Your garden patio will stop being slippery for good with £3.75 Aldi buy – just in time for winter
GARDENING fans have discovered an unlikely product that gets rid of green algae from their patios with very little effort – and it’s a bargain too.
With the weather getting wetter and colder, patio slabs that have turned green thanks to algae run the risk of being slip hazards.
To avoid any accidents, it’s unsurprising that people are keen to get their patios gleaming before winter arrives.
Posting on the Garden Makeover Ideas on a Budget Facebook group, one novice gardener asked: “What products can i use to stop my paving slabs going green?”
And helpful social media users were quick to recommend a laundry staple.
“Bio washing powder, cold water and a hard bristle broom”, insisted one.
“We did this in March to our large patio and side passage, took a few hours but it came up a treat.”
A second echoed: “Sprinkle biological washing powder on when the slabs are wet, give it a scrub with a stiff brush and leave for a few hours then scrub again and rinse off.”
A third chimed in: “I sprinkle washing powder over mine and let the rain wash it away. Its so easy. Works a treat.
“I repeat as needed but always Feb/March ready for the Summer months. Do not get the powder on plants or lawn. Good luck.”
“It [washing powder] stops them freezing over in the winter too”, claimed someone else.
Meanwhile a fifth wrote: “Just use bio washing powder to clean once a year.”
A 2kg box of bio laundry powder will cost you as little as £3.75.
With that amount set to cover you for several cleans, one box could last years for this handy hack.
Prevent the problem
But if you’re looking to avoid any problems at all, there are certain things you can do to limit moss growth in the first place.
Gardening expert Fiona Jenkins at the UK’s leading trades matching site Myjobquote.co.uk says: “Don’t allow water to stand on the surface.
“Remove standing water with a blower or broom as soon as you can.
“This is particularly important in areas that are shaded, and always make sure water can run off the patio effectively.”
She also recommends removing any new moss quickly.
“As soon as you start to see any green growths, remove them”, she urges.
“If you leave moss, it will grow quickly and take root in the joints. This then makes it more difficult to remove.”
To do this, you’ll need to invest in an outside broom which can be snapped up for as little as £4 in B&M.
Fiona says: “Always keep the patio clean. Don’t allow leaves, dirt, or debris to build up on the patio.
“Clean the surface of the patio weekly with a blower or a broom.”
Also, keep the patio as dry as possible.
42p simple solution
If moss has already taken over and is out of control, don’t despair.
You don’t need to spend a fortune, as bleach can be used an effective solution – with this Asda essentials two litre bottle costing just 42p.
Fiona says: “Firstly, use a stiff broom to sweep as much of the moss off the surface of the patio as you can.
“You may need to use a smaller scrub brush in smaller areas or in tight corners.”
If needed, you can purchase a brush from most supermarkets or hardware stores, with this soft grip brush from Wilko for example costing just 65p.
Fiona adds: “Blow or sweep all of the debris from the surface and dispose of it.
“Mix a solution of one part bleach and five parts water in a bucket.
“Pour this solution over the surface of the patio and agitate it with a stiff broom.
How to repair broken patio slabs
THE paving specialists at Simply Paving told Fabulous how you can repair broken patio slabs, without the faff.
The experts advised: “If you have a loose paving slab, then it’s unlikely it can be lifted straight by hand. Instead, you will probably need a hammer and chisel to prise the paver free of your patio.
“To remove loose paving slabs without damaging your flagstones, carefully chip away at the mortar around the paving slab with the plugging chisel and rubber mallet until the slab comes completely loose.
“Then, slide the spade into the gap left by the mortar and prise the paver free of the patio.
“As you lift it up, place a short piece of timber underneath the spade to act as a lever, making it easier for you while protecting the slab underneath.
“When the paver starts to give, place the cylindrical wood underneath it and roll the slab out of the patio.”
“If needed, use a hard-bristled brush in the joints to scrub the solution in.
“Be careful not to disturb any of the joint sand.
“Then, rinse the entire area with clean water and allow the patio to dry.”
Savvy gardeners have revealed they also swear by a lesser-known cleaning product – Wet & Forget, which you can buy from Wickes.
Although the 2l cleaning essential sells for £18, one use should cost around £4.50 a time, as the liquid gets diluted.
”It effectively removes contaminants with no water washing or scrubbing required, simply apply to the surface and forget about it. Let Wet & Forget do the hard work for you,” reads the description online.
”Our formula has an unlimited shelf life and is completely free from aggressive chemicals such as bleach and ammonia that can damage surfaces.”