When you first put down your Sandstone Paving, it will have transformed your garden, driveway or home. You’ll have noticed how much cleaner it made your garden look and how convenient the new, flat surface was. Unfortunately, like many things, if it doesn’t get the care it needs, over time that paving can become worn, stained and tired looking.
It’s important that you take the time to clean your Sandstone Paving as and when it’s required. Yes, you’ve probably got a to-do list with hundreds of other things above cleaning your outdoor paving, but with our guidance, it could be a quick and straightforward task. We’re going to show you how to clean the sandstone paving on your property and explain which products can help.
What Causes the Stains in the First Place?
Before you grab the sealants, compounds or pressure cleaners and start working away, it’s important that you take a moment to plan the task ahead. Take a look at your paving and figure out what’s making it dirty. Once you’ve identified the issue, you can then choose the right product for the job.
If your paving is part of any garden decoration or driveway, there’s a good chance that it’s been affected by algae, moss, lichen and most of all, dirt.
Dirt is the most common offender when it comes to Sandstone Paving. British weather isn’t known for being dry and dusty – especially when grass and mud are involved. If you spend any time at all in your garden, then you’re going to transfer dirt and mud from the garden to your paving.
Algae, on the other hand, has spores that travel in the air and settle on your slabs. In wet conditions they’ll rapidly expand and leave a green discolouration. Lichen and moss are similar to algae in that they discolour your paving and travel in the air. Moss might even grow in the dirt around your slabs and produce an unwanted green frame.
How to Clean Your Paving
It sounds too good to be true, but one of the best ways to clean your paving is with warm, soapy water. It’s one of the safest ways to clean your paving when you follow these steps:
- Mix together warm water with mild detergent in a bucket
- Once the detergent is completely mixed, pour the solution over the paving
- Put in some elbow grease and scrub the paving with a hard-bristled brush
- Make sure you’ve cleaned as much as you can and then pour clean water over the paving.
Leave the cleaned paving for 24 hours. If there’s still signs of discolouration, then you might need something a little stronger.
Using warm, soapy water is a great way to remove dirt. If, however, you have any signs of algae, moss or lichen on your paving, it won’t be fully effective. For a more thorough clean, you’ll also need to use a form of bleach that’s specifically manufactured for paving to remove the discolouration for good. We stock an effective Outdoor Cleaner designed specifically for cleaning flagstones, pavers and driveways and removing stubborn stains and algae.
If this is the case, you’ll follow the same process as before, but instead of using a hard-bristled brush you’ll be using a mop and a power hose. First of all, combine equal parts bleach and warm water, and once the solution is thoroughly mixed, mop the paving with your bleach solution.
After waiting for 30 minutes, use water to remove the bleach from the paving. If you want to be extra sure, use a power hose to remove the bleach solution, and you’ll also be removing any signs of discoloration from your paving.
When using bleach, it’s very, very important that you use the right product. Use the wrong one, and you could completely change the look of your sandstone paving – and not in a good way. We stock two of the best natural sandstone bleaches on the market, with the full range of Lithofin and Nexus products – check out our Paving Cleaners here.
If you’re not sure which cleaning products are best, get in touch on 01977 782240, and our friendly team will be able to guide you in the right direction.
