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Patio Cleaner
ColinA
Posts: 392
Does anybody have a tried and tested home made patio cleaner. I have pressure washed the stones but am left with quite a lot of algae of various colours which will not move even after brushing
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Heard that on radio 4 yesterday.Gardeners question time.
Hi pansyface
Thanks for the info. Knowing that bought cleaner would contain chemicals that could harm plants etc is the reason I asked for any homemade remedies
The thing is, that even home made remedies, if they are going to kill algae, lichens etc, will kill plants and mico-organisms too. Vinegar is a chemical - acetic acid. Salt is a chemical - sodium chloride, washing soda is sodium carbonate ... they're the sort of thing that people sometimes recommend as home remedies for all sorts of things but they're still chemicals and what is more they've not been properly tested as to efficacy or possible harm to the environment as garden solutions.
Elbow grease followed by sunshine and dry weather ... they're the best chemical-free cures for algae I'm afraid.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
There's a Spear & Jackson product called Spray and Leave which claims it will remove almost anything from paving and other surfaces. As you've already used a pressure washer you could probably use it for local treatment of the more difficult areas.
Thanks for all the info
I usually use either Patio Magic or Algon - find the pressure washer very hard work. They both remove algae but not lichens I find and I haven't found anything yet that will remove lichens. I have both white, black and yellow ones on our pale Bath stone wall and I absolutely hate them. Looks so ugly.