Generally, interior pavers that have been grouted and sealed just need to be swept, mopped, and spot-cleaned as needed with a gentle, non-acidic multipurpose cleaning solution, such as Enviro Klean All Surface Cleaner or Light Duty Concrete Cleaner. Exterior paver patio hardscaping is even more low-maintenance.
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.
After sweeping with a stiff outdoor broom or blower, wash the driveway with soap to remove dirt build-up, and use a specialist concrete cleaner like 30 Seconds Outdoor to tackle grease, rust or other stains without damaging the surface. Use a pressure cleaner on stubborn dirt.
Bondall Hydrochloric Acid is the solution for acid etching concrete, brick and pavers to adequately prepare the surface prior to sealing or painting.
Unfortunately cleaning is not a one-size-fits-all process for pavers. For example, masons will use muriatic acid on clay brick to remove mortar. However, muriatic acid could do serious damage to a concrete paver.
DRYLOK® Etch is highly effective in etching masonry, stone, tile, and brick. It removes unsightly efflorescence (salt deposits) as well as excess mortar. Use DRYLOK® Etch, as a safer alternative to muriatic acid and is not activated until mixed with water for safe storage.
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.
Bleach is a great way to clean pavers because it is a strong disinfectant. It will kill any germs or bacteria on the surface and remove any molds, plus it will also brighten them up. It is common to mix bleach with water; however, you can also add other ingredients to make it more effective.
The reason you are seeing yellow spots on your muriatic acid cleaned pavers is because some of the aggregates used in making the pavers are now exposed. The reason for this is that muriatic acid attacks the pigments used to color the cement that is part of the concrete mix.
Scrub the concrete with a nylon-bristled brush and then rinse thoroughly with the garden hose. For extremely heavy stains, a power washer provides a much stronger stream of water to blast away the grime. Use a hose to rinse greenery after the patio is clean.
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.
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.
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.
Over time, it can destroy concrete as the acid weakens its structure. This will cause scaling, pitting, peeling, and cracking. If the acid wash gets into the soil, it will evaporate on the surface but remain beneath the surface (just like it does with concrete).
White vinegar is good for cleaning pavers, though it's also acidic enough to erode the stones' surface. Diluted vinegar can be used safely to clean paving stones, though it should be used sparingly and infrequently to protect your paving from damage.
If your deck is made from concrete, pavers travertine, brick, stamped concrete or composite decking, you can clean and refresh it for summer using OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover.
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.
Apply the Simple Green solution. Allow the product to soak for a minute or so on heavy soils and greasy spills. Scrub, if necessary. Scrubbing with a soft bristle brush or non-abrasive scrubbing pad provides agitation that will help to loosen soils and will ensure a thoroughly clean, residue free surface.
Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4)
oz. of 31.45% HCl. It takes 2% more sulfuric acid to equal muriatic acid (by volume) to accomplish identical pH and alkalinity reduction. Sulfuric acid is a comparable alternative to muriatic acid.