Whether your patio is sealed concrete or cement, or even sealed concrete pavers, a bleach and water solution makes it easy to clean away built up soil, stains from leaves and pollen, mold, mildew and algae.
Avoid an intense concentration of bleach, as it can damage the pavers. Always test a small area first to ensure that the bleach doesn't discolor or damage the surface. Some bleaches are also acidic and can etch the surface of the pavers leading to a cloudy appearance.
And, while it may be tempting to use household bleach for a quick clean, Beril says that this can ruin the patio stones and leave them looking patchy. 'There are many specialist patio cleaning products on the market including brick acid,' she cautions.
Cleaning your patio with bleach provides a little extra “oomph” over soapy water. Bleach gets into all the dirty cracks and helps to improve the appearance of your patio slabs dramatically. It can help you get rid of moss, algae and weeds.
Mild detergent and water.
Mix some mild dish soap with water in a bucket to create suds, then use a brush or a sponge to scrub the surface of the pavers. If your pavers are textured or have intricate designs, this cleaning method can be gentler than a power washer.
To clean paver slabs, you can use a detergent, such as Dawn, or a vinegar-water solution that is gentle enough to effectively clean without causing damage to your concrete pavers.
Use a specialist cleaner
Try a specialist cleaner like Wet & Forget, at Walmart, which you spray onto the surface of the paving and leave. It can also be used on steps, fountains, patio umbrellas and other smaller outdoor areas. It's bleach-free and non-acidic but will remove mold, moss and grime without any scrubbing.
Cleaning patio slabs with bleach
It is important for us to mention that it may be more environmentally friendly to use detergents than bleach. The bleach will get into the cracks and dramatically improve the look of your patio by killing things like weeds, moss, and algae.
Use Bleach
But that's not all; chlorine bleach can also be used for cleaning the concrete driveway. Of course, you should dilute it with equal parts of water or a 1:1 ratio. With the mixture ready, spray it on the driveway, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, use a stiff brush before rinsing with clean water.
Bleach: This alkaline solution may be effective for other household uses, but it can discolor concrete pavers that have been colored or stained.
Use bleach for heavy-stained slabs
Dilute half a bucket of bleach with equal parts water, applying evenly to your green-tinged patio. You should leave the solution to work for ten minutes before rinsing thoroughly with clean water, repeating the method for stubborn algae.
To clean smaller surfaces areas, pH-neutral soap, a little water, and a brush are suitable. If you want to clean larger areas of natural stone efficiently, you can reach for the electric patio cleaner or work with the pressure washer and a surface cleaner.
Pour the solution over your patio and use a hard bristle brush to begin to remove the top layer of dirt. Sodium Hypochlorite is the quick and easy long-term solution to cleaning your patio. You should mix one part Sodium Hypochlorite with five parts of water.
In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
Apply the bleach solution
Allow the bleach solution to contact the surface for up to 15 minutes. Work in smaller sections if the patio is too large to finish in that time.
As a gentler cleaner, bleach can't harm concrete's durable material. Aside from being an effective cleaner and stain remover, it also acts as a disinfectant to the concrete surface.
Sodium Hypochlorite Patio Cleaners are used for more stubborn stains as you need the EXTRA strength solution, which is 50% stronger than the heavy duty solution and may be diluted with up to 6 parts water and 1 part Sodium Hypochlorite 15%.
While researching how to remove patio black spots you may have come across “Sodium Hypochlorite” which is a very strong bleach and while it may remove black spots, it will also damage the surface of anything it comes into contact with.
Dry brushing with or without application of clean sharp sand. OR High pressure water jetting with or without detergent. OR Apply fungicides. Use ordinary bleach or calcium chloride followed by sodium hypochlorite dissolved in water (1kg in 5 litres) then scrub with stiff brush.
Can you power wash pavers? Power washing (also known as pressure washing) is also a very effective method by which you can remove dust deposits and various stains from your pavers. Just make sure that the water jet is not directed directly at the joints between the paving stones.
Try Concrete Stain
The simplest path to reviving tired pavers is to apply an acrylic-based semitransparent concrete stain, such as Behr Premium Semi-transparent Concrete Stain ($27/gal.; Home Depot) or Valspar Semi-transparent Concrete Stain ($28/gal.; Lowe's).