Hypochlorite Patio Cleaner

Caring For Your Outdoor Surfaces With A Hypochlorite Patio Cleaner

Is there some greenish-black stuff that’s growing on your patio? This also affects pavements, sidewalks, walls and other exterior surfaces of the building. It can be anything from mould or mildew, to algae and moss. These dark green or blackish growths pop up on the damp sections of the surfaces. Lichen too can be an issue which is common on the timber structures like garden furniture, as well as the paving – with different colours being observed here, such as yellow, silver-grey or even orange. One of the most popular ways of dealing with these growths is using hypochlorite patio cleaners. The curb appeal and even the structural integrity of the affected installations are on the line, and the cleaners are particularly effective in destroying the growths, and preventing them from redeveloping. 

Causes Of The Organic Growths

With the constant exposure to the elements, there’s bound to be some growths popping up at one time or another. The damp areas will witness higher rates of growths. The algae, lichen, and fungi are also common on those sections where there is poor drainage, especially if there are shady conditions. For example, areas of the house that don’t get much sun like around gutters and under the patio are prime candidates for rampant moss growth. 

They have their different effects. Take moss for instance. While it doesn’t always result in damage to the surfaces, it is notorious for being a safety hazard. This is due to its slick nature which can lead to slip and fall accidents. On the other hand, the algae that’s especially common on roof shingles actually feeds on the calcium carbonate and powdered limestone in these structures to fuel its froth. This is what causes those unsightly black streaks that are on the roof. Using hypochlorite patio cleaners can also come in handy here to revamp the look of the building. 

Weeds spreading through the driveway on the other hand cause there to be more cracks in both brick and concrete installations. For the mould and mildew that rapidly spread, they are a health risk, since they increase the concentration of spores and mycotoxins in the immediate airspace. In fact, failing to deal with them will cause more of the particles they release to be blown into the indoor space through the open doors and windows, putting the persons on the premises at risk. In addition, they create stains of all sorts of colours, causing the affected areas to lose its original lustre. Using a hypochlorite patio cleaner as part of the power washing process will help in preventing the fungus from redeveloping on the concrete, stone, brickwork and other affected surfaces. 

Let’s delve into the various ways in which the growths are handled.

Getting Rid Of The Organic Gunk On Your Building Exteriors

There are different measures that can be implemented – some more laborious than others. Take the manual dislodging of moss that has grown between the paving for example, where you grab a knife then run it along the cracks. It’s quite the taxing chore, even when you work with a block paving brush that has wire bristles. Here, a tool with a long handle can help in reducing the strain involved. Spending all afternoon bent over the patio with a knife is not really how you want your weekend to go. 

A pressure washer can also be used. Here, the powerful jets of water that are generated blast away at the moss and algae. However, there are measures that need to be observed, since the high pressures involved in the process can easily damage the wrong surfaces. We’ll cover more on this shortly.

Another not-so-friendly method of dealing with the fungi and algae growths is scrubbing the hard surfaces using a brush that has a stiff broom, where it needs to be done regularly in order to prevent the organic growths from getting a firm hold on the surfaces. Granted, soapy water is usually used here, but its effectiveness is limited to cases of light staining, and when you’re dealing with delicate paving. Start by decluttering the patio and sweeping it to remove the loose debris, then prepare the solution – mixing the soap in warm water, then scrub the surface. Working with a stiff-bristled brush allows you to scrub at those stubborn spots. Switching out the soap for a dedicated hypochlorite patio cleaner will give you more value, since these agents have been specifically developed to tackle the growths, allowing you to deal with them summarily.

Embrace The Power Of Hypochlorite Patio Cleaners

Spending hours scrubbing at the different surfaces can take a toll on you – why don’t you let formulations that have been developed for the task do the heavy lifting? These are chemicals that kill these organic growths, after which you can simply let the rain wash them away, or hose down the area. Here, the hypochlorite patio cleaner is applied onto the spot, given a couple of minutes to act on the growths, then the area washed down. The specific dwell time should be indicated on the product label. Generally, you should have already begun seeing results within a few minutes after applying the product onto the surface. The cleaner should not be left for more than 3 hours on the surface. The hypochlorite patio cleaners will do the hard work for you, be it on the fences, walls, driveway, brickwork, stones, patios, decking, roofs, or even the gravelled area. You can even use these cleaners with a power wash system, which has the welcome benefit of reducing the amount of time that will be needed for the task.

