Attention, please. Gather round. Ahem. I know it’s getting autumnal around here but that’s no reason to let standards slip. Yes, I’m talking to you sir with the patio you have used and abused but not cleaned for the whole summer. Look at that, little Sammy’s chewing gum stuck down there, spurious black marks, charcoal ingrained into the slabs. It’s a shambles.
And you Maam, look at that decking. It’s dirtier than a Sarah Silverman stand-up routine. It needs a good sort out wouldn’t you say? A bit of TLC? What on earth is that stain there? It’s what? Yeeuch! Filthy.
These are your outdoor spaces, your expansion into the garden, precious relaxing areas for you and your family and friends, and if you clean them up now and protect them they will survive the winter more successfully.
For cleaning, what you need is a good pressure washer to spruce things up a bit and, as my old mate Dick pointed out on Wednesday, have we got a range of pressure washers for you?
Well, have we? Of course, we have. our new range is by American mechanical supremos Briggs and Stratton, the world-renowned engine manufacturers, so they’re the kind of top-drawer quality you would expect, plus a couple of Stihl models that are pretty dashed good as well and you can see the whole range here . Or you can take a look at Dick’s blog and read what he has to say.
However, there are other things to do first, so here are a few tips to help you along, it’s not just a case of point and spray you know.
1. Make sure your patio/decking is clear of obstacles, sweep up or blow away leaves, remove twigs and branches, move your pot plants, pick up old cutlery, clean up bits of burger, and tell uncle Albert dozing on a deck chair to go home. Then go over the whole surface with a stiff brush or broom and loosen any weeds in cracks or holes.
2. Remove any weeds by hand. If there are gaps between the slabs of the patio with weeds between them, use a weeding tool or a strong knife to remove them.
3. Check your surface for any loose stone/concrete/wood splinters (with a patio you may well come across some of these while weeding). get some good quality filler and fill in any ill cracks where necessary with fresh mortar or wood filler on your decking. This will prevent frost and rain getting in an doing more damage.
4. Make sure your pressure washer is in good working order and ready to go and check all the nozzles and attachments. If you don’t have one, visit MowDirect and look at our range and get a really good deal
If you are cleaning decking it is best not to use a very high-pressure nozzle as this could damage the surface. The general ‘fan’ attachment should do the job and the high-pressure nozzle can remove stubborn stains from patio slabs. (and probably deal with little Sammy’s chewing gum) If your washer has a patio or deck attachment with an enclosed nozzle and brush, clearly this is the one to use.
In general particularly with decking, be very careful how much pressure you use and don’t have the nozzle too close to the decking itself. High-pressure nozzles can do real damage if handled incorrectly. Always make sure you look at the manual and follow manufacturers instructions before carrying out this task.
5. Once your decking or patio is sparkling and dry, think about putting down a layer of protective sealant of some kind to help fight off winter’s attacks.
“Darling, do you think we need some new garden furniture?”
6. Take a look at your patio or decking furniture? Give it a good wipe and, again, use the pressure washer, judiciously, to move stains and marks, being careful, again, not to damage your chairs, tables and whatnots. think about replacing old broken items (you could leave that for the spring)
7. If you can use sealant/varnish on wood furniture to restore and protect it.
8. Take any cushions and covers indoors and, If you can, cover any vulnerable furniture with waterproof tarpaulins or plastic, weight or tied down at the corners.
9. Put your pot plants back, making sure, of course, that any that need protecting come inside.
And that’s all I wrote.
N.B. Remember, pressure washers can be dangerous so NEVER turn them on when they are pointed at windows, your face or the neighbour’s cat, no matter how much you want to stop it pooing on your lawn.
If you need impartial, expert help and advice on pressure washers or anything else, contact us on 0345 4588 905 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri & 10am-4pm Sat) and our friendly product advisors will be happy to talk to you.
“first class product, advice & customer service… I would not hesitate to recommend this machine or MowDirect to anyone who loves gardening as much as I do.” PC FERRARI
Enjoy your garden Drew Hardy
