Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Best Ways to Clean a Patio

Have you ever wonder what is the best way to clean a patio? There are many ways. However, there is one that gives a better result for a specific type of material your patio is made of. Another factor to consider in finding a better way is the kind of stuff that you need to get rid. Stuff like weed, molds, oil and other stains require some tough job or strong solutions. Most of the time you would need special tools and chemical formulations.

Before going over to the best ways, let us consider the basic patio cleaning first.

First, you need to remove all your outdoor furniture items and fixtures out from the patio and place it in a safe spot. You do not need to move them far away, a large plastic cover will be good to protect them while you are working. This will clear your patio for easy cleaning, plus, it allows you to see all the surface including those little spots that are supposed to be covered by the patio seats, tables, and outdoor umbrellas.

Then simply sweep and wash away the dirt and debris.

The good thing about doing the basic cleaning is that you will able to see clearly the type of stain or dirt that cannot be removed easily. It makes it easy to determine which cleaning way that you need to apply.

A patio can be made of many different types of materials. But generally, they are made of concrete and stones. These two have different texture and so requires different approach.

Concrete Patio Cleaning
The best approach to cleaning a concrete patio is by using a power washer or pressure cleaning. With a good power washer you can transform a dirty and dull concrete patio to look like new.

Alternatively and in addition to pressure washing, you can use bleach to remove tough stains and mold. Dilute a cup of chlorine bleach into a bucket of water. Apply it using a brush. It is important to apply the bleach into the entire surface area and not just some spot because it may result into an uneven color shade afterwards. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to react with the stain and mold, then rinse.

If the concrete is stained with grease, a degreaser which is available in stores is all you need. Same simple steps, apply it to the area stained with grease, scrub it off, then rinse.

Stone Patio Cleaning
Pressure washing is also the best way to clean a patio that is made of stone. However, it has some limitations and precautions. Some stones cannot withstand high pressure from power washer. Water pressure can chip off stone pieces. Some stone patio paver are decoratively laid with gravel and sand between the gaps and these can ricochet and hit something or someone. Wear some eye protection and thick clothes when you do this.

If you found out that pressure washing is not applicable, then, here are some alternatives.

You can simply use soap mixed in water. Pour it directly to the stone and leave it for at least a couple of minutes. Then scrub the stones with a stiff brush. If you found it hard to remove stains and mold, you can also use chlorine bleach diluted in water.

In conclusion, it seems like pressure washing alone can do best. Yes it does and not only that. Pressure washing helps you clean your patio without using chemicals that pollute the soil and are directly harmful to the plants.

Additional tips!
Declutter your patio. Do not place back in unnecessary items. It will make your patio design to look neat and organized.

Clean your patio furniture and outdoor patio umbrella as well to make them look new on your patio.

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