Patio Cleaning: Getting The Perfectly Clean Patio
As the nights draw longer and the days start to warm up, thoughts are naturally turned to our outside spaces.
Spring is the most popular time for patios and external stone floors to be laid or restored as loving homeowners plan for summer parties, BBQs and lazy evenings watching the sun go down.
But, patio cleaning is probably the last thing you want to think about! Luckily, KleanSTONE is here to help you achieve a perfectly clean patio.
Most would be immediately dismayed as they venture outside to discover that the damp and dreary British winter has left their external stone floors looking dull and lifeless.
The once vibrant natural stone, patio slabs and paving is a shadow of its former self and it certainly isn’t ready for a busy summer of enjoyment.
Thoughts may turn to pressure washing, renovating, restoring or even replacing patios and external stone floors – let us be the first to tell you that there is another answer to “How to Clean Patio” and it doesn’t have to be such as messy, laborious chore.
For those reading this post who have already laid their dream patio, you don’t need to worry as hope is not lost. Our KleanSTONE floor cleaning machines are the best way to clean your patio and can restore even the most dulled and dirty patio and external stone floor to its former, freshly lain glory.
Featuring incredible suction and powerful scrubbers, KleanSTONE machines are ideally suited to patio cleaning, tackling even the most deeply ingrained dirt and dullness – the internally mounted squeegee and vacuum means that you can have restored and dried external stone floors in just one pass.
If you haven’t yet got the point of laying your dream patio, here are a few helpful tips when it comes to picking your dream external stone floors.
How to Pick the Right Stone for your Patio
When you’re looking for the perfect external stone floor, there are a lot more considerations than picking a natural stone floor for inside your home.
External stone floors and patios fall foul to the great British weather so whatever stone you choose needs to tick a lot more boxes…
Consider the Great British Weather
External stone floors must be able to withstand rain, sleet and snow, as well as the occasional glimpse of summer sun we might happen to see.
Choose a natural stone that does it all and can put up with both the damp and the dry. Of course, sealing your external stone floor will help – which brings us nicely to our next point…
Sealing Your External Stone Floors
Natural stone needs to be sealed regularly, full stop. Sealing natural stone floors protects them, enhances their look and extends their lifespan so it really is a no-brainer that you should be using a high-quality impregnating stone sealer on your natural stone floors.
The question here is knowing how much effort you want when it comes to sealing your external stone floors. Of course, sealing your stone will protect it. However, how often you are willing to do this should factor into your choice of stone, as some will need sealing more regularly than others.
Sandstones, limestones and slates, renowned for their natural beauty, are also highly porous and would need sealing regularly. Paving slabs, granite and porcelain are considered more durable and would thus forth need sealing less.
Porcelain tiles that have been fully vitrified are weatherproof, slip-resistant and durable and are therefore gaining considerable popularity in exterior paving.
Safety First!
You will often find that exterior stone textures often favour the rough and tumbled look, this is not just for aesthetic reasons but also for safety. A smooth and polished stone will become slippery when wet, whereas stone that has been finished with a honed, brushed or tumbled texture will not.
It’s an important consideration, many stone floor tiles that would create an amazing interior look are just not suitable for external floors and patios.
Choose Timeless Style
Unlike most other floor coverings, natural stone has the potential to literally last a lifetime if cared for properly. Whilst beauty is in the eye of the beholder, think about the long-term when considering an external stone floor or patio.
The stone that you choose will ultimately make or break the finished look and feel so it’s important you choose a stone befitting to the look you are wanting to achieve. A smooth modern and contemporary look will favour granite and porcelain, whereas sandstone and limestone create a more earthy traditional feel to the garden.
When thinking of the colours, you must also consider the colour of your house exterior as this will provide the backdrop to your garden. Picking a colour that complements your house exterior allows for a smooth stylish flow to your surroundings.
Seamless Design
A hugely popular trend, and admittedly one we love here at KleanSTONE, is the seamless design of the inside-outlook.
This is where stone flooring from inside the home seamlessly continues out to the patio, creating a flowing transition that is simply outstanding. This look is visually stunning but requires a great deal of thought to ensure the right stone is picked for the needs of both the inside and outside.
It is also advised that when picking the colour of your stone to think about who will be enjoying your garden. If your home and garden is full of the happy sound of children and animals running around, then the advice has been to steer clear of light colours that would become dirty quickly. However, with the ease and functionality of a KleanSTONE machine within your reach, this need not be a worry, as your exterior patio can be easily restored to its pristine condition.
Thankfully this means busy households no longer need to favour the darker tones in order to disguise the inevitable dirt and should you favour a brighter lighter colour, this can be within your reach.
Whatever you choose to create your dream patio, remember that regular cleaning and maintenance will ensure that your exterior stonework will continue to look just as perfect at the day you installed it.
