landyboy Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Hi all lookin for a product to help in cleaning a driveway with green algae on ! Power washer won't shift it there must be a decent product to help soften loosen it to hem be able to wash off fairly easily ! Recommendations welcome please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Chlorine from a farm supplier or swimming pool place, works wonders with the green stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Muriatic acid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adge Cutler Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 (edited) If the power washer wont shift it its been absorbed by the material. In order to give you the right advice we would need to know if its macadam, limestone paving, concrete. ? Some acids will take half the slabs away with them so a bleach like chlorine or H202 would be your best option. Even then for some strains of Algae you might struggle. Edited September 5, 2016 by Adge Cutler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buze Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Also, regardless what you do use as a product, especially acidic: make sure you wet the paving completely and thoroughly, then apply the product, then rince a LOT, possibly with a basic solution to neutralise the acid. You saturate the area with water so the acid doesn't get sucked by the stone and joints, otherwise, it'll stay there and continue to attack the stone and/or stain it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 (edited) We used Chlorous which I think we bought from ebay Edited September 6, 2016 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bb Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Jeyes Fluid. Also sold, much cheaper, under different generic names but still smells the same! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landyboy Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 (edited) If the power washer wont shift it its been absorbed by the material. In order to give you the right advice we would need to know if its macadam, limestone paving, concrete. ? Some acids will take half the slabs away with them so a bleach like chlorine or H202 would be your best option. Even then for some strains of Algae you might struggle. Hi it's a stoke blocked driveway not crumbly like limestone a lot harder if that makes sense, the power washer (jet) karcher one from b and q largeish one, had just removed a very thin top layer, don't want to use acid as for reasons above. Edited September 6, 2016 by landyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 On a slightly different subject in winter I used to put household salt down on my footpaths and steps to stop it freezing it works fine but I have noted that the top of the path is crumbling I put it down to the salt I may be wrong but going back to this green stuff that will not come off I would be very careful what you uses better to have a discoloured drive than a crumbling one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
four-wheel-drive Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Hi it's a stoke blocked driveway not crumbly like limestone a lot harder if that makes sense, the power washer (jet) karcher one from b and q largeish one, had just removed a very thin top layer, don't want to use acid as for reasons above. I would be very careful about using a power washer to clean slabs and stone on paths/drives ans the jet can get under the stone and wash out the sandy stuff that they put them on making it wobbly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgreco Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 I bought a bottle of 'wet and forget' last year from Costco for my Indian sandstone patio. It was a real mess as I'd neglected it for a few years but thought I'd give this stuff a go. I pressure washed off what I could and then applied the wet n forget. It says on the container to be patient as it takes a few months to work. Sure enough it's got rid of all the black spots etc. I'm well impressed by it Thanks Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Yes, I would second that comment about "Wet & Forget" from Costco, you just spray it on at a dilution level of 1:4, a bit stronger if really heavy algae growth, then leave it. Sounds daft, but it really works, I was well impressed, but you do need to leave it several months to work properly, don't get impatient and take the jet washer to it..! Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 I just use household bleach from the supermarket. The thin stuff without foaming agent. Dilute with warm water and spray on leave for an hour or two then wash off. Keep the pets off it till you rinse it off. Kills algae off and bleaches the green colour off.. Also good in pet drinkers to get rid of algae and inhibits it regrowing for quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spook Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Patio magic! It's great, I use it to kill the algae on my GRB boat hull and top sides as well as my decking. Use it once a year, spray it on and leave it. takes about a week to kill the green but keeps it gone for about 12 months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 This stuff DOES work. It was recommended to me by my neighbour, and I'm impressed with it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Litres-Concentrate-Fencing-Decking-Remover/dp/B00I0AOLGQ/ref=sr_1_1/253-7024190-1967569?ie=UTF8&qid=1473184071&sr=8-1&keywords=pro-kleen Shop around for the best price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Had similar but used a different karcher nozzle that moved it no worries. There's one that's a single jet that spins round. The nozzle looks like a cone. Silly pressure but cleaned it up and even took paint off that had been otherwise immortal to wire brushes etc. The flat jet and the round decking one were useless on the slabs but j wouldn't use it anywhere else as it's too powerful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rorygall Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I use Sodium Hypochlorite for the outside of the house (painted) and the Indian Sandstone on my terrace. A 20% mix with water shifts everything so far. Move plants away and plenty of water to rinse to dilute otherwise it may kill plants near your drive. You can buy a 20/30 litre can from your local Farm suppliers such as Mole Valley for about £15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jega Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Jeyes Fluid. Also sold, much cheaper, under different generic names but still smells the same! Also really good stuff for keeping gangs of yobs from hanging around areas where they arent wanted . Gentleman at work had this problem with feral yobs hanging around his cul de sac and generally being a bleddy nuisance ,not wanting to confront them he rang the police for advice , they advised him that Jeyes fluid is like holy water to a vampire where yobs are concerned He put some down in the area where they congregated and ..BINGO ,that night when the great unwashed arrived they took one whiff of the magic potion and were off never to return . Its actually nothing more then disinfectant. so no problem with noxious substance claims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garygreengrass Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 I use Sodium Hypochlorite for the outside of the house (painted) and the Indian Sandstone on my terrace. A 20% mix with water shifts everything so far. Move plants away and plenty of water to rinse to dilute otherwise it may kill plants near your drive. You can buy a 20/30 litre can from your local Farm suppliers such as Mole Valley for about £15. That`s wot you want exultant for cleaning pvc on the house too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m3vert Posted September 12, 2016 Report Share Posted September 12, 2016 I use Sodium Hypochlorite for the outside of the house (painted) and the Indian Sandstone on my terrace. A 20% mix with water shifts everything so far. Move plants away and plenty of water to rinse to dilute otherwise it may kill plants near your drive. You can buy a 20/30 litre can from your local Farm suppliers such as Mole Valley for about £15. So basically a strong bleach. Do you find this kills moss and weeds on the patio? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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