Special Mention: One of the popular hypochlorite patio cleaners in the market is Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L. This is a formulation that has been developed to remove the wide range of organic growth on external surfaces – from algae to mould and mildew. It’s also effective in breaking down scum deposits that are on the structures, and you can use it across the board – be it cleaning footpaths, paving, walls, or even the patios and concrete surfaces. The Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L attacks the roots of the organic growths, which is particularly important in preventing them from redeveloping – that way the surfaces remain clear for longer.

The Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L can be used with the conventional cotton mops, dipping the tool in a solution of the product then proceeding to work on the surface, or high-powered machinery during pressure washing tasks. Note that this is a concentrated product, where it needs to be diluted using a 1:4 ratio with water before proceeding to work on the different areas. The dilution ratio is not fixed, but rather will depend on the intensity of the growths that are to be removed. The more concentrated the solution is, the stronger it will be, so use low dilution for particularly troublesome areas.

To use the Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L, apply it onto the target surface, then give it around 30 minutes. During this time, the treatment will penetrate into the growths, burning through the structure and roots. It’s so effective that it is one of the popular solutions used by landscapers as well as power washing contractors, for providing long-lasting results yet it takes just a few minutes to work with it. 

Made in Ireland, the Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L is a high quality formulation that comes with 14% to 15% hypochlorite content (when undiluted). Incorporating it into your cleaning arsenal will enable you to deal with the troublesome growths, for both residential and commercial applications. Usually, just one round of treatment is needed, but there can be cases with really stubborn growths, where you can carry out another round of cleaning. Note that you shouldn’t mix this hypochlorite patio cleaner with other cleaning agents. 

Remember that the Cleanfast Patio & Dash Wall Cleaner 5L is a strong agent, so it is recommended that you wear safety goggles and gloves when using it. 

Using A Pressure Washer On The Surfaces

While you can use a mop for those localised tasks, working with a pressure washer remains to be the easiest approach for dealing with the patios, paving, and other exterior surfaces of the building. This is especially for cases where you’re dealing with expansive areas, since you want to cover more surface within a shorter time. Let’s delve deeper into measures that you should observe while taking this approach. 

Before the cleaning, first sweep the area. This is to clear most of the loose debris that is already lying around, which doesn’t take much effort to get rid of. That way, the power washer and hypochlorite patio cleaner being used can focus on the stubborn grime that is adhering to the surfaces. 

Next is setting the ratings of the power washer. This will depend on the kind of surface that is being worked on. It’s not just a matter of blasting away at the surface. Your goal is to get rid of the grime and growths that are on the surfaces, not to destroy the installations in the premises. You won’t want to harm the top layer of the paving, damage the decking, or even ruin the paintwork of the particular installation that you’re working on. If you’re unsure about the amount of pressure to use, it’s always best to start off with a low setting, then slowly increase the pressure as you carry on with the task.

As you carry out the cleaning, avoid spraying directly on the surface. Instead, work at a shallow angle – say 30°, then move in diagonal motions across the paving. Parallel washing of the joints can end up damaging the cement pointing. Incorrectly aiming the power washer can also quickly clear sand-filler joints and extensively damage mortar joints – especially the old ones. 

Bringing A Fresh Look To Your Home

Regardless of your location or the kinds of climate that are experienced through the year, the exterior building surfaces will take a beating – and this slowly chips away at the appeal of the premises. Power washing processes, coupled with the use of a highly active hypochlorite patio cleaner, will enable you to spruce up your premises, with different benefits including:

– Making a great impression

Whether it’s to the guests coming to your home, neighbours strolling by, or you actually want to put the house on the market and attract interested buyers, the curb appeal will determine the impression that people form even before they step into the house. From the deck, the siding, shutters, walls, driveways, patio and the like – they all need to be worked on. It will show the level of care that you’re putting into the premises, and even enable you to get more income from it, for those who are renting out the space. Speaking of which, landlords and property managers will want persons taking up occupancy to treat the property with care and respect – and carrying out the exterior building cleaning will enable you to set the standard to which the property will be maintained. After all, this is a business, and its success is tied to how well you take care of it in the long run

– Deal with weed growth

Weeds popping up all over the property can be unsightly. No one also looks forward to spending hours trimming growths and weeds. Power washing, where the water penetrates the cracks of the walkways and driveways, coupled with the action of the hypochlorite patio cleaners on the organic matter, enables you to stop and get rid of the weeds. Doing this regularly keeps them from growing on your premises. 

– Creating a healthier space for your loved ones

The mould, mildew and other fungi that are growing on the driveways, patios and exterior building surfaces is a threat to the health of those on the premises. This is due to the spores and mycotoxins that are produced by the fungal growths, which can easily be blown into the household through the open doors and windows. These affect one’s health once they get into the body system, such as the allergic reactions triggered by inhaling mould spores. With hypochlorite patio cleaners destroying the fungi, and the pressures from the power water removing the residue from the premises, you get to protect your family and guests. 