Before you consider changing your patio you should invest in a KleanSTONE external stone floor cleaning machine and let its powerful technology bring your existing patio back to life. You may find that you fall in love with it all over again and save yourself thousands by not replacing your patio.
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How to Clean Patio
How to Clean Your Patio with a Kleanstone Machine
A Kleanstone machine makes light work of patio cleaning and can be done in 4 simple steps:
- Thoroughly remove any debris from the patio. This will help you to avoid this debris being worked into the paving which can cause scratches.
- Depending on the level of cleaning required, choose a powerful floor cleaning concentrate for your floor. Pick one with degreasing properties as this will work well at cutting through general grime from the surface of the stone (try Deepclean or Detergon R3). Again, depending on the level of cleaning required, mix a solution of your desired cleaner directly within your KleanSTONE machine.
- Start to clean with your machine – work the machine slowly and in a forward motion, you will immediately start to see results as the rotary brushes work the cleaning solution into the patio surface to lift grease and dirt whilst eliminating odours.
- Change your machine to lower the squeegee before moving the machine slowly in a forward motion to vacuum up the cleaning solution from the paving. Repeat these until all the water on the floor is dry. That is patio cleaning in a nutshell.
How to Clean Your Patio with a Pressure Washer
Cleaning your patio with a pressure washer requires a bit more elbow grease than a Kleanstone machine but it can be done in 6 steps.
- Clear the patio. Remove any furniture, plants, leaves or anything that could obstruct you from the power washer cleaning process.
- Connect your pressure water to your garden hose and turn on the tap. Pull the trigger and expel any excess air in the machine. Connect your machine to a power supply.
- Add in your Patio cleaner and give your patio an initial clean on the lowest setting. Leave for about 10 minutes.
- Using the medium setting on your pressure washer, start washing the detergent off. It’s best to start on one end and work your way across the patio.
- Keep washing with the water jet functionality that most pressure washers have until you are happy with the cleanliness of the surface.
How to Clean Your Patio by Hand with Soapy Water
If you don’t have a pressure washer or a Kleanstone machine, you can still use soapy water and A LOT of elbow grease to clean your patio. Here’s how:
- Clear your patio and do a sweep so that the paving area is clear.
- Fill a bucket with warm water and mix in one cup of washing up liquid or soda crystals. Pour the mix across the patio and begin scrubbing.
- We’d recommend using either a brush with stiff bristles or a broom. The bristled brush will allow you to work on the more stubborn of stains. Keep scrubbing until you are happy with the result.
- You might need to rinse the patio down with a garden hose and repeat the scrubbing with more soapy water if the desired clean is not reached.
- Once you have rinsed for the final time, leave the patio overnight and reassess your work the next day. You will likely found some areas that you have missed!
FAQ’s on Cleaning Patios
Q. How do I remove green moss algae from my patio?
A. A Kleanstone machine or pressure washers will effectively remove moss and algae from your patio. To ensure moss or algae doesn’t return to your patio on a regular basis, be sure to brush your floor with a bristled brush regularly.
Q. Does white vinegar Clean paving slabs?
A. Yes. However, the continued use of acidic cleaning substances like vinegar as a patio cleaner on natural stone can cause issues in the long term.
Q. What is the most effective patio cleaner?
A. The most effective cleaner for patio cleaning is the Deepclean. This cleaner will make light work of even the toughest of outdoor stains.
Q. Can I use bleach to clean my patio?
A. Like Vinegar, Bleach is very capable of cleaning your patio. However, long term it can actually damage your paving slabs and should be used with care.
Clean and Restore Your External Stone Floors with KleanSTONE…
A gleaming external stone floor inspires confidence and style in any setting, whether domestic or commercial.
Here at KleanSTONE, we supply advanced floor cleaning solutions to help you achieve a spotlessly clean, perfectly finished patio floor without the elbow grease.
Our stone floor cleaners tackle spills, stains and everyday grime with ease for a healthier, happier outdoor environment.
Our products extend the lifespan of your paving with powerful, effective cleaning that is gentle enough to use every day and perfect for patio cleaning.
Aside from offering a range of products for stone floor cleaning, we love to share our knowledge and experience from our years helping customers succeed at extending the lifespan of your patio floors.
Read more on the KleanSTONE Blog, explore our Help & Guides or download our range of Cleaning Guides and learn more about how to care for your natural and engineered stone floors so that they last a lifetime!
Further Reading on the KleanSTONE Blog:
- A KleanSTONE Guide To Stone Flooring
- Which Floor Sealer Is Right For Me?
- Should I Seal My Outside Patio?
- Floor Sealing: The Most Important Thing You Are Not Doing
- Cleaning Quarry Tile Floors
- How To Seal Your Stone Floors
- Is My Mop And Bucket Damaging My Stone Floor?
- How Do I Clean My Natural Stone Floor?
- KleanSTONE, The Pet Safe Floor Cleaner
- What is Travertine?
- Everything You Need To Know About Your Slate Floor…