The best ways to clean flagstone slabs and concrete

Find the best products and methods to clean paving, block paving, flagstones, concrete. Cleaning your patio and driveway has never been easier. From pressure washing to special liquids made just for the job of bringing your surface up like new.

Patio Cleaning tips:

There are a few options available for those wanting to clean their patio or driveway.

• Patio Cleaners, there are many products that will break down dirt and stains on your paving. They come in different strengths and ingredients, there are even some that contain no harmful substances to plants. Pick the cleaning product that best suits your patio surface but also consider environmental effects of the contents especially if you have valuable plants close by to your paving to be cleaned. The standard method used by contractors is to use brick acid but that is really for tough stains like concrete. There are now lots of patio cleaning products available, some are even organic so you can be sure they will be kind to the environment. We recommend browsing the internet for different patio cleaners, check the ingredients and labels, then you will be able to make an informed decision on the best cleaning product for your surface. There are different products an ingredients for different surfaces and dirt. For example removing moss off concrete may need a different product to removing oil off asphalt (tarmac). 

• Power Washing is high pressure washing with water sprays, it is very popular for cleaning block paving, stone paving and concrete. However it will take the face off concrete products with repeated hard blasts. It is best to power clean patios, paths and drives and then add a product to ensure that the surface doesn't need cleaning again. Frequent power washing can make your paving rougher which will attract dirt quicker over time. A power washer can also be used to clean patio furniture and garden furniture, but go easy on it. Using a pressure washer on driveways and patios is a great quick solution but it can be very time consuming. I have spent whole days doing it and it can get rather boring, if the joints in your paving are filled with mud it can get rather messy too. Many people think it looks fun so they buy a machine then realize that it isn't very powerful. One of these cheap power washers will take forever to clean paving so many people do a quick job which leaves ugly streaky marks on the surface. It is our opinion that a surface should be power washed once then  either cleaned with a patio cleaning liquid or sealed with a sealant. Pressure washers (power washers) are available for rent at builders merchants and hire shops, it is worth hiring a powerful machine for a few hours. 

• Sealants are ideal to use after power washing patios and driveways. They will cover your blocks, flagstones, concrete or bricks with a substance that will prevent future dirt from sticking to the surface. Use a paving cleaner before applying a patio sealer. We highly recommend you use a paving sealant after cleaning your surface as it will save on future expense and effort. More info on the  Driveway Sealer page.  

Remember that pressure washing concrete will eventually wear the surface away. For better results don't use a spray with a very high pressure and use a sealer to protect the paving after cleaning. Power washing can be a bit of fun and an easy way to get kids to help you out around the house. If you buy or borrow a machine you will be surprised how easy cleaning your flagstones can be. Just be aware that the water spray needs to be applied evenly to prevent streaking. These machines can also be used to wash the car and outdoor furniture.

Using a service to get the job done:

There are many people who have set up their own small business offering these cleaning services for people's homes. In the UK where the weather causes a lot of moss to grow these companies may use herbicidal treatments which can protect the surface for years to come. If you are thinking of hiring a company to do the job it is best to ask what kind of machinery they use. Ideally you want assurances that they will not be using something which is too heavy duty. Some of the bigger machines will harm the face of some decorative concrete patio surfaces. The better services will use advanced machinery which could involve steam cleaning as opposed to a high pressure water jet.

The idea is to find someone that will charge a reasonable price, whilst also doing a job which lasts. For this type of job it is worth asking neighbors if they have anyone to recommend. Otherwise try and get a few quotes so that you will feel confident that the company will do a good, long lasting job for a reasonable cost. If a sealant is applied then it certainly shouldn't need to be done for a few years. Some sealants promise to protect surfaces like concrete for 5-10 years. If you are using a company and have a surface which collects water, be sure to ask if they will return the following day to ensure that there is no collection of muddy water going to be left on the job.