A patio is a beautiful outdoor feature that can add beauty and function to your yard. But without proper maintenance and cleaning, your once beautiful patio can become dirty and overgrown, detracting from the beauty of your outdoor living area. Fortunately, cleaning and maintaining a patio is easy. Today, we’ll cover everything you need to know to keep your patio looking great.
How to Pressure Wash Your Patio
The easiest and fastest way to clean your patio is by using a pressure washer. It’s a relatively inexpensive tool that you can find many uses for in your outdoor home improvement projects. You can also rent one from most home improvement stores for a small fee.
Here’s what you’ll need to do to clean your patio with a pressure washer.
Clean the Patio Thoroughly
Giving your patio a thorough cleaning before you start will save you time and effort later. Start by removing any furniture, planters, and decorations you have and placing them away from the patio area.
Use a push broom to remove any loose dirt, debris, and leaves from the patio so that it’s completely empty before you begin washing it.
Set Up Your Pressure Washer
Most pressure washers include some accessories to help make cleaning different surfaces easier. If your pressure washer comes with a patio cleaning attachment, connect it to your wand. If you don’t have a patio cleaning attachment, you can complete the job using the wand; it will just take a bit longer.
Once you’ve prepared the machine, connect it to your garden hose. Turn the water to the hose on, then turn on your power washer.
Test Your Pressure Washer in an Inconspicuous Area
Before you begin pressure washing the patio, you’ll want to test it out somewhere inconspicuous so you can dial in your settings. If the pressure washer provides too much pressure, it can remove grout and sand between stones or pavers and even damage them.
Adjust the pressure to a medium setting and test it on a stone or paver that’s out of the way, and adjust the pressure setting as necessary. Once you’ve dialed in the proper pressure setting, you’re ready to get started.
Apply Detergent
For especially dirty patios, you’ll want to consider using a cleaning solution to make the power washer more effective. Follow the instructions for the cleaning solution you’re going to use, and spray it onto the patio before you begin power washing.
Pressure Wash the Patio
Start working from the side of the patio so that water drains away, and begin power washing the patio from side to side and top to bottom. Don’t concentrate too hard on the grout lines between pavers, as we’ll clean those in the next step.
Rinse the patio thoroughly to remove any remaining dirt you’ve blasted off. Then, repeat the power washing process from the opposite side, working back to the point you started.
Switch Modes for Stubborn Areas
If you’re using a patio cleaning attachment, remove it and switch to the wand. Set the power washer to lance mode and carefully clean up any stubborn areas along the grout lines and paver edges that may still have residual dirt, moss, or lichen growth.
Seal the Patio
Consider using a stone and paver sealer to keep your patio looking its best for as long as possible. Stone sealers will help prevent staining and inhibit mold and lichen growth. If you choose to seal the patio, follow the instructions on the sealer, spray the patio, and allow the sealer to dry.
Servicing the Machine
Switch off the machine, turn off the water supply, and disconnect the hose from the connection to the pressure washer. Turn the device back on, and depress the wand trigger to remove any residual water from the machine before storing it away.
Once you’re done, place your power washer back in storage, so it’s ready the next time you need it.
Replace Patio Furniture and Decorations
Once your patio is cleaned and sealed, move back any of your patio furniture and decorations so you can begin enjoying your newly reinvigorated patio.
Tips for Keeping Your Patio Clean
To keep your patio looking its best, follow these simple tips below:
- Sweep the patio weekly to remove loose debris and leaves, which can lead to staining.
- Regularly weed the grout joints or use a weed killer to prevent unwanted growth.
- Replace missing polymeric sand or grout to inhibit weed growth further and keep your patio looking new.
- Use a stone and patio sealer after cleaning to keep your patio looking its best for longer.
- Use a color-matching concrete patch if you notice large cracks forming in the patio. Left untreated, these cracks can grow and compromise the integrity of the stones.
- Clean stubborn stains with a deck brush and mild detergent to buy yourself more time in between pressure washings.
Cleaning your patio with a pressure washer is an easy weekend project that can beautify your outdoor living environment. Plus, it’s fun to do, too! With a decent pressure washer and some patience, you’ll be well on your way to a beautiful and vibrant outdoor patio for you and your loved ones.
