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).
There are useful tools for cleaning paving stones, such as joint scrapers, sweepers, and pressure washers. In addition, pavers can be cleaned with a small pickaxe, broom, and garden hose.
Water and mild dish soap is a popular cleaning solution because it's easy to find at home and it won't damage brick, but it will tackle stains. The BIA recommends using hot water for surface cleaning with a detergent. White vinegar and water, another common household cleaner, can also be used on mildew.
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.
The acetic acid in vinegar is a little stronger than acid rain, so exposing your pavers to this substance can lead to bleaching, corrosion and the loss of protective sealant.
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.
It is common to mix bleach with water; however, you can also add other ingredients to make it more effective. Similar to cleaning pavers with muriatic acid, avoid an intense concentration of bleach, as it can damage the pavers.
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.
Over time, the continuous high-pressure blast of water will erode the layer of color on the pavers and expose the stone and aggregate contained in them. Oftentimes, the stone and the aggregate do not retain the color of the pigments used and will appear dull.
CLEAN PAVERS WITH SOAP OR DETERGENT
Directly apply dishwashing soap or laundry detergent to the smudge and let it sit for at least 2 hours or longer if time permits. Reinforce it by pouring dish soap and water mixture. Use a bristle brush to scrub your paver lightly.
To clean your pavers with vinegar, mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a bucket, let it sit on the pavers for an hour so that the vinegar has time to work, then scrub the surface with a brush or a sponge. Make sure you choose white vinegar for household cleaning, as other types of vinegar can stain.
For optimal results when staining concrete pavers, a concrete stain with a high pigment concentration is recommended. A prime example is Portico™ Paver Stain, which is a highly saturated exterior concrete stain designed specifically for coloring concrete pavers.
OxiClean is a powerful concrete cleaner that works well on various materials, including pavement and grout. This concentrated solution provides excellent cleaning without leaving residue.
Baking soda is an amazing household cleaner, and it can work really well on your pavers too.
Although bleach is great at the whitening effect, you can use peroxide to achieve this. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxygenated bleach. It is safe for plants, so when you rinse this solution, it won't harm anything. It works together with the dish soap and baking soda to remove dirt and whiten dirty concrete.
Simple Green is one of the best cleaning products for dirty pavers. It doesn't have any harmful chemicals that could possibly warp your precious driveway. Less chemicals mean there's a less likely chance your paver stones will change to a weird-looking color.
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.
Apply a Mild Dish Soap
Dish soap should be applied directly to what remains of the stain, and then left to sit for 10-15 minutes before it's hosed off. For tougher stains, a plastic bristle brush may be needed to lift the stain from the patio.
Fill up a gallon sized bucket with water and add about 16oz of dish detergent. Mix the soap into the water thoroughly. Once your cleaning solution is ready, gently pour some onto your paver surface, working in small areas at a time. There are also specific cleaning solutions.
Make up a 50:50 vinegar and water solution, and apply to the paving – using a watering can will help you get even coverage. Leave the solution to soak for around 20 minutes, then use a stiff brush to remove stains. Once you're done, mop with clean water. Leave to dry before you put anything back on to the patio.