Patio Cleaning
Regular maintenance including weed control can help, but it never seems enough to get on top of the problem, does it?
Eventually there’s no option but to consider hiring a pressure washer, or visit the garden centre to buy some serious chemicals.
Contact us today 01626 310141
Our patio cleaning and pressure washing service is suitable for all types of patio surfaces.
paving – Concrete and paving slabs – Resin bonded surfaces –
Pattern imprinted concrete – Tarmac
How do we undertake a patio clean?
First we’ll pressure wash the outer areas with a turbo lance and then focus our attention on the main patio surface. Very often we’ll use a rotary flat surface cleaner to get this part of the job done quickly and effectively.
A regular power wash is environmentally friendly, using only normal tap water, applied at very high pressure. Optionally, for some organic stains we may also need to use biocide chemical treatments.
As well as weeds and moss, we find that a very common problem with patios is Black Lichen; often called blackspot.
A blackspot infestation appears as unsightly black splodges on the surface and it can not be removed with pressure washing alone. It’s especially difficult to remove from expensive Indian sandstone, York stone slabs and block paving.
A deep clean with a solution containing a high concentration of sodium hypochlorite is the only thing that will remove blackspot on the day. This is a strong chemical and we need to use PPE when applying it. That said, it biodegrades very quickly and does not pose a lasting hazard. It’s safe for pets and children once it has been rinsed off and has dried out.
The cleaning process is similar for most patio surfaces, although we use lower pressure when working on sandstone or limestone flags. Likewise with crazing paving and anything else with mortar or pointing.
If the patio is made of block paving we’ll return on a dry day to re-sand the blocks. This is an essential part of the process because it inhibits weeds, secures the blocks in position and prevents any movement.
If there are deep rooted weeds, it’s best to treat them a week or two before pressure washing. You can easily do this yourself with a glycophosphate weed killer such as Roundup, or for we can do this for you.
How much does it cost to clean a patio?
And how to estimate this yourself.
To keep it simple we normally quote our patio cleaning prices by the square metre, however for larger jobs or commercial projects we may provide our customers with an estimate based on a daily rate.
We must also account for materials, and whether extra time or multiple visits will be needed to complete the job. For this reason, we have have minimum charge of £145.00
- Pressure washing starts at a rate of £3 per m2, and we may be able to reduce this for larger areas
- For a deep clean treatment to remove organic stains, simply add an extra £1.00 per m2 for the total area
- Block paving, including a deep clean and re-sanding, starts at £5.00 per m2, with discounts available for larger areas.
How to estimate the cost of pressure washing a patio?
To provide you with a firm price we will need to measure up ourselves, but estimating the cost is fairly simple by just pacing out the area. For most people one metre is a big stride.
To aid comparison; a public car parking space is about 15m². A tennis court is about 200m².
If you can see black, white or green spots on the surface, you probably have a lichen infestation and a deep clean using an alkaline foam will be needed to remove this.
To give you the best value for money, for small areas which do not meet our minimum charge we can also include paths and steps, plus walls and window sills (up to 3m high).
Some stains, especially oil, may not be completely removable even with specialist treatments. We will always try our best, but we make no certain promises about this. With block paving may be possible to replace, turn over or relocate the effected blocks. Extra costs will apply.
Please note that whilst most jobs progress without any difficulty, factors such as poor drainage or low water pressure may effect our pricing.
Every job is different so all rates are subject to inspection. We always try to quote a firm price based on what we know before work begins and we’ll be upfront with you in the event of any complications.