Methods to clean slippery York stone flags - suggestions please

BooJewels

I have a path to my front door with the original 140 year old York stone flags.  They get very slippery when it's been wet for a period of time and my sister fell badly last night and hurt herself.

My son cleaned them for me with hot soapy water with washing soda and a yard brush a month or so ago (in the absence of anything else in the house at the time), which seemed to work quite well, but the effect obviously hasn't been long lasting.

Can anyone recommend a solution; something that they know actually works please?

I do have a Karcher pressure washer, but have no idea how to use it, as my husband died recently and I'm left trying to figure out how to do things he usually did.  I'm not sure that I can even hump it up the cellar steps on my own - then there's the whole getting a hose over a 7' wall and through a tree on my own to complicate matters.  So whilst that's free and available, is the least attractive option just now.  Plus it was very messy when he did it.  It has to be something I can manage on my own.  It would also have to be something I could buy on-line, if a product.

A few years ago we bought a path cleaner from Wilkinsons that worked superbly and the effect lasted all winter, but the product was re-formulated (probably because what made it actually work was too dangerous or environmentally unfriendly) and just didn't last when we did it next time.

So, I'm open to suggestions please.

moneysaver

Hi,

      Try Wet & Forget.  Great product, easy to apply with a garden sprayer & lasts upto 12mths.

Moneysaver

Ganga

If you cannot manage things like the pressure washer etc ,ask a neighbour for help ,thats what we are there for .

neilmcl

Quite often the cause is usually a build up of algae and general dirt/film. Any degreaser product that kills algae growth will do, you could use stuff like the wet and forget product mentioned above above, Jeyes, or plain old bleach.

If you're going to use any chemical then test it on a small, hidden part of the stone first to see if it stains.

Eldi_Dos

As this is going to be a ongoing problem I would suggest creating a edging along york stone flags sitting proud by a couple of inches and covering the path with suitable gravel.The only maintenance then needed would be occasional rake and weed.You could even sell yorkstone flags to fund creating a safer path.

BooJewels

Thank you kindly for the above suggestions - it's much appreciated.

@moneysaver - thank you - just had a quick look and it sounds ideal - and I can get it from Amazon - that may well be the winner.  That with a better sprayer may be a good investment.  If I don't have to scrub or hose, that's a big plus too.  

@Ganga - that's very kind of you - I don't really have anyone I could ask.  The one person nearby I asked to help me with something I really couldn't manage (as a paid job) still hasn't turned up.  My son visits regularly and we could easily manage the pressure sprayer and water hose between us (we've both been on a steep learning curve recently - but these things are always better with 2 pairs of hands), but I won't see him for a couple of weeks and was hoping for an easy fix that I could manage myself before someone really hurts themselves on it.  Maybe I just need to grow a pair and give it a go myself - I'm going to have to do these things anyway in the future.  I have a lot on just now and was hoping for an easy fix in the short term.  

@neilmcl - I just had a look out as I heard it start raining again and the stone is definitely greeny, so I think it's a combination of algae and perhaps detritus from passing traffic - rubber tyre dust, oil etc. that also make it greasy  We have a few heavy vehicles pass as there are two factories who use the street.  Some of the issue now of course is wet leaves too.  I try and brush these away as they accumulate, but I've been away a few days, so they've built up a little.  I rejected bleach and Jeyes as I have a real aversion to the smell of both.    Not really an adequate reason, but it's true.

moneysaver

I have used Wet & Forget for years and it works well. It is not an overnight solution but it will work. Follow the instructions and you will not go wrong. It is nice and easy as you have read, no scrubbing needed.

Moneysaver

BooJewels

Eldi_Dos said:

As this is going to be a ongoing problem I would suggest creating a edging along york stone flags sitting proud by a couple of inches and covering the path with suitable gravel.The only maintenance then needed would be occasional rake and weed.You could even sell yorkstone flags to fund creating a safer path.

That was actually something we did vaguely contemplate a few years ago, for this reason, as we were offered good money for the flags.  But it's not just our path - our house is the last one in a little row and the front door is on the gable end and it's a communal path around the back of the row of houses.  So whilst our 4 neighbours don't use it daily, they do use it enough that gravel would be an issue.  It tends to get used most when tradesmen visit, plus one neighbour has a motorbike he stores round the back.  So whilst the flags are slippy for me - gravel would perhaps cause a different set of issues when others used it.  The 'drive' area is gravelled and they tend to turn their cars on it when none of the family are parked and my gravel is gradually migrating down the street caught in tyre treads etc. especially as the motorbike owner always sets off like he's competing at Santa Pod.  

BooJewels

moneysaver said:

I have used Wet & Forget for years and it works well. Follow the instructions and you will not go wrong. It is nice and easy as you have read, no scrubbing needed.

Moneysaver

Thank you - it's good to hear feedback from someone who has actually used a product.  I think I'll invest in a better sprayer too, I only have a little one I use to spray dilute washing up liquid onto greenfly, so that might be a bit tiresome to use.  I think a bigger one with a wand would be worth the 12 quid or so they seem to cost.  I think that will be just the ticket, thank you.

Eldi_Dos

BooJewels said:

Eldi_Dos said:

As this is going to be a ongoing problem I would suggest creating a edging along york stone flags sitting proud by a couple of inches and covering the path with suitable gravel.The only maintenance then needed would be occasional rake and weed.You could even sell yorkstone flags to fund creating a safer path.

That was actually something we did vaguely contemplate a few years ago, for this reason, as we were offered good money for the flags.  But it's not just our path - our house is the last one in a little row and the front door is on the gable end and it's a communal path around the back of the row of houses.  So whilst our 4 neighbours don't use it daily, they do use it enough that gravel would be an issue.  It tends to get used most when tradesmen visit, plus one neighbour has a motorbike he stores round the back.  So whilst the flags are slippy for me - gravel would perhaps cause a different set of issues when others used it.  The 'drive' area is gravelled and they tend to turn their cars on it when none of the family are parked and my gravel is gradually migrating down the street caught in tyre treads etc. especially as the motorbike owner always sets off like he's competing at Santa Pod.  

Your neighbours may be having same issue with the path and be willing to contribute to having gravel laid on top of flagstones, manoeuvring a motorbike on a slippy surface could have them worried about their pride an joy.

BooJewels

@Eldi_Dos - I truly don't give two hoots about his pride and joy - I just hope that if he does smash it, he doesn't damage my path or stonework in the process.  He's not a pleasant neighbour and I'm not going to do anything to make his life easier.

You're going to have to trust me when I tell you that it's just not a place where gravel would be suitable.  The alternative we considered originally was some properly laid textured block paving.  But I can buy a lot of 'Wet & Forget' for the price of that.