Jump to content

Patio driveway algae cleaner detergent


landyboy
 Share

Recommended Posts

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 by Adge Cutler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 by landyboy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...