– Avoid accidents

Some of the growths are also a safety hazard. Take mildew, moss and algae for instance. When these get wet – such as after some rainfall, they increase the risk of slip and fall accidents. Removing the growths deals summarily with the problem, allowing persons on and around the premises to walk in confidence. 

– Prolonging the life of your installations

You want your driveway, patio, and other aspects of your property to retain their structural integrity for as long as possible. The organic growths creeping through the structures can damage them, so putting in place measures to get rid of them is a key part of the building’s maintenance process. Here, be sure that you use the right pressures when working with the power washer, and select the right hypochlorite patio cleaner for the particular surface you’re working on, that way you can be able to get rid of the grime and growths without putting the structures at risk. 

Then there is the added convenience that comes with having the hypochlorite patio cleaners and power washing equipment doing the heavy lifting for you. Scrubbing the patios, paths, and cleaning the driveways and sidewalks can be a time-consuming chore – and not one you fancy spending your weekend on. The chemical action from the hypochlorite patio cleaners that breaks down the organic matter, and the power washing where grime, soils and other residue on the surfaces is easily blasted away, saves you from having to spend loads of hours scrubbing the different surfaces with brushes and sponges. 

Power Washing For Commercial Buildings

Commercial facilities – from office buildings and industries, to their sidewalks, parking areas and other structures – are exposed to heavy wear and tear. With businesses, the state of the premises will have an impact on the profitability of the enterprise, thus the need to invest in regular cleaning services. Power washing the exterior surfaces, while also leveraging the action of hypochlorite patio cleaners, will enable you to maintain these structures, keeping them looking good all year round.

– Painting your business in a positive light

The curb appeal of your business will have customers forming an opinion about your products and services even before they have stepped into the building. A dirty and unkempt exterior, with dirt and gunk all over, sends across the message that the business is not keen on the quality of its operations. After all, how will they be able to trust your claim to professionalism, when the products and services are provided in a dilapidated environment? You don’t want persons interested in what you have to offer moving to other facilities simply because yours was not well maintained. Get rid of the gunk by having the routine cleaning carried out, and with the hypochlorite patio cleaners you will be able to keep the growths from popping up quickly. 

– Cut down long-term costs

The structural integrity of the different installations of the building is directly tied to how well they are taken care of. While commercial buildings witness more usage than residential properties, it’s shocking that people don’t treat them as well as they would their own houses. Simply letting the grime ruin the paintwork of the building will call for more frequent repaintings. Mould and mildew growths accelerate the rot and disintegration of structures around the building. Grease and grime trap moisture that causes there to be more fungi growth on the different surfaces. Even bird droppings are problematic, since they slowly ruin the metal, wood and other affected structures. 

Power washing is necessary to prevent structural damage. That way you won’t end up taking out chunks from your operating profits to spend them on costly repairs. Here, added aspects like treating the surfaces with hypochlorite patio cleaners that directly attack the roots of the algae, moss, mildew and other matter to stop the growths in their tracks will enable you to avoid being faced with a resurgence of the gunk on your different surfaces. 

– Improved hygiene standards

Your employees don’t want to spend all day being exposed to allergens and other substances produced by the mould and mildew developing around the premises. You want to give them a workspace that encourages them to be productive, and one of the key elements in this is taking away substances that may pose health risks to them. This calls for thorough building washing, which also includes the exterior surfaces. Besides, your staff will be more productive once they see the level of care that you are putting in ensuring that they have conducive working conditions. 

The power washing covers different areas – from the vinyl and aluminium siding, the walkways and sidewalks, whether they are concrete or blacktop, facades and awnings, the walls of the building itself, all through to the parking lots and sidewalks.

Bring in the Pros for the Power Washing

It’s recommended that you hire professional services to carry out the power washing. This approach is advantageous because:

• They already have the equipment needed

Power washing tools can be costly, especially the high-capacity machinery. Purchasing your own units may not be feasible, especially if you’re just using them once or twice a month. This is as opposed to professional contractors who carry out the power washing tasks on a daily basis, and have thus been required to invest in powerful machinery to meet the needs of their residential and commercial personnel. This also extends to safety equipment, from the gear that will be worn by the personnel carrying out the cleaning, to the barriers that will be set up around the premises to warn other people walking about. 

