Patio cleaning advice please.

[peter]

Just used broom, hose, Jeyes fluid, scrubbing brush, more hose, to clean my concrete terrace. Can't use the power washer as it cuts into the concrete, dont ask, its a complicated builder story.

What's the best stuff tospray on to kill off the remaining algae, lichen and moss, but without being harmful for the dog?

[Tony Hague]

I would have thought the Jeyes would do it. The smallest amount in the water keeps my conservatory roof clear for many weeks. I'd leave it a bit and see if anything has survived before trying anything else.

[Arnie]

Hi Peter,

Try Armillatox.

http://www.armillatox.com/

Regards

Arnie

[Geoff]

There's something called Algon - I have some but never got round to using it.
I pressure wash but it takes ages - anybody ever used the T4 Racer attachment for Karcher washers that is supposed to be 5 times faster? It's a bit expensive to buy without a sound endorsement.

[Johnboy]

Hi Peter,
I have very successfully used Algon for a number of years now and it keeps all my concrete pathways clear of moss and algae. I have also used it on my polytunnel surfaces (benching) and the polythene covering to very good effect. It is a product that actually does what it says it will do.
JB.

[Primrose]

I recently used Jeyes Fluid to clean our patio and it did marginally improve it but since then have bought a specific Jeyes Fluid Patio Cleaner (available from B&Q & probably elsewhere) which has proved much more effective. You just wet the stones, add the liquid to a watering can, pour on for 10 minutes and scrub with a stiff broom. it has really cleaned off all the stubborn algae marks.

The problem with using power cleaners is that they can take off all the surface protection originally added to the stones or paving and once that is removed, algae & stains seem to settle far more quickly. The only remedy is to then give the whole area a coating with a protective sealant, preferably two coats.

[Shallot Man]

Also worth remembering , if you have had brick paving put down, a power washer blasts out the sand that had been brushed between the brick paviors.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I use Algon and it is very good, the only problem this year is the weather staying fine long enough for it to work before the rain washes it away. It is also best to apply it to a dry surface.

I treated mine yesterday, scraping off the thick moss first. The path was a bit damp, but it looked as if the Algon had worked when I looked last night - it had actually been dry all day for a change. Torrential rain again today though.