Are you asking: how do I maintain block paving? Find out more about cleaning & maintenance on new driveways. We offer tips for maintaining your block paving.

A block paved surface is only as aesthetic as its cleaning routine, and we want the best for our driveway or patio. What is the best cleaning method, and how should you care for your paved surfaces? Keep reading this article if you want to find out.

Initial Cleaning & Maintenance on New Driveways

Ensuring thorough and regular maintenance of your block paving driveways is vital, especially for improving the lifespan. However, the cleaning process has a strict procedure to follow in the initial month after a new installation.

While the area sets, you should limit yourself to regular brushing and sweeping of debris, leaves, and other waste build-ups. The jointing sand and jointing materials are not yet ready for a pressure washer, and using one can cause more harm to the paving blocks.

You should also spend this time topping the paving joints up with jointing sand. Brush the sand over the new paving after your regular cleaning of removing leaves and debris, as you don't want waste making its way into the cracks to house mould and moss. Re-sanding, the affected area will help keep the paving surface in tip-top condition and is one of the best methods to give the block pavers the best life.

A Basic Clean

After this month-long period, you will want to move on to regular cleaning, which will happen much more often and becomes more intensive depending on the stubborn stains present.

Before you clean block paving driveways or patios, you should move all patio furniture and vehicles from the surrounding area. Brush away any leaves and debris, including weeds and moss, around the jointing compounds.

From there, you can begin. A basic clean involves using warm soapy water, a bucket, a stiff broom with hard bristles and washing up liquid. You should mix the washing up liquid with the warm water (don't use too much as this can damage the jointing material) and star from the corners of the driveway or patio.

Pour the solution onto the paving slabs and scrub until the dirt has loosened. Do this across the entire surface, and you should notice a significant difference in the appearance.

You should always use clean water, especially when washing away the soap and dirt afterwards. Use your nearest drainage point (that could be the soil, grass or drain) and direct the water into that.

Taking Care of Paving

All paving requires a cleaning solution of some description. Power washers, weed killers and soapy water are used to keep block paving in top condition. Neglected paving will deteriorate over time, with oil stains and dirt ruining the jointing sand and stones themselves.

Let's look at some of the most common cleaning problems you will face as a block paving driveway or patio owner:

Dealing with weeds

Basic cleaning

The best thing you can do is to complete a basic clean regularly to your block paving with soapy water. Use washing-up liquid or acid-free soap. Acid-based chemicals and products are not a suitable treatment for certain types of concrete and natural stone paving, so you should not use these in excess.

The soapy water should be thrown onto the surface and then brushed and scrubbed continuously with a stiff brush. You should cover the entire area, repeating in places where more muck can be seen. Rinse away the water using a hose, being careful not to loosen or remove the jointing.

Acid-based cleaning products

Many cleaning products contain acid, which is incredibly bad for your paving surfaces. Some patio cleaners have hydrochloric acid within the ingredients, potentially ruining your paving.

Basalts, slates, granites, quartzite and porphyry are less affected by acid-based cleaners, but you should always test a new product on a small area before using it on the whole driveway or patio.

You will be safer with Pennant Stone, Liscannor and York Stone with acid-based cleaners - but some will change colour. The iron content in the stones reacts to the acid, meaning you could end up with an orange driveway as it oxidises.

Do not use acid cleaning products on Limestone, Indian Sandstone and Marble - these will produce a rusty reaction to the hydrochloric acid in the chemicals.   When you use moss killers containing Ferrous Sulphate, the iron inside will cause a rust-like deposit to form on the paving, so be wary.

Algae, mosses and lichens

As with many natural materials and natural stones, you can expect to find a green growth in the form of algae appearing over time. Depending on the type of sandstone and limestone, you can expect to see this in a small section or covering larger areas.

Algae forms on damp and permeable surfaces, which can easily be your driveway. If you live in an area of prevalent rainfall or regularly wash the block paving, you will find algae frequently growing, especially in shaded areas. The best solution to dealing with it is to use bleach.

The best bleach you can use is simple supermarket bleach, off the shelf. Ideally, use a bleach that is more liquid than it is thick, but as long as there is sodium hypochlorite present - you're on the right track.

You can apply the bleach through a watering can and swilling it over the surface. Always rinse it off with clean water, and don't leave it out.   Lichens can easily form when pavements are left uncleaned, taking the form of dark spots. They can sometimes be creamy white in colour, proving difficult to remove. 

Lichens are worse than alga and fungi, rooting themselves deep into the substrate. The treatment once again is bleach, which should be laid and repeated a few times to remove harder spots. You should always wear protective clothing when using bleach for extended periods. 

Keeping it clean

Aside from the irregularities of dealing with tyre marks, algae, moss and all the muck associated with daily life, keeping it clean on a weekly basis is much easier. Pressure washers are an essential appliance to own to give your decking a new lease of life. Of course, if you use the wrong pressure, you can easily dislodge the jointing material, but they are essential for cleaning larger areas and providing an end result you are proud of.    

Sealants are another essential product, as they can keep a pavement or paving slab in fantastic condition. Jointing can stay in place, less likely to move, and water ingress is kept to a minimum when sealants are used. Remember to always be careful when scrubbing and cleaning, as the jointing compound and kiln-dried sand may come out when washing.

Oil spills and oil stains are bound to happen, but removing grease from your stones can be challenging. Always use a bucket of warm, soapy water and degreaser with a stiff brush. Using an oil remover will typically prevent the stain from worsening.

Are you looking for Driveway and Patio Jet Washing in Hampshire? We offer high pressure, damage free jet washing services for Waterlooville and the surrounding areas of Hampshire.