This may be all you need to see your pavers come back to life. Use a pressure washer or high-pressure hose attachment to wash off the pavers. You could also try scrubbing them with soapy water and a long-handled broom. Rinse away the dirty water when you're finished, and let the pavers dry for two full days.
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).
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.
A dish soap, like Dawn, is a safe place to start. The surfactants in dish soaps are designed to remove oil and grease, they're gentle enough to be used without issue on your pavers. In a bowl or bucket, mix the soap with water and pour it onto the stain and agitate. Rinse and repeat if needed.
Staining concrete pavers can be an excellent choice. Whether you're aiming for a complete color transformation or a simple refurbishment, there are several methods and products at your disposal to achieve the perfect finish.
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.
Cleaning your pavers with bleach has a lot of benefits: Disinfecting the Surface: Bleach is an effective disinfectant and can kill any bacteria or mold on the surface. This will help to prevent any health hazards from occurring. Removing Tough Stains: Bleach is also effective in removing tough stains from the surface.
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.
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.
Dilute white vinegar with water in a bucket, at Walmart (a 50:50 solution is fine), and apply this natural, eco-friendly cleaning solution to the paving slabs with a firm brush and rinse thoroughly.
Exposure to sunlight is the primary reasons why pavers fade. The sun causes fading of any pigmented item, from fabrics and paint to the pigments in the stones. You might notice some mottling of the color of your paving stones as the years go by. This is because the pigments do not penetrate into the aggregate.
Once again, acetic acid will wreak havoc with your block paving. Porous stones like limestone and sandstone are more susceptible to damage than most, as the vinegar can seep into the stones themselves, though even sealed and non-porous stones can discolour and bleach.
Bleach: This alkaline solution may be effective for other household uses, but it can discolor concrete pavers that have been colored or stained.
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.
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.
Baking soda is an amazing household cleaner, and it can work really well on your pavers too.
Vinegar and water.
This is an excellent option if you're looking for a more natural way to clean your pavers. Vinegar is known for its cleaning properties, and you can use it as a household cleaner on a variety of surfaces. Plus, it's more eco-friendly than other cleaning options since you're not using harsh chemicals.
Properly Cleaning Pavers
Per the Simple Green website, you'll want to mix one cup of water for every ounce of Simple Green being used. PRO TIP: Don't forget to spot test the mixed solution in a hidden area PRIOR to cleaning the entire surface. Next, pour the solution over the pavers and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
Regular Soap and Water
A solution of regular dishwashing soap or hand soap is simple to create, and it will remove mild to moderate dirt, stains, and grease. Just mix your soap and some warm water in a large bucket and you're ready to start cleaning.
A mix of water and vinegar is a great combination to remove stubborn dirt and stains. If you want even better results, use this mix with a cleaner solution specific made for pavers or soap and water. Just remember to plan your cleaning on sunny days because if it rains, you might need to redo all the work.
Dish Soap: A great way to clean patio pavers without removing any sand or decorative texture is by simply cleaning with a gentle soap or degreaser like Dawn. Add the dish soap to a container of water, then start lightly scrubbing the dirty spots with a rag, sponge or a stiff-bristled brush.
3) USE A CLEANER FIRST
I used a bleach-free pressure washer concentrate and sprayed it over each section to help loosen the grime before going at it with a higher pressure nozzle. It didn't take long to apply and helps get those stubborn mildew stains out.