Keeping Your Patio Tidy All Year Round!

Posted on 24/05/2014

Your patio is a hot spot for mess and dirt, simply beaus it is outside! Being so exposed to the elements whilst also being a place that you want to keep nice and tidy makes the patio a difficult place to maintain, and there are often an array of issues that you will face with trying to keep the place looking good, against the natural mess of the wind, rain and dirt from the ground. Moss, algae and weeds are all working against you as well, as in conjunction with the rain, the patio is a perfect place for them to shelter and grow between the cracks. Regular upkeep and preventative measures will usually ensure that you do not have to worry about this kind of thing too often, but you should take care to get the job done right if you can!From the start, you should be regularly sweeping your patio clean every couple of weeks. This will basically ensure that you are not at risk of allowing the pulp of weeds, moss and leaves to get all congealed on the surface, and you will find that you can avoid the dirt that this causes pretty easily. For a start, the pulp will settle in to the cracks between the slabs, forming a mossy line between all of the paving, that can look rather unsightly. Also, the pulp settling on the slabs themselves can cause strange colors and stains, that will be difficult to wash off properly. If you are getting rid of this detritus in the first place, then there will be a lot less need for heavier cleaning in the future, and the patio will look its best more often.You will find that the weeding process is easier if you have a long, thin bit of cane with which to dig between the slabs, and this will also mean that you don’t have to bend down as much to get the job done right. Staying upright will save your back over a longer period of time, and you should easily be set to get the roots out if the cane is thin enough. Do not settle for just pulling the showing part of the plant out, as this will leave the root in place, and the weed free to grow back. Keep the patio tidy and all of your outside things in place, so that the place both looks right, and is easy to get cleaned up! If you are constantly clearing things away or moving bits and pieces whilst you are trying to scrub the slabs, then you will find that progress is slow, and that you are not getting the job done effectively. If you are pressure washing the patio, you should ensure that all things are out of the way, as the pressure of the hose can be enough to damage certain items. This is the same for cars and barbecues that may be out on the drive way or the patio! Keeping your patio tidy and looking its best is easy, it just takes regular upkeep. In the winter when the patio is used less it is easy to allow it to fall in to disrepair, but if you take advantage of the odd dry day, you can easily go through the things above and ensure that the job is not going to be too tough when the summer comes back around and you want it to look amazing for having people over to enjoy your place with!