Driveway cleaning - reocmmended products

sec79

Hi

I’m looking for product recommendations to clean my block paved drive way. I’m looking for 2 products 1) to clean off the algae, moss and black spots which can be applied, left to work (ie no scrubbing required) and is plant friendly 2) a recommended weedkiller to apply.

I’m not sure which order to apply the products in, so any advice is much appreciated

Thank you in advance

CliveOfIndia

The simplest way is to use a power washer.  It can take quite a bit of time, depending on how large the area is, and you'll probably need to re-sand it afterwards.  But it's completely chemical-free and not difficult at all, just a bit time-consuming.  I do ours about once a year and it always works a treat.

The problem with chemicals is that anything that'll kill moss and algae can damage plants if it runs off onto flower beds or whatever.  The simplest and cheapest is a solution of ordinary bleach (the cheapest you can find in Aldi/Lidl/Wherever will do).  But it might cause some distress to nearby plants.

For weedkiller, anything that's Glyphosate-based will do - that's pretty much any weedkiller you can buy for domestic use.  But to be honest, it's a bit of a Forth Bridge job - weeds will always grow back as seeds get blown into the cracks or get deposited there in bird droppings.

By far the simplest (and most environmentally-friendly) way is just a jet-wash and re-sand once a year.  Kiln-dried sand is easily available from any DIY shop and not expensive, and it's not difficult to do - throw it on and brush it in.  You just need to pick your time - you want to do it on a dry day, and preferably a day or two after you've power-washed it so that it's all nice and dry when you apply the sand.

moneysaver1978

Like what CliveOfIndia said, depending on the type of driveway you have, you could mix bleach with water (you would need to check instructions for how much), but it is not plant friendly.

I used it for the back patio and it worked well and relatively easy (especially for the mildew and black  but it did kill the lawn on the edges so it took a while to regrow!

I also used Gallop, a glyphosate-based which I mixed with water in a sprayer for our driveway but best applied on a dry still weather!

For filling in gaps, how deep and wide are the gaps?

twopenny

I've used a product my neighbour gave me which works wonders. So far it hasn't killed anything. It's kept everything like new for a year. Wet and Forget.

But there is an organic one I purchased to do the rest. It's not as good but it does say 'Organic'. It was ok but needs doing sooner and not as smart. Algon Patio Cleaner.

While they work well on paving slabs - block paving that hasn't been done before needs a couple of treatments and doesn't come up as well

Descrabled

Ms Descrabled uses the cheapest washing powder sprinkled all over the block paving to clean off moss, black spots, etc. She spreads it over the paving during dry weather and allows it to attack the moss and algae. No scrubbing as the alkaline powder kills the moss and the paving comes up clean in about a month.

We do not use weed killer at all.

twopenny

Just thought - I spilled some Milton steralising fluid on my tarmac and it turned pale grey.

I'm wondering if that could be used on the blocks..........it didn't do any harm.

And look what a search bought up

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/27463/milton-sterilising-fluid/p4

Countess823

I apply Patio Magic to our driveway and paths. The surfaces include block paving (bricks), slabs and concrete. It kills the moss and algae. The product is available in store from big name DIY chains.

Bookworm105

Countess823 said:

I apply Patio Magic to our driveway and paths. The surfaces include block paving (bricks), slabs and concrete. It kills the moss and algae. The product is available in store from big name DIY chains.

yep, bleach by another name with some fancy smells added to it to justify the extra price 

Bookworm105

moneysaver1978 said:

I used it for the back patio and it worked well and relatively easy (especially for the mildew and black  but it did kill the lawn on the edges so it took a while to regrow!

the secret to using bleach is to utterly soak a strip along the edges of the area to be cleaned with plain water. 

that way any bleach that drains towards the edge will be so diluted down it will do much less damage to plants

countless You Tube videos from people who clean stuff for a living show how its really done efficiently and for a "reasonable" cost. Purchasing bleach in bulk, not overdiluting it, and adding a surfactant are the other key tricks of the trade. Contractors can't tell a customer wait for a month for stuff to die, their concentration is more than the 4.5% you get in domestic shop bought bleach. Instead buy 10% (or more) bleach sold for use in swimming pools and dilute "to taste", ie budget !

time spend scrubbing is inversely proportional to concentration used, time is money after all... MSE or not. 

Andyb01

If you really want to get it completely clean and free of black spots etc - sodium hypochlorite is the stuff to use. Handle it with great care and dilute around 6:1 with water and apply using a knapsack sprayer on a still, dry day (not too hot), allow to do it's stuff then rinse off with a hose.

However, plant and pet friendly it most certainly is not as it kills anything green that it touches. You also need to wear gloves, mask, eye protection and clothes/ shoes you are prepared to throw away afterwards.

Oh and your patio might smell like a local swimming pool for a few days but it soon fades.

It's brutal stuff but the results are spectacularly good.

Bookworm105

sodium hypochlorite is the chemical name for bleach....