How to Clean a Brick Paver Patio
With the right tools and periodic maintenance, keeping a brick paver patio clean is quite easy, although it may take a little time. Depending on what you have available, however, cleaning the patio might require a little old-fashioned scrubbing.
Tools and Materials:
- Pressure washer
- Scrub brush
- Bleach
- Borax
- Garden hose
- Broom
- Bucket
- Elbow-length rubber gloves
Step 1: Remove Weeds and/or Grass
The beauty of a brick patio is that it doesn't need mortared joints to be solid, as long as it's done right. The bad part about this is that weeds or grass may eventually grow between the joints. Give the patio a good once over, pulling any weeds or grass shoots you see.
Step 2: Sweep Patio
Next, take the outdoor broom and thoroughly sweep the patio. You want all loose dirt, sand or other debris off before you start the deep clean.
Step 3: Pressure Wash
If you have an electric or gas-powered pressure washer available to you, fire it up. Set the PSI no higher than 3,000. Set the nozzle to a fan shape rather than a jet blast. Go over every square inch of the patio, hitting each part evenly. You'll be amazed how well this works to remove that ever-so thin layer of moss.
Step 4: Scrub and Rinse
If you don't have a pressure washer, mix up a solution of either bleach or borax and water. 10 parts water to 1 part cleaning agent should suffice. Scrub the patio with a stiff brush, wearing rubber gloves as you do. Finish up by rinsing the patio with the garden hose.
