Cleaning the stones/concrete around the house

daigo75

Hi all,
I'm not sure this is the right place to ask, please feel free to move the post if needed.

I have the need to clean the stones/concrete which were used for paving around the house, as now they are covered with a thin layer "slimy plants". I think it's moss, but I'm not 100% sure, it's really a thin green layer of plants.

I'd prefer to avoid extremely aggressive chemicals (at least at the beginning), if possible, but that the area is very slippery and I wouldn't like to land on the concrete with my "best profile"... :P

Thank you for any suggestion.

Don_Cookie

I use Thompsons Patio Cleaner for mine. Does a fine job. Brush it in with a yard brush, leave it 5 mins and wash off.

Gryzor

be interested in this one aswell, i use a pressure cleaner on mine, have to do it every 6 months or so....the concrete out my back is fairly sheltered, so it takes ages to dry. i rekon this is half my problem....is there any anti-"slimy plants" stuff that can be applied to the concrete??

bertie1

Go to the local farmers co-op and get a gallon of the liquid they use to put into the milking mahines to clean them down ( between milkings). Dairygold have Chloras but a similar product will do the same job. It is a type of bleach & it will not burn grass or plants if it runs off. I normally dilute it in a watering can & pour on the paths then sweep & hose off .
Lovely white paths afterwards

AislingDuffy

I painted my outside wall a few months back with a sprayer and managed to include the pathway!! I should have sorted this at the time but the weather was bad... Any ideas on removal?

artieanna

we clean our concrete footpaths when they go slippy green with cheap bleach (lidl or aldi gallon can about 1.79) mix plenty with warm/hot water. throw it on and brush it down.

If theres plants growing between cracks/joints you need a herbacide like path clear etc...

kgdo85

What you have sounds like algae growth. All types of paving and concrete are prone to this. It usually grows in constantly damp area, shaded area or areas where trees or plants grow overhead.

To remove it a concentrated weedkiller should be applied in dry weather when the surface will absorb it, and leave for a few weeks. You may need to powerwash clean.

As a preventative measure to aid maintenance you can get fungicide which is applied to the paving dry, then the paving could be sealed. If it is sealed it will greatly reduce any growth and aid maintenance.

You can buy a good sealer from Kilsaran Paving

daigo75

kgdo85 wrote: »

What you have sounds like algae growth. All types of paving and concrete are prone to this. It usually grows in constantly damp area, shaded area or areas where trees or plants grow overhead.

Thank for your suggestion, this is exactly my case. However, I will try first with bleach and see what happens. I'm not really willing to spend too much on it, as it's a rented house and, per contract, outdoor maintenance and cleaning is a landlady's duty. Problem is, she doesn't give a sh** as she doesn't live there... :rolleyes:

AislingDuffy

Malo

I had a look at your website and it looks like one of your products would work on my problem (masonary paint on concrete path).

Can you tell me where I can buy So Safe (blue)?

Boots234

Is it a waste of time cleaning the concrete around the house at this time of the year with chloras or when would be the best time to do it? Also, I plan to apply it using a watering-can, what dilution with water would be the best?

banoffe2

I have the same problem with footpaths and concrete, I think the spring time would be better time to do it, what ratio of chloras to water? do you need to add wash up liquid to make it stick to the concrete and will it wash of or do I need to scrub with yard brush?