Proper maintenance will keep your outdoor patio looking great
Just as we wash, clean, and polish our fine furniture or wood floors, our outdoor living spaces and walkways need the same care and protection to keep them looking like new. In fact, perhaps even more so since, unlike your interior surfaces, your outdoor surfaces are exposed to the elements. There are various reasons we may need to clean — sprucing up, different types of stains, moss, mold, and mildew or a dirty appearance.
For Basic Overall Cleaning
• Gently power wash.
• Take care not to remove joint material.
• For stubborn dirt and grime, use an all-purpose cleaner like the Prosoco 2010 All Surface Cleaner or even a quick application SRW Paver Wash (not for use on natural stone or sealed surfaces).
Cleaning Instructions For Specific Stain Removal
Oil and Grease Spots
• Prosoco Oil and Grease Stain Remover is a poultice and can be poured directly onto the stained areas without pre-wetting. Work in with a stiff bristle brush. This goes on as a paste and should be allowed to dry, and then it can be swept away or allow Mother Nature to wash it away.
• SRW’s Cleaner and Degreaser is more of a rinse. Depending on the gravity of the stain, it can be diluted or not. Apply to a dry surface to allow it to penetrate as deeply as possible. It can then be flushed away with fresh water.
• Multiple applications may be necessary. Certain types of grease and oil can be difficult to remove, especially if the stain has been there for a long time. Sometimes a good combination can be to apply the poultice to the area, which will draw as much of the oil or grease to the surface (following the above directions), and then use the rinse to remove any leftover residue.
• In some cases, it may be necessary to consider replacing some of the severely stained pavers.
Organic Staining
• These stains are usually left from leaves and plant matter that has been allowed to sit on the pavers, decompose, and have left marks on the surface of the pavers.
• These stains can usually be removed by a simple mixture of bleach, water, and a little dish soap or a paste mixture of Oxyclean.
• Wet the areas to be cleaned and then apply the cleaner with an acid brush and scrub vigorously.
• You can also use SWR Organic Stain Remover.
Food, Drink, and Wine Stains
• Address as quickly as possible.
• Rinse and wash with dish soap and water using an acid stiff-bristled scrub brush.
• Difficult, set in, or older stains can be cleaned with Sure Klean 2010 All Surface Cleaner or SRW Organic Stain Remover.
Mold, Moss, and Mildew
Some patios are prone to having issues with this type of growth. Often these patios don’t get a lot of direct sunlight and are close to water or installed in lower elevations on the property, and the project holds moisture longer, which promotes this type of growth.
• Use SRW Mold, Moss, and Mildew Cleaner.
• Dilute 1 part cleaner to 5 parts water.
• Do not pre-wet.
• Spray this onto the surface on a dry day when rain is not in the forecast for at least 24 hours.
• Allow it to sit for up to a week. Rain and wind will carry away most of the powder. At the end of the week, if necessary, you can scrub and wash away what is left. This is environmentally friendly and actually good for your vegetation.
Rust Removal
• SRW Rust Eliminator will remove stubborn stains from hard water, iron deposits, and metallic stains. This product is for concrete, pavers, and masonry, but NOT for use on natural stone.
• Wet the stain and area around it.
• While still wet, scrub stain with an undiluted cleaner.
• Make sure the area does not dry out while cleaning.
• Rinse thoroughly with water.
• Stubborn stains may need additional treatments.
Products Listed
At Gasper, we recommend SRW and Prosoco products for cleaning our client’s patios and walkways. SRW’s entire focus is the hardscape industry, so their products are tailored to be safe, effective, and offer a variety of choices. Prosoco is one of the most respected and oldest names in masonry and natural stone care and cleaning. Both are available at Bucks County Hardware & Building Supply.
• Prosoco 2010 All Surface Cleaner
• SRW Cleaner and Degreaser
• Prosoco Oil and Grease Stain Remover
• SRW Mold, Moss, and Mildew cleaner
• SWR Organic Stain Remover
• SRW Paver Wash
• SRW Rust Eliminator
