispenser bottle, spray it on the area and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. This will help to remove any tough stains or worn in dirt from your patio before we start cleaning.
4. Pressure-wash your patio
Start at one end of your patio and work your way across the whole surface spraying in one direction and back another. While cleaning, rinse regularly and make sure the water can drain away easily. Start at the opposite side to where the water drains, so that the dirt will not drain back over your freshly-cleaned patio.
Top tip: Use a patio cleaning accessory head to make this process even smoother. The rotary jet nozzles work in a circular fashion to spray a more constant, balanced stream of water.
5. Patio maintenance
After cleaning your patio, the best way to keep it in top condition is to spray on a finishing Stone Sealer Detergent. First, you should wait 1-2 hours until the stone cleaner has dried out. Bear in mind the sand between your tiles may have been moved during cleaning, if that’s the case them use a brush to sweep it back. Spray on your Stone Sealer Detergent using 50% water and 50% detergent in your dispenser bottle, and let it dry out completely over a week. And you're done!
