Maintaining the cleanliness of your patio slabs and pathways is often a neglected task compared to other garden chores. It's crucial to remember that without proper care, green algae and moss can start growing on patios, stone floors, stone walls or fencing. This can damage the appearance of your stone and create a slippery hazard.
In his November blog post, Monty Don shared various tasks that need to be done around the garden - one of which is washing patios to remove algae. Late autumn to winter is typically when algae and moss growth is most significant, but it can occur during any wet period or in shady, humid areas. Algae tend to thrive more on irregular and soft surfaces rather than straight, hard ones.
Monty emphasised that the primary reason to eliminate algae on pathways is because it can be "dangerous" at this time of year. He warned: "At this time of year brick and stone paths can be very slippery and dangerous. "This is due to algae that grows on the surface, especially if wet and shaded and at this time of year they may stay wet and slippery for months.
" To reduce the slipperiness, the expert suggests that "the best way" is to wash off the algae with a pressure hose (which can be hired by the day). Using a pressure washer can remove algae from patios, however, it can also remove grout, reports the Express . To safeguard the longevity of patio slabs, grout plays a crucial role, and extra caution is needed when using a pressure washer to avoid damaging it.
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