How to clean block paving without a pressure washer
Do you want to know how to clean block paving without using a pressure washer? We have provided this simple guide to help to keep your block pavers clean & weed free.
All without the need to use a petrol or electric jet washer. You should learn how to clean block paved patio or driveway because regular maintenance of your block paving helps keep the surface structurally strong. Stops sinking of the paving, stops it becoming slippery and keeps it looking great.
- Read our guide on cleaning block paving with a pressure washer here
- Pressure washer reviews. Pressure washers for sale for under £100.00
Step-by-step instructions on how to clean block paving without using a pressure washer
Give your dirty and dull looking driveway or patio a new lease of life with our easy-to-follow instructions on how to clean block paving without using a pressure washer. It does not have to be costly to do. And afterwards, you will feel like you have had new paving installed.
1. Remove all pots & patio furniture off the block paving
Before you begin to clean your block paving you first need to remove any plant-pots or patio furniture that is sat on the paving. This stops any dirty marks being left on the paving if you decide to move the pots or furniture at a later date.
2. Brush the surface to remove any loose dirt
Brush the block paving surface with a stiff broom to remove all loose material.
If the area you are cleaning is large you could use a leaf blower. If you do decide to use a leaf blower be careful to remove all loose stones and large debris first. These can become projectiles & could cause damage if they hit glass windows or cars.
3. Remove any weeds and moss from the block paving
When you are ready you need to remove any weeds that are growing on the surface.
We have used a metal scraping tool for the large weeds and a wire brush for the removal of moss and dirt that lies on the paving joints.
If your paving has a heavy infestation of moss & weeds it would be best to apply a weed killer a few days or weeks before you clean your block paving & allow the weeds to die.You can tell the weed killer has worked because moss will turn brown and the weeds will wilt.
When moss dies it turns brown and becomes surprisingly loose from the surface of the paving joints making it far easier to clean block paving.
If you are going to use a pressure washer to remove the weeds please read our guide first.
4. Sweep clean the paving surface to remove the moss & weeds
Once you have removed all the weeds & moss you need to sweep clean your paving surface once again. Check to see if any weeds remain.
If any weeds remain please remove them.
5. Treat oil and grease stains with an oil remover if necessary
If necessary, treat any areas of paving blocks that have oil stains on them separately with a suitable oil and grease removing cleaner. If the oil stain on the block paving is only light then try applying neat washing up liquid. After applying, scrub vigorously then rinse with hot soapy water whilst still scrubbing. This method of removing oil from your paving could remove or disguise the oil stained paving sufficiently for you not to notice the oil stain.
Often if you’re paving is very dirty, oil stains in your block paving do not become apparent until you have cleaned your paving. In which case, you may need to repeat the cleaning process after treating any oil stain. Do this after you are confident that you have removed the oil stain from the surface of the pavers.
6. Apply a cleaner or specialist driveway & patio solution
Begin by applying water to wet the whole surface.
Do you need to apply a paving cleaner? This depends on how dirty your paving has become. If the dirt is light, you can simply apply a solution of weak soapy water to the block paved surface to lift the dirt from the surface.
You could apply a biodegradable recommended paving cleaning product that does not require the use of a pressure washer to clean the pavers. Or you could try using bleach.
As well as removing dirt and making your paving look new again, a cleaner such as bleach will kill the weeds, algae and moss at the same time.
7. Gently scrub the water or cleaner into the surface of your block paving
Once the cleaner has been applied, you then need to brush the solution into the whole surface.
Scrub the solution to the whole area with a stiff broom to work the liquid into the surface. Pay particular attention to brushing the cleaner into the joints. This helps remove deep ingrained dirt.
Depending on what type of cleaner you are using, you then need to allow the cleaner to work by breaking down the dirt for a period of time. Try not to let the cleaner dry out.
The cleaner we have used for cleaning these paving blocks was bleach. You can find out more about using beach to clean paving here.
We left the bleach solution on the surface for around 15 minutes. Please read your manufacturers instructions for how long the cleaner should be left before rinsing off.
8. Rinse the surface with clean water
Once you are satisfied that the cleaner has worked finish by rinsing the surface with plenty of clean water.
You can usually tell when the cleaner has worked because the surface starts to look cleaner. Your paving will start to look brighter.
It would be helpful when rinsing the surface to use a brush to remove the dirt as you rinse with water. This helps to remove the dirt from the surface and any left over moss and weeds.
9. Replace any lost kiln dried joint sand once you’re paving has dried
After the block paving has had time to dry inspect the surface to make sure your paving is clean and look for any lost joint sand. Top-up any unfilled joints with kiln dried sand to the top of the joints. To do this simply brush the sand into the joints on a dry day.
That’s it. You’re done! Your block paving should now be clean and looking sparkling new. And all without using a pressure washer to clean your paving.
Other recommendation we have on how to clean block paving keeping it weed free
It is recommended that you should apply a suitable weed killer to the block paving (prevention is better than cure when it comes to weeds) at periodic times throughout the months of the year after you have cleaned your block paving to stop the further growth of moss, weeds and algae blooms.
Weed killers for patios and driveway block paving are readily available in all kinds of formulas. You should always try to use an organic and non toxic solution that is safe to use with pets, ponds, children and wildlife.
Apply a moss and algae killer on a dry day when the paving is dry and no rain is forecast.
Do you need to relay any areas of uneven paving?
If you have read our guide on how to clean block paving and you find that you need to relay an area of block paving before you follow the instruction please see our guide here to help you relay block paving here
Clean block paving with paving cleaners
We have reviewed the 6 best-selling patio cleaners that you can use to clean your paving here.
Older paving will sometimes need a strong effective cleaner to make it look good again. Especially if i has been stained over time. Consider using an acid based cleaner to clean block paving if your colour has faded from the block paving surface. An acid based cleaner for block paving works by stripping off the top layer of the concrete,. Revealing the new unblemished colour of the concrete below. You will need to take extra care when handling an acid based cleaner as they can be extremely dangerous. Always wear protective clothing and seek advice and manufactures instructions.
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