The Ultimate Guide to Garden Paving Cleaning and Maintenance

All types of paving need maintenance in order to preserve their looks and qualities. Cleaning the garden paving on a regular basis may sound daunting but is, in fact, simple to carry out. Once you know the ABCs of basic maintenance, you can rejuvenate your garden paving by yourself.   There are a plethora of cleaning products on the market that promise to make your paving look like new again by eliminating growths and stains. However, the golden rule when it comes to maintaining your garden paving in its top shape is regular maintenance.   This guide is meant to help you understand the requirements of paving cleaning and maintenance. It will walk you through general advice on dealing with dirt, debris and weeds and it will teach you how to tackle stains and organic growth.   I. Health & Safety While paving maintenance can be performed by anyone, it’s important to take a few steps to ensure your safety. You should always pay attention to the safety warnings of the products you are using and follow the instructions.   Before you set out and clean the entire paving, always test out the chemical on a small area. This will help you establish if the product can be safely used without damaging the pavement.   Remember to take these precautions before, during and after cleaning your garden paving:   Wear gloves, boots, overalls and goggles whenever you use chemicals. Ensure proper ventilation when you use chemicals in small spaces. Control cigarettes when using flammable products. Add acid to water when diluting acid, not the other way around. Dispose of all clothes that have been contaminated with chemicals. Protect other finishes, materials, decorative pebbles or furniture from damage when using chemicals around them. Keep children, pets and people away from the area that is being cleaned to avoid injuries. II. General Advice When the garden paving is neglected for a long time, dirt, debris and weeds are bound to appear and spoil the beauty of your outdoor space. Here are some general tips that will show you how to tackle various issues and demonstrate cleaning techniques.   1. Removing Dirt & Debris The best way to clean your garden paving from dirt is to use a brush, warm water and soap. If you can’t see the colour of the paving anymore, using a scrubbing bristle brush or a jet wash cleaner.   The recommended products to use are a soap-based acid-free cleaner or a washing-up liquid. Start by adding soapy water onto the paving and follow up immediately with brushing.   Use clean water to wash off any loosened dirt. All the soap must be washed away from the paving surface. Dispose of the dirty water by channelling it towards drainage points.   If you are employing a power hose, ensure you don’t remove any sand or mortar that make up the jointing material. Each power cleaning session should be followed up by a close inspection of the joints and any missing material should be replaced accordingly.   2. Keeping Weeds under Control There is no solution to keep your garden paving completely weed-free. As soon as detritus (debris, loose fragments or grains) accumulates in joints, weeds will start germinating.   The easiest way to get rid of weeds is to pull them out with your hands or scrape them off with a hoe. After removing the weeds from the joints, never leave these empty or partially filled. Replace the sand as soon as the surface is dry and clean again.   Weeds have a harder time to emerge on surfaces that are heavily trafficked. However, areas where there is little to no traffic are prone to develop weeds time and time again. Use these strategies to keep them at bay:   Brush the area regularly in order to disturb new weeds. Use weed killers carefully, always following the manufacturer’s instructions. These can keep the area weed-free for a few months.   3. Using Power Washing Used excessively, power washing can do more harm than good to your garden paving. However, when it’s used in the right way, it properly cleans the surface, leaving it looking brand new. Power washing can effectively remove the algae and moss that thrive on paving. Using a weed killer fluid can postpone their reappearance for a few weeks.   Factor in these suggestions when you set out to power wash your garden paving:   Move away vulnerable items such as furniture and protect or cover decorative gravel. Sweep the surface to remove loose materials. Use a low-pressure and gradually adjust it only if necessary. Higher pressure cleaning can irrevocably distress the paving. Direct the power lance at a shallow angle, never parallel to the joints. Use a spraying movement and don’t point the tool straight down onto the paving. Test out your jet machine on a small area before cleaning your entire garden. Some tools are powerful enough to deteriorate the paving. Inspect the test’s results before deciding whether to proceed with the power washing or not. The joints should be full.   4. Using Acid Washing Unrelenting stains that won’t fade away by themselves or with a simple soap and brush washing need to be removed using an acid treatment.   Before you start the cleaning process you must know what type of paving you are dealing with. Cast concrete will be less resistant while slates, quartzite, basalts and granites are not affected. Pennant stones and sandstones can react very differently. While some won’t react at all, others might become orange. This happens because of the iron content in the paving. As a result, the effects differ from stone to stone. Marble and limestone must never be cleaned using acid. They can be dissolved by an acid-based cleaner, which is why the products should be avoided altogether.   It is paramount you always carry out a test on a small, concealed area of paving and inspect the results before proceeding to clean the entire surface.   5. Seasonal maintenance When establishing a schedule for cleaning and maintaining your garden pavement, you should take into consideration its surroundings. It might be convenient to synchronize your maintenance routine with seasonal changes. This will ensure your pavement looks great and retains its properties for longer.   Spring It’s a good idea to thoroughly clean the garden paving just as spring settles in, after long winter months. The amount and degree of growth or dirt you will find depends entirely on your surroundings. Spring is also an excellent time to check the paving surface and make sure the joints are intact. Sand joints might need refilling after winter, especially if the area hasn’t been tended to in the previous month.   Summer As the weather improves, your garden paving is bound to become more trafficked. Regular checks are essential and simple to carry out due to favourable weather. Any issues that might occur during summer months should be addressed as soon as possible. For instances, spillages must be tackled with immediately. This minimizes the risk of staining and eliminates the need to use harsher chemicals later on.   Autumn During autumn months, leaves and shrubbery will make their way on your garden paving. Removing them on a regular basis will keep the area looking neat and clean, preventing staining. Your garden paving might also experience staining because of fruit or berries that can fall off trees during autumnal months. To minimize the risk of permanently staining the pavement, remove the fruit or berries as soon as you see them.   Winter During winter, your garden will be used less and less. However, the paved area shouldn’t be neglected, as it still needs occasional maintenance, especially if there is snow or ice. The paving can easily become slippery and thus risky. Removing the deposits will ensure you don’t accidentally slip and fall and it will keep the paving from being damaged by the freezing temperature.   The most common technique for de-icing is to use rock salt. This is safe to use for the vast majority of concrete types as well as for natural stone since it can’t damage it. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that once the salt has done its job and thawed slippery patches, you might notice a white residue or discoloration. This happens because of the salt material. The issue will resolve itself and you don’t need to intervene with any other products or chemicals.