Patios are among the most-used outdoor spaces of a home. As a focal point of the garden, patios usually feature garden furniture, plant pots, and other outdoor décor, so people like to keep them as clean as possible.
Maintaining a patio is quite challenging, however. Being such a used space means it sees a lot foot traffic, causing all kinds of dirt and mess to accumulate. Add in the all the natural wearing that the UK weather provides and it becomes even tougher to maintain a patio throughout the year.
While a pressure washer is a useful tool for cleaning a patio, not everyone wants to spend the money buying an often-expensive piece of hardware. Plus, pressure washing a patio is no easy task, taking a fair amount of time and effort to complete, leading many people to simply leave their patio as is.
However, patio cleaners offer the perfect solution to an unclean patio. Cheap and easy to use, a patio cleaner removes the hassle of maintaining your patio, leaving it looking as good as new with virtually no effort on your part.
It’s important to consider a few things before buying a patio cleaner though, as not all products are suitable for all patios. Check below for some tips on how to choose the best patio cleaner for your garden:
Patio Surface
Always consider your patio surface before buying a cleaner for it, as not all patio cleaners are suitable for every surface material. Certain chemicals commonly used in patios cleaners may end up damaging the surface, such as strong bleaches that damage wood. Sodium hydroxide is another common ingredient that is often too powerful for certain patio surfaces.
Cleaning Method
There are two main types of patio cleaners – leave it and scrubbing cleaners. Leave it sprays are generally the best option for patio cleaners as they require little effort to use, simply leaving the spray on to do its thing and then rinsing it away lawn sand, dirt and stains.
Scrubbing cleaners require more elbow grease as they must be scrubbed into the surface to remove the dirt and grime. Both are effective cleaners, so it generally depends on the amount of effort you want to put in, although scrubbing cleaners are often the better choice for those tougher stains.
Related: Patio Heaters
Patio Size
The surface area you are cleaning determines how much patio cleaner solution you require. A 5L patio cleaning solution is usually enough to clean roughly 400sqm, which is enough to clean large patios several times over.
However, some solutions are more concentrated than others so require water to dilute. Also, the degree of dirt and grime may require more cleaning solution per square metre, so be sure to consider these things before choosing a patio cleaner.
The Ultima-Plus XP Green Mould and Algae Remover is a powerful patio cleaner suitable for every type of surface. It does feature a highly concentrated solution that makes it strong enough to remove even the toughest moss, algae, dirt, grime, and any other unwanted substances on your patio.
The cleaner is sold in a 5L bottle, although the strength of the solution means it needs to be diluted, offering enough cleaner for around 400sqm. In fact, there are a few dilution options, with a minimum of 50L and a maximum of 95L depending on how much water is used.
So, if the patio is quite dirty and has lots of weather wearing and stains, then you can use a much stronger solution to get the job done. If the patio surface just needs a quick clean, then a weaker solution should be fine and means the product lasts even longer.
Despite a lack of bleach or acid in the solution, it remains highly effective against most substances that accumulate on patios, including moss, algae, mould, dirt, and grime. Completely biodegradable, the cleaner is simply applied to the surface and left for a few days, after which it completely dissolves.
The solution is suitable for patios, paths, decking, fences, sheds, uPVC, and any other outdoor hard surfaces affected by mould and algae.
Ultima-Plus XP Green Mould and Algae Remover
The Jarder Spray & Leave is a powerful patio cleaner capable of killing green mould, algae, and other common substances that develop on outdoor surfaces. As a spray and leave cleaner, all you do is apply some cleaning solution to the area and leave it for several days.
You get good value for money with this cleaning solution too, with one 5L bottle providing a minimum of 30L of cleaning solution. This enough cleaning solution to cover an area of around 240smq, so expect to get many uses out of the cleaner.
There is a good chance you’ll need to use it less often after the first time however, as the cleaner provides a protective barrier on the surface to prevent regrowth for up to six months. So, you probably only need to use it once or twice a year and will have more than enough solution for that – it offers great value for money.
