Different types of paving stones laid on a driveway, patio or garden path also require different cleaning procedures when contaminated with cement, which the following article deals with
Paving stones – types
When we talk about paving stones, these are usually slabs that are to be laid outdoors. Therefore, due to the stress, these are stones that have to withstand a lot. The conventional stones for the garden, the terrace or a courtyard or garage entrance are made from the following materials:
- Concrete
- Granite
- Natural stone
Since these materials all behave differently, some absorb moisture and some are also sensitive to scratches, they should be cleaned in various ways even if they are dirty with cement stains.
Preparation
It doesn't matter what type of paving stones were used, preparation must be carried out. The first thing to do here is to gently clean the entire area. It is important that there are no small grains at the end that could damage the stones during later cleaning and scratch them:
- Use a broom with soft bristles
- sweep everything together
- Leaves, dust, sand or other loose dirt
- then rinse with a water hose
- Let the surface dry
Tip:
If you carry out this preparatory cleaning regularly, the area will always remain beautifully clean, and weeds can also be prevented from settling in the joints or moss on the stones.
Cleaning concrete paving stones
Concrete stones are not created naturally, but are manufactured in the factory. For this reason, these stones are less sensitive to cleaning procedures, especially when solid, dripped cement stains need to be removed.
Cleaning
Once the area has been prepared and freed from loose dirt, the stubborn cement stains must be removed. If these are already hard, they should be carefully scraped off with a spatula if possible. Remove the scraped cement from the surface with a dustpan and hand brush and then proceed as follows:
- 10 liters of boiling water in bucket
- Add 10 grams of soda
- stir well
- apply to the surface
- ideally pour into a watering can and water
- spread evenly over the paving stones with a soft broom
- alternatively use puller
- Protect your eyes
- Soda water can cause eye irritation
The soda-water mixture causes the cement parts that have already drawn into the pores of the concrete blocks and result in unsightly dark spots to be brought back up to the surface.
Note:
If the cement stains are not yet dry, they can be removed more easily. If there are loose, still wet deposits, they can simply be lifted off the stone with a spatula and placed in a bucket. The remaining stains are then further cleaned as described above.
Aftercare
For post-treatment after the soda-water mixture has been applied, proceed as follows:
- leave on for five hours
- then wash off with clean water
- let it dry well
- repeat if necessary
If only individual areas are affected by the cement stains, they can be treated precisely with the soda-water mixture. The entire area does not have to be cleaned in this way.
Tip:
However, if the paving stones are not new and have been laid and stained with cement, it often makes more sense to clean the entire area with soda water so that a uniform color can be achieved again.
Stones made of natural stone and granite
With paving stones made of natural stone or granite, removing stains with the wrong cleaning agents can quickly lead to scratches or bleached areas, which can then no longer be removed by polishing. These stones therefore need to be cleaned more gently, but unfortunately this does not always achieve the desired result. Stuck cement stains, which may have already penetrated the stone pores, are often very stubborn.
Cleaning
Natural stones must not be cleaned with soda. Here you should only work with lukewarm and not hot water:
- Pour lukewarm water into a bucket or watering can
- Use stone oil or neutral soap
- Use stone oil according to the manufacturer’s instructions
- mix well
- give up on the surface
- let it take effect
Tip:
It makes sense to only carry out cleaning when the weather is good. If rain is forecast, it may fall on the surface during the exposure time, especially five hours, and water down the mixture and make it unusable.
Post-Processing
After about 30 minutes of exposure, the surface or individual areas with stains can be brushed to remove the dirt caused by the cement. Then spray the entire area with the hose and, if necessary, repeat the procedure for stubborn stains.
