A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CLEANING YOUR PATIO

To ensure that your garden remains the oasis of your dreams, some work is required. Not only when getting the garden ready for spring, but also during the gardening season. Inevitably, the patio, paths and driveway become stained by accumulating twigs and leaves. The change in weather can also have a negative effect on patio stones stones. The change in weather can also have a negative effect on patio slabs. Moss, weeds, or lichen may start to grow on the paving stones. Follow these tips to clean your patio and keep it looking its best.

What to consider when your patio?

It's quite normal for a paved driveway or patio to look less than new over time due to the weather and heavy use. In some cases, it may even become discoloured, for example after trimming fruit trees or after a garden party. There are useful tools for cleaning paving stones, such as joint scrapers, sweepers, and pressure washers. They can also be cleaned with a small pickaxe, broom, and garden hose. In addition to specialist patio cleaners, there are home remedies such as soda, vinegar, and washing up liquid that can be used to clean pavers.

However, what actually works? And what should you best avoid when cleaning paving stones? Just like there many roads that lead to Rome, there are several ways to clean paving stones or get rid of weeds. First and foremost, it requires various tools and cleaning products. The best approach depends on a few factors: the material of your patio or driveway (whether natural stone, concrete, or clay), as well as the type of weather it’s exposed to.

How to clean paving stones: remove coarse dirt first

Before cleaning between the pavers, first remove coarse dirt from the paving stones' surface. This will prevent unnecessary dirt from spreading and staining the patio area or house walls when thoroughly cleaning the paving stones.

To gather leaves and loose twigs, a conventional broom or garden rake can be used. However, it is best to use a plastic model to avoid any scratches on the paved surfaces. Those who have to clean particularly large areas can also use a sweeper. There are some great advantages of this practical helper. You don’t have to bend down, and you save a lot of time, because leaves & co. are collected straight away. All you have to do is tip the greenery into the organic bin.

In general coarse dirt should be removed regularly from paving stones. This helps to prevent the formation of moss, weeds and stubborn fungal lichens, as these grow especially in shady and damp places.

Tip

Regular cleaning of your paving stones is essential, particularly if a splash of sauce or wine has gone astray at a barbecue or garden party. When fat or oil lands on paving stones, stubborn and unsightly stains can form quickly. A patio or deck cleaner concentrate works well here and can be applied to the affected area with either a pressure washer or a spray bottle. If you don't have a specialist cleaner handy, oil stains can also be treated with an absorbent material such as cat litter or sawdust, which can then simply be swept away once it has soaked up the grease.

Clean gaps between patio slabs

Once the coarse dirt is removed, it’s time to concentrate on cleaning the joints between the patio slabs. TThis step should never be skipped, as weeds often grow in the gaps and can easily spread across the patio surface when rinsing afterwards.

The most effective way to remove weeds from the joints is with a joint scraper. A garden hoe or spatula can also do the job. These methods are inexpensive and environmentally friendly, though they do require some time and patience. To make the task easier on your back and knees, work in short sessions and use tools with long handles wherever possible.

After the weeds have been removed, sweep them up and dispose of them straight away. This helps keep your patio, driveway, or courtyard looking neat and prevents seeds from spreading again.

How to clean paving stones, with a garden hose or a pressure washer?

Once you've swept away the dirt and removed all weeds from the joints, it's time to start cleaning the surface of the paving stones. For a thorough clean, you can rely on a pressure washer. Alternatively, a handheld cleaner could be used for this purpose. You could also use the water from your home and rinse off the paved areas with a garden hose and a spray gun. This cleans the paving stones quite well, however, with the pressure washer, both joints and surfaces can be freed more thoroughly from dirt.

The pressure washer in combination with a dirt cutter is an excellent option. This removes not only weeds and moss from the surface, but also from indentations. Keeping up with this type of cleaning means that there is less time for weeds to grow. It also helps to maintain the beauty of the paving stones’ surface.

Cleaning pavers with a pressure washer and dirt cutter is done in three simple steps:

Attach the dirt cutter to the pressure washer or adjust the rotating nozzle on the spray gun, depending on the model.
Hold the rotating water jet almost vertically above the floor and slowly move it over the surface, keep a 15 cm distance from the ground. If you do aim for the gaps, be aware that any material used in those gaps will be removed. So might have to refill the joint with sand afterwards.
When finished sweep up loosened weeds and dispose of them.

It’s important to always work with the slope, so that the dirty water can run off and doesn’t spread over the already cleaned surface. In short, pressure washers are an effective way to clean paved paths and stone patios. Especially on flat surfaces, the use of a surface cleaner with rinsing function is also excellent. It can be used to thoroughly remove green deposits and dirt even in hard-to-reach corners and on edges. Thanks to the rinsing nozzle, the dirty water is rinsed away at the same time. Other advantages: You are protected while working and cleaning is faster than with a cleaning nozzle.

Cleaning the edge of the paving stone with a Kärcher pressure washer

A man cleans the path in front of his house with a combination of a Kärcher pressure washer and an surface cleaner

Should you clean any type of pavers with a pressure washer?

Paths made of natural stone like granite or basalt are sturdy and tough enough to be cleaned with a pressure washer. However, concrete or terracotta slabs are more delicate, and a strong water jet can easily damage the surface. The same applies if your patio has very wide joints - too much pressure can wash out the sand and loosen the slabs. When in doubt, it’s always best to check with a garden centre or supplier about whether your type of stone is suitable for high-pressure cleaning.

If a standard pressure washer isn’t appropriate, there are gentler alternatives. Medium-pressure handheld cleaners, often used with a scrubber attachment, can remove dirt effectively without damaging the surface. Cleaning becomes particularly effective with a matching scrubber attachment. For tougher stains, a rotary nozzle or a good stiff brush combined with water and mild detergent can achieve similar results.

A man cleans paving stones with the Kärcher scrubber attachment

Do home remedies help when cleaning paving stones?

To remove moss and weeds, there are several household alternatives you can try instead of commercial cleaners. For example, if you don’t have a specialist patio cleaner to hand, washing-up liquid or baking soda can be effective options.

Anyone choosing home remedies should always ensure they are biodegradable and safe for the environment. It’s also important to wear protective gloves and goggles, particularly to protect your hands and eyes while applying the solution.