5 Tips for Maintaining the Pavers on Your Patio

by Kevin Smith Author

Pavers can beautify the outdoor living space of your home, making it the perfect place to relax. But, if they aren't properly maintained, their elegance won't last, and you won’t enjoy the area. That's why you have to clean them from time to time. Here are tips you can follow to keep them in tip-top condition.

Sweep the Debris and Dirt

Debris, leaves, and dirt from the surrounding area can accumulate and make your patio look disproportionate and ugly. Grab a broom and sweep them away.

Wash Away Stains

Sometimes, the dirt on the surface of the slabs isn't removed by sweeping. When this happens, you need to use your hose to rinse it off. This will eliminate most of the grime and stains.

If you're having a hard time removing moss and mold, use a power washer and a paver washing solution to eliminate them. To create a DIY mixture, dilute liquid soap in a bucket of water. You can apply it with a sponge and scrub away the spots that shouldn’t be there.

Get Rid of Weeds

Weeds growing in your patio are unsightly and can do long-term damage by lifting or expanding the gaps between the paving joints. So, if you want to keep your patio in good condition for a long time, you must get rid of them.

There are a lot of ways to do this. One is to remove weeds by gently pulling them out. Or, if they're still small, you can pour boiling water or vinegar over them, which can also stop them from germinating seeds.

Replace Broken Stones

A cracked or broken piece can make your patio look unpleasant. It can also cause an injury if somebody accidentally trips over it. So, if you find a broken paver, replace it immediately.

Fill in the Gaps

Sometimes, spaces appear because the sand between the stones is running low and needs to be refilled. When left unchecked, the slabs will loosen up, which can compromise the durability of your whole patio.

To prevent this from happening, you need to close these gaps. Polymeric sand is a good option to use if you want to fix the problem across your patio. It's a material that hardens when combined with water. By using this, your pavers will be durable enough to withstand a variety of weather conditions.