With spring’s arrival, it’s time to start tackling your list of outdoor cleaning projects, including cleaning patio pavers. Your yard’s patio brick pavers bear the brunt of passing foot traffic and may begin to look worn and dirty by the end of winter. Living in Florida with high humidity and precipitation can also lead to mold growth on your pavers. Cleaning patio brick pavers can restore their natural look and keep them looking their best for years to come.
Step 1: Attack the Weeds Surrounding Your Pavers
Tenacious weeds can sprout up in just about any crack, even a tiny one. Allowing weeds to grow between your pavers can harm the pavers and will look unsightly. Digging out each weed one by one is an effective, if tedious, way to remove the problem. Don’t simply remove the top of the weed; use a tool to remove the root of the weed to prevent it from returning.
Step 2: Remove Loose Dirt
Winter wind and rainstorms deposit leaves and dirt on your pool or patio brick pavers. You can remove some dirt and debris from your pavers with nothing more than a broom and a brush. Using just a broom should remove most of the dirt and pollen, but getting down closer to the ground with a brush can help you remove the dirt and plant debris between the cracks.
Step 3: Cleaning Patio Bricks with Water
Water can help you remove tough dirt clumps and dead weeds. You can start this step with your garden hose, but you may need more power to get the job done. A pressure washer can make a dramatic difference to the cleanliness of your pavers and is effective on persistent vegetation, including moss. However, you need to use care with a pressure washer; too much pressure at one spot can cause damage to your pavers and the filler between each individual paver.
Step 4: Tackle Stains and Remove Mold from Pavers
Over the winter, precipitation and dirt can combine to make unsightly stains on your pavers. High moisture also provides the essential ingredient for mold growth on your brick pavers. Some stains can be removed easily with water alone, but others will take extra effort to remove. Using a mixture of water and dish detergent is an inexpensive way to remove stains. You can reuse your brush for this job to spread the mixture around and remove tough stains. If you’ve having difficulty removing some stains, allowing the soapy mixture to sit on the stain for a few minutes may help. If the stains are very stubborn, try a little bleach, but be careful not to get it on the grass.
Step 5: Finish Up with a Final Rinse
After using a soapy mixture to eliminate the most persistent stains and mold, you can finish up your work with a final rinse of water. Hose your patio brick pavers down and let them dry. Once they’ve dried, you can assess the condition of each paver to see if further spot cleaning is required.
Spring is a great time to inspect and work on cleaning concrete and brick patio pavers so that your yard is ready for summer fun. We’ve also written an article on how to clean your patio screen enclosure. Dulando Screen & Awning has been helping homeowners build their backyard patios for over four decades. If you need to expand your patio or possibly add a screen enclosure, call Dulando Screen & Awning to learn more about the services we offer for your Florida backyard.
Dulando Screen & Awning has been helping homeowners build their backyard patios for over four decades. If you need to expand your patio or possibly add a screen enclosure, call Dulando Screen & Awning or fill out our online quote form to learn more about the services we offer for your Florida backyard.
