*Dirt busting Patio cleaner: advice appreciated*

hybernia

Second attempt at writing this; I normally scribble out in Word and paste but this forum is now so sensitive to spamming that it's no longer possible. So I've finished my post and somehow hit the wrong key on this keyboard and that's it. Erased. Great.

Start again, then. Our patio was laid 11 years ago. First five years, it looked fine. But inevitably, it gradually discoloured. I've now gone dizzy, reading Amazon buyers' comments about different patio cleaners. . . because every single comment, regardless of product, is about how well (or not) the cleaners shifted moss and algae, or both.

But. . . we don't have ANY moss or algae on our patio. Just. . . dirt.

We tried using our power washer a couple of years ago and all it seemed to do was rip off the upper surface of the paving, taking away the dirt, the colour, and the texture. It's not as though the paving was cheapo stuff, either. We stopped after realising the damage inflicted to three or four slabs.

Now it's Spring again and the sun's shining and we have a very grotty looking patio that we don't know how to clean. It's the accumulated dirt we want to be rid of. Not algae. Not moss. And especially not, the surface of the paving. If anyone can recommend a patio cleaner which will do that, the help would be much appreciated! Thanks.

pmartin86

What are the slabs made of? If a presure washer was too hard, perhaps try the good old fasioned "hands and knees with a scrubbing brush" approach? that way you can apply the exact amount of pressure you want to? It's a right PITA but soemthing I've done in the past when the pressure washer was causing more harm than good.

JEN22

wet and forget always delivers for me

thescouselander

I've never found these special cleaners to be any good - I just use some general purpose cleaner and a stiff brush which works fine and doesn't cost much at all.

JEN22

Wet and Forget is amazing I buy it in Costco. You can clean all your pvc with it too


literally spray on and wait for the rain to do its job. Also I only have to clean the patio in the spring and it lasts all year

Jonesya

If it's just dirt then water and a broom should shift it, you could use a regular detergent like washing up liquid or Stardrops.

adandem

I use bleach on mine once a year, literally brunch it on with a little water and leave it. Don't wash it off, they come up gleaming.

hybernia

Big thankyou to everyone for all the help and advice!

I think what I'll do is set about the patio with some manual labour first, trying out either the bleach recommendation from adandem and seeing how it goes, then if that doesn't work (!) onto the washing up liquid / detergent / Stardrops proposal from others.

(I actually have an unused bottle of Jeyes' Fluid, too, though whether it's better for anything other than repelling Bird 'Flu isn't clear . . )

Wet & Forget I'd never previously heard of, so-oo . . .that'll be a option to follow if all else fails.

Thanks again, everyone.