I was quoted £200 to clean my patio but I found a product that costs pennies
As the weather starts to warm up, many of us are looking forward to a long, hot summer in the garden.
If you're itching to get back into the garden, you might want to grab this product that cleans your patio without scrubbing (yes, you read that right).
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Removing moss and algae from your patio can be tough work, requiring homeowners to spend hours scrubbing the stone slabs.
Of course, you might be tempted to invest in a pressure washer, with a reasonable unit costing anywhere between £50 and £150.
However, there is a cheaper alternative to get your garden ready for summer and will cost you less than €10.
This handy product was originally shared in the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips group after a member revealed they were paid an eye-watering sum to have their patio professionally cleaned.
In the Facebook group they wrote: “Do you have any tips for cleaning a terrace yourself? I got an offer for £200 so I want to try it myself first.
While there were many suggestions in the comments, one product kept popping up again and again: washing powder.
While it may seem too good to be true, experts in the group recommend using organic washing powder to remove gunk build-up in your garden.
If you're hoping to improve your outdoor space, you should start by clearing out any furniture you have on the patio and then sweep your patio with a stiff brush.
Once this is done, you can dampen the area with a little water before sprinkling the washing powder onto the pavers.
You don't even wipe it off right away, with one member of the group saying to leave the mixture on for several hours or even overnight.
By morning you should be able to easily remove any remaining dirt by rinsing the plates with water and brushing again.
While this handy hack can save you time, make sure all the washing powder is rinsed away safely, as it can irritate pets' skin – according to the Animal poison line.
If ingested, it can also cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, as well as respiratory complications in cats – depending on how concentrated the detergent is.
Luckily, one Facebook user found a safe way to remove any remaining powder, telling the group: “I use a stiff broom to brush… pour water or hose off… perfect.”
In fact, you can buy a 2kg box of organic washing powder from Sainsbury's for just £4.75 – a saving of a whopping £46 compared to buying a pressure washer.
With a box that size you only pay a few cents per use and you can do your laundry at the same time.
For those who are still struggling to get rid of the moss and algae, you can also use The Pink Stuff to remove stubborn stains.
“[Use the] Scrub cream pink stuff with a stiff sweeping brush, leave on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse with water,” another group member suggested.
Hopefully these hacks will give you enough time to get your garden ready for summer.
Garden tips and hacks
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