After a damp winter, paving and decking turn green and treacherously slippery, an accident waiting to happen the first time someone carries a tray of tea outside. A spring clean makes them safe again and smartens up the whole garden.
Mind the pressure washer
A pressure washer is quick and satisfying, but it has a dark side. Held too close it gouges soft stone, strips the surface off block paving and blasts the pointing out from between slabs, leaving a bigger job than you started with.
- Keep the lance well back and moving.
- Use a fan nozzle, never the narrow jet, on soft surfaces.
- Test an out-of-the-way corner first.
The gentler route
For most jobs a stiff brush, a bucket of warm water and a patio cleaner does the work with less risk. Leave the cleaner to soak as the label says, then scrub along the grain of decking and rinse off. It takes longer but treats the surface kindly.
Decking needs extra care
Wood is softer than stone and easily damaged. Scrub it along the boards, not across, clear the gaps between them where debris and algae lodge, and let it dry fully before deciding whether it needs a fresh coat of oil.
Keep it clear
Once clean, a quick sweep through the year stops leaves and grime building back into the slippery film that caused the trouble. Sorting out a blocked gully or a low spot that holds water will keep the green from returning so fast.