It’s no secret paved homes look beautiful. To keep them that way, you have to learn the techniques for cleaning paving stones.
Aside from their beauty, paving stones are a great upgrade to your home’s landscape. They offer advantages such as durability, slip and skid resistance, and low maintenance.
Other advantages include:
- being easy to repair, replace, or update
- having a variety of designs, colors, and materials
- being environmental friendly
- providing good drainage due to their interlocking nature
- being cost-effective
Failing to clean the paving stones will cost you many of these great benefits. Read on to learn what to do instead.
TIPS FOR CLEANING PAVING STONES
The work doesn’t end when you finish installing paving stones. You must still pay due diligence in cleaning and maintaining them. This removes stains and ensures the pavers continue repelling water.
Here are some tips for cleaning paving stones:
SURFACE CLEANING USING A BROOM AND WATER
You can clean paved surfaces using a broom and water. First, sweep all the fallen leaves, dirt, and debris. Leaves can cause stains if they get into contact with water. Thus, sweep them away before going to the next step.
Use water to rinse the swept area. This will remove any remaining dust and stains. If need be, use a cleaning solution to scrub stubborn stains. Then hose the area.
Specialized cleaners remove stains such as those from red wine and paint. If the stain is oil, you’ll need an oil removing solution instead.
POUR POLYMERIC SAND IN CRACKS TO PREVENT WEED GROWTH
Weeds may start growing between cracks in your paving stones. They create this unsightly look on your landscape. The best option is to pour polymeric sand in these cracks.
Allow the sand to settle between the cracks and stone joints. Once done, sweep off the excess sand. Then, make the stones and the sand a bit wet. Repeat this wetting process once every hour for about three hours. This will bind them.
USE A PAVER SEALER
Speaking of sealing, remember to reseal your paving stones every year or after every two years. Even if you use an ICPI-certified installer, the original sealant will suffer wear and tear. You must reseal the area to prevent stains, dirt, and weeds.
Make sure to sweep and dry the stones before applying anything. You can use sealants such as water sealers, solvent sealers, and acrylic sealers. These give you finishes such as matte and wet-look. Pour a second coat of sealant if necessary.
Remember to check the weather first to ensure it won’t rain. Also, confirm the temperatures to know if they are above 10 degrees Celsius.
APPLY WHITE VINEGAR TO KILL WEEDS
Mix white vinegar with dishwashing soap and use it on the stones. The acidic mixture will fight any weeds growing on your paving stones. This keeps the area looking gorgeous and well kept.
SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION
As you can see, cleaning paving stones requires knowledge and expertise. Having an expert installing your stones will make cleaning the area much simpler. Then, you can call experts to clean the area in the future.
Contact us to learn more about our paving service.