Here are some tips on how to efficiently clean your patio easily:
1: Soaking
Clean the patio when it's wet from rain or right after a rainy period. This softens the dirt on the surface naturally, making it easier to remove and causing less wear on the surface. If there's no rain in sight and summer is approaching, use a sprinkler and let the patio soak for a few hours first.
2: Foam application
Apply foam to the patio and let the solution work for as long as possible, but not so long that it dries on the surface (or gets completely washed away by rain). Use House Wash if you're only cleaning, or Patio Cleaner if you're aiming to remove as much of the old treatment before applying a new stain, oil, or similar product.
Be aware that if you have specially treated wood/tropical wood species, etc., you must follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
3: Cleaning the patio
Clean the patio with a pressure washer and one of the following options:
a) Patio cleaner:
apply the patio cleaner evenly and work systematically. Always start with a test on a small, preferably hidden area. Some patio cleaners have a height adjustment that allows you to choose between strong or weak pressure, while others do not. Try different settings if possible. A patio cleaner is effective and has a big advantage in that it keeps all dirty water under the cover, so you don't have to clean everything around afterwards. If your patio cleaner is not an AVA: make sure it has a flat V-shaped water jet. A thin pinpoint jet causes much lighter damage and more rings on the surface.
b) Facade brush:
A facade brush has 3 nozzles that remain stationary under the cover, and a brush that effectively allows you to assist where it's especially dirty. It provides a good but gentle effect by distributing the pressure from the machine three times wider, essentially working with ⅓ of the pressure of the pressure washer.
c) Reduced pressure/wide nozzle:
Our recommendation is a 60-degree nozzle, which allows you to work significantly faster. A 60-degree nozzle also allows you to work systematically with one board width at a time, so you have good control over the cleaning result while working closely.
Treatment of the patio
When the patio is completely dry, some may choose to stain, oil, paint, or take other measures to make the surface as nice as possible. Regardless of whether this was a maintenance wash or preparation for oil/stain or similar, you are still not finished.
Preventive measures against moss and algae
Think about how the patio looked before you started. Where was there moss or perhaps even algae? These areas are the wettest when it rains, and these areas should be treated with Moss and Algae Remover. The areas that were green are the areas that will quickly turn green again, and the moss and algae remover has a well-hidden secret: it prevents as well as it removes. So if on a dry summer day you apply the remover to all the green areas, it will take much longer for the moss and algae to come back. Moss and algae remover on a wall can actually make a visible difference 5 to 7 years ahead, but on a horizontal surface, the effect will disappear faster. If most of the outdoor area was covered in moss before you washed it, it's just as well to apply it everywhere. Also, consider applying Moss and Algae
Remover a week or two before you start using the patio cleaner if the conditions are really bad. Moss and algae remover is a very safe product to use, so you don't have to worry about applying it to different surfaces. The legs of the garden table, the bottom part of the children's swing set, the railing, the foundation wall, and the house wall can all withstand such treatment. Windows and car paint are about the only places where moss and algae remover doesn't belong.
Moss and algae remover should be applied to a dry surface and allowed to dry. Then wind and weather will affect the speed of the active ingredient; it's actually an advantage if it rains a little after the product has dried.
In summary: start with a wet patio, always apply foam, clean closely with a wide nozzle, and get a gentle but good result in half the time.