This cleaner is completely safe to use too, with no bleach, acid, or caustic chemicals that could damage surfaces. It’s safe for pets and children too, although you need to wait until it has dried first, which doesn’t take long.
Jarder Spray & Leave 4 x 5 Litre Concentrate Cleaner
This patio cleaner from Pro-Kleen features an extremely powerful cleaning solution that makes it ideal for those tougher, long-lasting stains and substances that have developed on your patio. This includes both green mould and algae, along with other typical dirt and grime that develops on outdoor surfaces.
Also, you don’t even need to dilute the solution. It can be used neat using a watering can or garden sprayer, taking as little as two hours to work. For the best results, you should leave on the patio overnight and then rinse using a hose or watering can.
While not required, you can use a scrubbing brush to further work the solution into the surface area, which can help speed up the cleaning process. Areas that have not been cleaned in some time may benefit from a second application.
This patio cleaner couldn’t be easier to use and it’s suitable for various surfaces, including concrete, stones, bricks, pathways and more. You don’t need to dilute any of the solution, simply add it to the patio, leave overnight and then rinse away!
Pro-Kleen Patio & Driveway Cleaner
The Smartseal Patio Clean Xtreme is a powerful patio cleaner suitable for a various types of surfaces, including natural stone, concrete, flagstones, sandstone, limestone, and block paving. This covers all the most common patio surfaces and its versatility means you can use it to clean other surfaces in the garden.
Using four powerful ingredients, the solution can remove all kinds of dirt and grime, while also killing natural growth such as fungus, moss, and black spot lichen. These are all common issues in UK gardens due to the damp weather, with growths accumulating in porous materials, including those used for patios.
Not only does the cleaning solution kill these types of growth, it also prevents future growth from developing and spreading. Black spot is an especially irritating growth that ruins the appearance of sandstone patios, so being able curb future growth makes this an especially useful cleaner.
The cleaner is simple to use, being diluted with a 1:1 ratio using water. You can add it into a watering can or garden sprayer, then simply soak the patio and leave for an hour before rinsing. If necessary, you can leave it on longer to really work those tougher stains and growths.
Smartseal Patio Clean Xtreme
This patio cleaner from Dirtbusters utilises an extra strong formula to provide fast and efficient patio cleaning for an affordable price. It’s a versatile product that can be used on patios and throughout the garden, working to clean sheds, paths, decking, and fences.
The solution effectively removes the most troublesome growths that develop on your patio, including mould, mildew, lichen, algae, and moss. You get 5L of solution that dilutes into water. It’s a ratio of 1 part concentration to 4 parts water, which translates to 25L of cleaner. This offers enough solution to clean up to 200smq.
There is no need to use a scrubbing brush or pressure washer, simply combine with water and apply to the surface area. It’s biodegradable so doesn’t need to be washed away, it simply gets straight to work killing growth and removing stains. The solution also works to control re-growth, so you won’t need to clean your patio again for at least six months.
It’s safe for kids and pets to use the treated area once the solution as dried, while the solution won’t cause damage to any surface material.
Dirtbusters Spray Today Gone Tomorrow
This patio cleaner from Dirtbusters utilises an extra strong formula to provide fast and efficient patio cleaning for an affordable price. It’s a versatile product that can be used on patios and throughout the garden, working to clean sheds, paths, decking, and fences.
The solution effectively removes the most troublesome growths that develop on your patio, including mould, mildew, lichen, algae, and moss. You get 5L of solution that dilutes into water. It’s a ratio of 1 part concentration to 4 parts water, which translates to 25L of cleaner. This offers enough solution to clean up to 200smq.
There is no need to use a scrubbing brush or pressure washer, simply combine with water and apply to the surface area. It’s biodegradable so doesn’t need to be washed away, it simply gets straight to work killing growth and removing stains. The solution also works to control re-growth, so you won’t need to clean your patio again for at least six months.
It’s safe for kids and pets to use the treated area once the solution as dried, while the solution won’t cause damage to any surface material
Read our article on choosing the best decking cleaner to remove grime and algae form your decking boards.
Last update on 2023-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
