Common Paving Cleaning Issues & How to Prevent Long-Term Damage
Many customers demand maintenance free paving, believing that in selecting new materials, they will always remain clean and unblemished. Porcelain in particular is the favoured choice of those who wish and expect an exterior area of paving to remain spotless, due to the smooth surface of the product. For this reason alone, it is worth educating folk that there is no such thing as a maintenance free garden, by offering them a cleaning programme leaflet at the outset, even before they have made their decision regarding paving products.
Every garden has different problems when it comes to opportunities for staining and cleaning issues, including the proximity of overhanging branches, where sap or berries may cause staining, or bird’s excrement may become a daily occurrence. Shade and potential for moisture retention under bushes or dark corners where the sunlight never gets chance to scour the surface of the paving are also likely to cause cleaning problems.
Barbecue and dining areas may be expected to require cleaning after use, especially spills of red wine, coffee stains, cooking fats and grease all combining to require a number of different cleansing materials or products.
Paving – even porcelain slabs – will benefit from sealing pre or post laying (see Sealants) and it is advisable to make a schedule of potential problem areas before making a selection of material – or even the siting of a paved area.
Overhanging trees may become a nuisance, especially those that exude tannins. These include oaks in variety, which will also drop acorns and other detritus, dead or alive – in the shape of leaves and twigs, all of which will require regular brushing to prevent them from laying on the paving and becoming wet.
Some climbers, especially Wisteria, are likely to drop beads of sap when pruned, and these are very difficult to eradicate, even on porcelain.
There is a very wide variety of cleaning materials, chemicals and agents on the market for cleaning paving, although great care must be given to selecting the right product for the job, bearing in mind the nature of the paving product and composition. (See Acid Use on Paving.)
See also Efflorescence, Picture Framing, Reflective Staining and Rust Marks in Paving, all of which will fall under the heading of Cleaning Issues and are covered separately within the pages of this book.
