43 HOW TO CONCRETE CLEANPATIOA

A concrete patio is extremely durable and fairly maintenance free – often an occasional sweep and rinse off will suffice.

But if your slabs are looking a little green in places where water pools, or you’ve moved pots and planters only to discover plant rings, then a good clean is in order.

■ Start by removing any furniture and planters from the area, then give the patio a good sweep to remove any loose debris. Remove weeds from any gaps in paving by pulling or scraping them out.

■ You can either clean your patio using a pressure washer or good old fashioned elbow grease. If using the former, apply your cleaning solution to the concrete and start the washer on low using the fan setting, doing a few test sprays to get the ideal pressure. Working in a sweeping motion, clean the paving using long sweeps that overlap the previous one, ensuring a consistent result once dry. To clean out any corners, swap to the jet setting and aim into the corner, following an L-shaped action. Try to work from a shallow angle, say 30° or less, and work diagonally across paving to avoid parallel washing of the joints, which could damage pointing.

■ No pressure washer? It’s not as speedy, but using a brush and hose can be just as effective. Once you’ve poured your chosen cleaning solution over the slabs, agitate it with a brush, before rinsing with clean water. Leave for 24 hours, before repeating if necessary.

■ For more stubborn stains, household bleach works well on grey concrete (although it will cause coloured concrete paving to fade over time). It’s best to avoid it if your paving runs off into a bed or lawn area. Using a mix of one part bleach to five parts water, leave for 15 minutes before rinsing off again with clean water. If you have pets, be sure to rinse the surface thoroughly and allow it to dry before letting them outdoors.