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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Jen Thomas

Best patio cleaners: Top products to remove algae and dirt from your paving

Summer means BBQs and drinks in the garden, but if your patio has seen better days these cleaners and pressure washers will soon have you showing it off.

In recent years, pressure washers have become ridiculously popular on TikTok and social media for their “satisfying” results. There’s even a new computer game dedicated to virtually cleaning muck and grime from walls, patios, rugs and more. One video of a patio being pressure washed has had more than 5.4 million likes, and an account that regularly documents the process has 11 million likes. It seems we can’t get enough of the process.

Garden dirt and grime will be a thing of the past with these top-rated items.

For pressure washers, you need to look for how many bars they have – that’s the energy rate the water will reach. They tend to start from 100 bars for domestic washers, and up to 500 bars for professional cleaners.

If you want to give it a go at home, here are some of the best patio cleaners and pressure washers to try out (filming for TikTok fame is optional).

VonHaus 3500263 Grey Pressure Washer 1600W

This handy Vonhaus Pressure Washer will make cleaning the patio a doddle, complete with a versatile pressure range of 90 to 130 bars.

It will shift dirt, grime, mould, moss, and anything you can think of if your patio is left to grow wild. It also features a water flow rate of 5L to 6.5L per minute.

For added cleaning, it comes with a detergent bottle and nozzle if you need more than just water. A spray gun with a trigger is easy to connect, and the detergent bottle can be filled with solution to give your cleaning an extra boost.

The cleaner also comes with a safety lock on the handle to prevent accidental use. With a 5m hose and 5m power cable, this is the perfect size for medium gardens.

It is also mounted on two wheels with a handle on the top, meaning it can be tilted and wheeled around.

Buy now £109.00, Vonhaus

Mac Allister Corded Pressure washer 1.8kW

If you’re after peace of mind, the Mac Allister Corded Pressure Washer comes with a two-year guarantee.

Included in every sale comes a whole host of accessories, including a spray gun, adjustable nozzle, rotary nozzle, a high-pressure foam sprayer and an 80m long supersoft PVC high-pressure hose. If that isn’t enough, you can also add on a fixed brush, rotary brush, patio cleaner, sweeper brush, wheel brush, underbody lance, drain and pipe cleaning, self-priming kit and extension short lance. The hose features anti-tangle technology to avoid any annoying kinks.

With 140 bars of pressure, and a flow speed of 440L/hr this is an impressive bit of kit. Happy customers have praised the performance and compared it to more high-end models.

Buy now £99.00, B&Q

Kärcher K5 Power Control Corded Pressure washer 1.8kW

One of the biggest brands on the market, Kärcher regularly comes out on top in reviews and has a whole range of pressure washers available (there’s also a more budget-friendly version later in this list).

One of the higher-powered washers, the K5 can reach 145 bars with a flow rate of 500l/hr. It features a 10m long high-pressure hose, a Vario lance, a dirt blaster lance to make quick work of even the filthiest patio and a high-pressure gun.

There’s also an app you can download with plenty of tips and tricks to get the job done. The pressure is variable thanks to an LED display on the trigger to help you change the levels.

The plug ‘n’ clean system allows you to click in the bottle of detergent, choose the correct accessory for the job and get cleaning.

Buy now £339.00, Currys

Spear and Jackson Path and Patio Cleaner

If you don’t need to splash out on a pressure washer but still want a patio to be proud of, this Spear and Jackson path and patio cleaner could be the one for you. A bargain compared to the top-of-the-range pressure washers, this is better for your wallet if you’re only wanting to clean the paving slabs once a summer.

Each sachet is enough to make up five litres of powerful fungicidal wash, which will help to prevent mould regrowing. It will restore the natural look of your garden, removing lichen and moss too, and can be used on garden paths and tarmac as well as patio paving slabs. All you need to do is dilute the formula, spray, and then rinse.

You can use a pressure washer after if you want to, or simply scrub with a brush and a bit of elbow grease.

Buy now £23.99, Amazon

SmartSeal Patio Clean Xtreme

This potent patio cleaner can be used in conjunction with a pressure washer for professional-grade results.

SmartSeal Patio Clean Xtreme is packed with four active ingredients to tackle fungus, grime and growths. It can be used on black spots, green, white and yellow lichens, mould, moss, and all algae. It can clear your patio of mould in under an hour.

How much do you need? Five litres of product can be used to treat 40 m² and can be used on natural stone, block and paving slabs and concrete. Wet surfaces first after removing loose debris, and then apply the product with a sprayer or watering can and leave it for an hour.

Rinse with more water or use a pressure washer to really shift the grime. It needs to be used undiluted to tackle black spots.

Buy now £36.95, Amazon

Block Blitz Block Paving Eco Cleaner Starter Kit

Perfect for beginners, this kit features everything you need to clean your patio without breaking the bank.

Each pouch makes enough solution to clean and protect 15 square metres of block paving paths and driveways, and you don’t need to pressure wash or scrub either. All you have to do is mix it with water, spread it using the included watering can and then leave it.

It promises to shift grime and repel 90 per cent of weeds and 99 per cent of moss and algae for up to six months. Even better, it doesn’t contain bleach, acid or biocide and is eco-friendly.

Buy now £44.99, Amazon

STAR BRITE Garden Xpert Patio Cleaner Concentrate

This concentrated cleaner promises lasting results for up to 6 months and recommends teaming with a pressure wash for the best results.

It is safe for use around pets and children once dry, as it is biodegradable and pH-neutral. The pH-neutral formula means it will not damage your patio and it’s better for the environment.

It also covers the biggest area, with just 5 litres making enough to cover a whopping 250 square meters, so offers the best value for money being one of the cheapest on the list, it’s ideal for those searching for a bargain.

Buy now £18.99, Amazon

Kärcher K2 Premium Full Control Car and Home Pressure Washer

With 110 bars of pressure, this is the smaller version of the K4 washer, weighing in at just 4.3kg versus the 11.4kg of the K4 elsewhere in this list.

This washer comes with a whole host of handy accessories, including a dedicated patio washing device to add on. It also includes a telescopic handle and storage for the included high-pressure gun, high-pressure hose, full control lances and cable.

It also comes with a T150 Patio Cleaner and some Patio & Deck detergent, so you’ll be cleaning in no time. Happy customers rave about the compact size and durability of the design, and ease of use for the car as well as home and garden, and it comes with a 5m cable.

Buy now £179.99, Amazon

Bosch EasyAquatak 110 High Pressure Washer

Pressure washers needn’t cost the earth, and this budget-friendly version from Bosch has received plenty of rave reviews from happy customers with sparkling patios.

Don’t let the small size and lower price fool you; this clever gadget can reach 110 bars of power and 330 l/h flow. With a hose length of 3m and a cable length of 5m, this is ideal and compactfor small gardens and patios. It comes with an array of nozzles for different uses, including a point jet nozzle for shifting stubborn dirt, a foam nozzle for applying detergent, and the flat jet nozzle is perfect for cleaning your bicycle or car as well as the patio.

Buy now £67.00, Amazon

Karcher T5 Racer Patio Cleaner

If you value speed, look to Karcher’s T5 with a twin-jet rotating arm. The device is capable of removing dirt over large areas, both quickly and efficiently. Use the hood to protect your outdoor decor from water spray and adjust the nozzle to be positioned at the ideal distance for cleaning.

The ergonomic handle offers an element of versatility, as it can be used to clean garage doors and other vertical surfaces. Suitable for light to medium-duty tasks, this handy piece of equipment is ideal for those who appreciate speedy, effective results.

Buy now £80.00, Argos

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