July 5th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Keeping your patio clean during the summer is important, and it’s a job that’s made a lot easier with a pressure washer. Pressure washers are a useful luxury to have, but to a lot of people they’re just that: a luxury. If you want to clean your patio without a pressure washer, you absolutely can! If you do it right, you can clean your patio just as effectively without a pressure washer, and for a fraction of the cost.

Cleaning Concrete Patios Without a Pressure Washer

Method 1: Manual Cleaning

If you stay on top of it and do it regularly, a manual clean may help your patio to look a bit better. It’ll clear off leaves and dirt which can encourage weeds and pests to spoil your patio. It takes a bit of time, but it won’t cost you anything and is a good part of regular maintenance.

Step 1

Remove any bits and pieces from your patio to give yourself a clear working space. This might include garden furniture, BBQ sets, or kids’ games.

Step 2

Get a stiff brush and brush any leaves off your patio. Be vigorous with the brush to try and remove any surface dirt from the patio. Leaves and dirt encourage bacteria, which encourage pests and weeds to grow, so they need to be cleared off.

Step 3

Use a knife to dig between any gaps in your patio and dig out any weeds that might be poking through.

Method 2: Use a Watering Can or Pump Sprayer

The above method is good for regular maintenance, but it won’t be strong enough to break down tough stains and dirt on your patio. For that, you’ll need something a bit special, but luckily there’s a really simple trick to it.

Step 1

Pick up some Patio and Driveway Cleaner and a watering can or a pump sprayer. Patio and Driveway Cleaner is great because it can be used neat, so you can use it straight out of the bottle.

Step 2

Apply it to your patio using your watering can or your pump sprayer and leave your patio alone for at least 2 hours (or better yet, overnight). Keep children and pets off the patio during this time.

Step 3

Once enough time has passed, simply rinse your patio down with water. That’s all there is to it! The Patio and Driveway Cleaner breaks down dirt and grime so a high-pressure blast from a pressure washer isn’t necessary, just a gentle rinse with a bucket or a hose will be enough!

Cleaning Decking and Other Surfaces Without a Pressure Washer

If you don’t have a concrete patio and instead have some wooden decking, you might need to take a slightly different approach to get rid of the mould and green algae that can form and present a slip hazard. Again, this is a matter of getting the right cleaner for your decking that’s quick and easy to use, and which won’t be toxic to children and pets once it’s dried.

Step 1

Pick up some Simply Spray and Walk Away and dilute it using 4 parts water for every 1 part Simply Spray and Walk Away.

Step 2

Apply it to your decking using a watering can or pump sprayer and leave it to dry. That’s it! You should notice the mould and green growths on your decking dying off within 2-3 days. There’s no need to rinse it off – you really do simply spray and walk away!