• Skills and experience 

Acquiring the machinery and using it appropriately are two different things, and risks of damage to the property and injury to persons on the premises are higher when one doesn’t have sufficient skill for the task. Having been taken through training, and working on projects for both domestic clients and business owners means that they have a broader skill set compared to the average DIYer. This translates to professional contractors delivering the required results faster, and to the required standards. Getting the pros to work on the task saves you from the headaches involved with dealing with the nitty gritties of the job, allowing you to focus on your own tasks around the house or business premises. 

• Additional services

Many of the power washing companies also offer services for other sections of the building such as window cleaning, and others even work on the interior surface and appliances of the establishment. You can look into this, especially if you’re considering having a top-to-bottom clean of your premises, such as with spring cleaning. 

When hiring a power washing contractor to work in your establishment, be sure to go through their online reviews. For instance, combing through their business directly listings and checking out the comments left behind on their social media pages will enable you to gauge the level of professionalism that the company adheres to, especially with regards to the experience of other clients who had hired them for the tasks. After all, you want to ensure that you’re dealing with a reliable company, not one that will come to give you headaches on the day of cleaning. What is their track record, and how long have they been in operation? Will they handle the power washing themselves, or will they subcontract to a different company? There is no crime in subcontracting the services, but you want to be certain of who exactly will be sent to your premises to handle the cleaning task. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. These range from queries about the kind of machinery that will be used, how many personnel will be sent to your premises, all through to any warranties they have about the task being done, especially how you can follow up in case you’re unsatisfied with the quality of results. It’s your property on the line, and you want to be assured that it will be handled in a professional manner. Also ask about the kind of training and experience that the personnel have had in the industry, as this will serve to further boost your confidence in the company that you intend to hire for the task. 

Safety Measures When Handling Hypochlorite Patio Cleaners

• Gear up. These are strong chemicals and you need to have protective gear on, especially gloves and goggles. 

• While during outdoor surface cleaning, ventilation is not much of a concern – there is plenty of it, in case you’re using the hypochlorite patio cleaner in a confined space take particular care to ensure that the premises has adequate ventilation. 

• When diluting a hypochlorite patio cleaner, always add the product to water, not water to the product. 

• As you’re treating the different surfaces with an acidic agent, be cautious not to damage the surrounding landscaping, materials or finishes. 

• It’s always recommended to carry out a spot test on an inconspicuous area before you proceed with the rest of the cleaning operation, for you to judge the effects of the particular product you’re using. 

Give Your Surface More Care With These Tips

Some extra measures that you can implement to prevent the rate at which these organic growths develop include:

• Pruning the overhanging plants. 

This improves airflow, speeding up the drying by allowing more effect of the sun and wind on the surface. 

• Improve the drainage in the area.

For instance, digging out shallow channels along the patios, paths and driveways will provide water with quick ways to drain off. You can also fill these channels with coarse gravel that will absorb the runoff water. 

• Seal the patios and paving. 

Most of the patios use patio slabs. These slabs are usually porous, causing them to absorb moisture. With proper installation, they actually look great. However, over time, this look is gradually affected – mainly due to the algae, moss, and other kinds of growth. As you already know, regular maintenance – from the sweeping to using hypochlorite patio cleaners to tackle the growths is needed for the beauty and longevity of the installations. An additional step here is to seal the surface with a specialist patio sealer or a block paving sealer for those with black paved surfaces. These are formulations that seal the surface to prevent it from absorbing moisture and even substances like oil. They are particularly beneficial in delaying the growths of algae, moss, lichen and even weeds. Note that the sealer is not a one-time fix. Even after sealing the surface, you will still need to carry out the routine sweeping and cleaning – only this time the workload will have been greatly reduced – which further contributes to cutting down your maintenance costs over time. 

How Often Should The Patio Be Cleaned?

This depends on different factors, such as the location of the building, and the seasons involved. For instance, buildings close to busy highways, and those at the beach will have safer rates of grime build-up on their exterior surfaces, compared to establishments in rural settings. 

When it comes to the seasons, some call for more thorough cleaning. For instance, as Springtime kicks in, you’ll be coming from the winter months where there would have likely been a huge build-up of dirt and debris, as well as organic growth. Those early weeks of Spring will be a critical time, where carrying out a thorough cleaning of your patio and other exterior surfaces will avoid lots of troublesome months ahead. Hypochlorite patio cleaners will come in handy here to get to the root of the growths, killing them before they mushroom all over the property. For the summer your patio will be in use more often – and here there will be risks of spillages and staining. Tend to these as soon as they occur to protect the surface. Autumn is synonymous with falling leaves which shouldn’t be allowed to remain on the patio for long – as more debris will inevitably encourage the growth of fungi.