Patio/driveway cleaners

Absolutely

Had a leaflet through the door today from a patio/driveway cleaning service. They use a "Karcher Pressure Washer - Powered by Honda Generator" (whatever that means). £2.50 sq metre.

Questions:
- has anyone used this type of service?
- any good?
- My front is block paved and sanded inbetween blocks. Could this type of cleaning take out the sand?
- My back garden has a patio of Indian Stone and that is REALLY grubby, green moss, general dirt. Inbetween stones is cemented (I think) so again, would this type of cleaning be any good?

There's no 'man of the house' so I'm just looking for a bit of feedback before I think about making further enquiries.

Thank you

grimsalve

Absolutely wrote: »

Had a leaflet through the door today from a patio/driveway cleaning service. They use a "Karcher Pressure Washer - Powered by Honda Generator" (whatever that means).

It just means they don't have to plug their washer into your mains. I'm guessing they'd still want to plug their washer into your water supply though.

It's personal choice but I wouldn't let anyone with a pressure washer loose on my driveway or patio. It'd probably clean the bricks/flags but would also end up removing all the stuff inbetween (my driveway and patio aren't sealed).

If I was bothered about cleaning them (I prefer the "natural look - works out cheaper that way ) then I'd just get some cleaning stuff and work at it with a brush and a bucket.

gadjah543

We had this done ages ago but , unasked by us , the guy also used the power washer on a small section right in the middle of our stone garden wall to show us how it would look if it was all cleaned. It looked ridiculous with one clean stripe so we felt conned into getting the rest of the wall done.:rotfl: Personally I would use the money that you were going to pay out to buy your own then you have it for many years to come.

Culex

Absolutely wrote: »

Had a leaflet through the door today from a patio/driveway cleaning service. They use a "Karcher Pressure Washer - Powered by Honda Generator" (whatever that means).

It means that, rather than using a pump driven directly by a petrol engine, they will use a 240V powered pump, driven by a supply from a petrol engined generator.

It won't be quiet.

£2.50 sq metre.

Why not ask them to do half a sq metre, to see if you like it?

Questions:
- has anyone used this type of service?

I'm sure some people must have done and one or two more than once.

- any good?

Please define parameter(s) "any good".

- My front is block paved and sanded in between blocks. Could this type of cleaning take out the sand?

As that is almost certain to happen, did you mean that you'd prefer the sand between the blocks - and on which the blocks were laid - to stay in place?

- My back garden has a patio of Indian Stone and that is REALLY grubby, green moss, general dirt. In between stones is cemented (I think) so again, would this type of cleaning be any good?

Again, please define parameter(s) "any good".

If you want to know if the jet of high pressure water will move the moss and the dirt then, yes, it will; it will move the moss, dirt and crud to the edge of the patio. It may also lift mortar or cement between the stones, especially if there has been any frost in the area after the stones were laid.

A less messy and much quieter way to clean the patio would be to use a stiff brush and a solution of patio cleaning detergent, or possibly a weak solution of muriatic acid (brick acid, hydrochloric acid).

A much quicker way would be use household grade nitrogen trichloride which you may be able to get from the local pharmacy; do not bother getting the hospital grade, as that would be needlessly expensive. Apply a generous coat of the nitrogen trichloride and then brush it gently, first with the grain of the stone, then across the grain; the dirt should be dislodged in less than a second!

There's no 'man of the house' so I'm just looking for a bit of feedback before I think about making further enquiries.

Please recycle the leaflet thoughtfully.

Absolutely

Culex wrote: »

Please define parameter(s) "any good".


As that is almost certain to happen, did you mean that you'd prefer the sand between the blocks - and on which the blocks were laid - to stay in place?


Again, please define parameter(s) "any good".

I'm a woman. I don't define parameter(s), I prefer to leave it open to guesswork

However, thanks all for your useful inputs, and no, I won't be getting this cleaning done. I'll probably do it myself now. Very MSE!

bobhawke

Culex wrote: »

A less messy and much quieter way to clean the patio would be to use a stiff brush and a solution of patio cleaning detergent, or possibly a weak solution of muriatic acid (brick acid, hydrochloric acid).

A much quicker way would be use household grade nitrogen trichloride which you may be able to get from the local pharmacy; do not bother getting the hospital grade, as that would be needlessly expensive. Apply a generous coat of the nitrogen trichloride and then brush it gently, first with the grain of the stone, then across the grain; the dirt should be dislodged in less than a second!

If you go down this route test whichever product you use on a small discreet section of whatever you are cleaning so you don't stain it and ruin it.

After you have cleaned your driveway, and let it dry, you will need to replace the displaced sand. Buy some kiln dried sand from local builders merchants, roughly 1 bag per 10 square metres and brush it over the driveway with a soft broom until all the joints are filled.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/maintain_02.htm#acid

grimsalve

Absolutely wrote: »

I'm a woman. I don't define parameter(s), I prefer to leave it open to guesswork

However, thanks all for your useful inputs, and no, I won't be getting this cleaning done. I'll probably do it myself now. Very MSE!

By the way, a big squidge of washing up liquid in a bucket full of water and a nylon brush (and a fair bit of scrubbing!) might do the trick. This is all I used to get rid of magpie "calling cards" from my patio the other week - I've no idea what they've been eating recently. :mad:

Absolutely

grimsalve wrote: »

By the way, a big squidge of washing up liquid in a bucket full of water and a nylon brush (and a fair bit of scrubbing!) might do the trick. This is all I used to get rid of magpie "calling cards" from my patio the other week - I've no idea what they've been eating recently. :mad:

Old fashioned elbow grease in other words. Yes, I'm being far too lazy. Need to get off my aris

Absolutely

bobhawke wrote: »

If you go down this route test whichever product you use on a small discreet section of whatever you are cleaning so you don't stain it and ruin it.

After you have cleaned your driveway, and let it dry, you will need to replace the displaced sand. Buy some kiln dried sand from local builders merchants, roughly 1 bag per 10 square metres and brush it over the driveway with a soft broom until all the joints are filled.

Thanks for that tip.

My ex is a builders merchant but I don't think I'll be calling in at his place of work for the sand. Probably go to his rivals

ormus

buy a simple pressure washer yerself. 70/100 quid.
then you can do it twice a year for next to nowt.

ive just done my patio today with my bosch aquatak machine.