My patio was covered in black spots, but a 10p hack left it as good as new – & I didn’t need to pressure wash it
A DIY expert has shared how to tackle stubborn black spot on your patio stains with a cheap two-ingredient homemade mix.
Sam Williams, a DIY expert at SGS Engineering, revealed how two common household essentials will leave your patio sparkling this summer – and there’s no need for a fancy pressure washer.
According to the pro, the homemade remedy is so effective, your outdoor space will be ready for guests in just an hour – so, if you’re planning on hosting a BBQ party this weekend, better listen up.
has shared the “easiest” and most “effective” ways to clean paving slabs using just “household essentials”.
Chatting with The Express, Sam said: “You don’t need any fancy products to clean a patio and one of the most effective cleaning hacks is just using washing up liquid and warm water.
“All you have to do is drop a tablespoon of washing up liquid in a bucket of warm water to make a soapy solution, pour it over the patio and then scrub away with a hard brush.”
For best results, the pro recommended scrubbing in a diagonal motion – according to him, this is less likely to damage the stones.
Meanwhile, if you struggle with black spots on your patio or driveway, the DIY expert advised to try out white vinegar.
Although this popular cupboard staple should be avoided on certain paving slabs, such as limestone, the acidic content is great at removing stubborn stains, he explained.
Sam explained: “Combine the water and white vinegar in a bucket in a 1:1 ratio and pour the solution over your patio and leave it to work for 30 minutes to an hour.”
Once the time’s up, the guru instructed to rinse away with your hosepipe.
Alternatively, if you don’t have any vinegar at hand, Sam said that baking soda is another great option.
This technique works particularly well if you’ve been hosting enjoying scrumptious BBQs this season and some of the grease and fat has landed on the stones.
”However, it will only have limited effectiveness against algae and mould,” he warned.
If you have a pressure washer, this, of course, can do the job much quicker – but Sam urged to check at what pressure you set the device to.
According to the pro, powerful streams of water can even cause damage to the stones, so it’s best try out the other hacks first.
July gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to tackle this July in your garden.
1. Prune Wisteria
You should only prune back Wisteria twice a year – and July – or mid summer – is one of those times. After flowering cut back long side shoots to around seven buds.five or six leaves.
2. Pinch out tomatoes
Your tomatoes should be really picking up – so pinch out all the side shoots without flowers – and remove all the leaves that are shading the tomatoes – this will give them maximum light and energy.
3. Keep weeding
Hand weeding and hoeing the surface of the soil will keep your weeds under check.
4. Feed Dahlias
To keep Dahlias flowering until Autumn, you must keep feeding them weekly with a liquid fertliser high in potassium – which encourages blooms.
5. Keep deadheading plants
Keep up with deadheading your bedding plants and perennials – so they keep coming back for the season. With roses make sure you’re deadheading back to a set of five leaves, giving you the best chance of them flowering again.
6. Check on your pond
If you’re lucky enough to have a pond – make sure it’s clear of algae, which can really bloom when the sun beats down.
7. Feed your lawn
Whether that’s with a liquid feed or granules. If you’ve chosen granules try to get them down before the rain comes, so they soak into the soil.
8. Tend to strawberry plants
Cut the leaves off strawberry plants after you’ve picked them – leaving the crown untouched – which should help with next years fruit.
9. Sow extra seeds
July weather is a great time to sow seeds as the warm soil and sunshine is great for germination. Try carrots, winter broccoli and other brassicas.
10. Move young plants into soil
Get any young plants you’ve got left in the greenhouse – like courgettes – into the soil.
If you do still want to stick to using pressure washer, Sam advised moving furniture out of the way first before starting in the top corner of the patio.
Here, you should hold the device at a 30-degree angle and spray the water diagonally across the patio, holding it quite far back to avoid damage to the stones.
One of the main benefits of choosing a patio over decking is that you should only need to clean it once a year, Sam said.
But with a little upkeep, he added, ”you can maintain a consistently clean appearance all year long”.
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