how to clean stone patio?

[frugalman]

the patio is bare stone, no seal or anything.
If there are food stains etc, how do I clean these types of stains?

[will888]

Use a pressure washer. Works great.

[t3359]

Use a pressure washer. Works great.

+1 Yup - did this on concrete as well - looks brand new!

bjl

[jedi1648]

If the stains are few, use a brush, and shout (a stain cleaning detergent for clothes). I used it on my interlocking driveway with success to take away all stains.

While pressure washer may be good on concrete, it may not be good on stone or interlock patio because it may wash away the "majic sand" locking each stone.

[frugalman]

If the stains are few, use a brush, and shout (a stain cleaning detergent for clothes). I used it on my interlocking driveway with success to take away all stains.

While pressure washer may be good on concrete, it may not be good on stone or interlock patio because it may wash away the "majic sand" locking each stone.

i am concerned about "magic sand" too. basically, we need to re-apply magic sand after pressure washed?

[Pete_Coach]

i am concerned about "magic sand" too. basically, we need to re-apply magic sand after pressure washed?
Yup. If you use a pressure washer or even a hose with "jet" stream, you can easily wash out the sand.
There are cleaners available that you wet down the stone/blocks/concrete and then scrub with a broom and wash off. Just go to your big box store or equivilent and ask for a stone cleaner. You can also use a TSP solution. I use TSP for lots of cleaning.
The key is to not allow the cleaner to dry on the surface of the stone. It can etch the stone or blocks.

[Busybuyer888]

Yup. If you use a pressure washer or even a hose with "jet" stream, you can easily wash out the sand.
There are cleaners available that you wet down the stone/blocks/concrete and then scrub with a broom and wash off. Just go to your big box store or equivilent and ask for a stone cleaner. You can also use a TSP solution. I use TSP for lots of cleaning.
The key is to not allow the cleaner to dry on the surface of the stone. It can etch the stone or blocks.

Will this stone cleaner stuff work on a fireplace brick? We have a fireplace in the basement that use tobe used heavily by previous owners and there are "burn/heat" marks on the front of the fireplace. Actually, the entire brick front seems to look old and tired. Would this stone cleaners stuff be okay to use inside a house?

[Pete_Coach]

Will this stone cleaner stuff work on a fireplace brick? We have a fireplace in the basement that use tobe used heavily by previous owners and there are "burn/heat" marks on the front of the fireplace. Actually, the entire brick front seems to look old and tired. Would this stone cleaners stuff be okay to use inside a house?
Fireplace stone or brick is a vertical surface. Any porous vertical surface will be difficult to clean as the actual product will not stay in there long enough to really "clean".
You could wet everything down and make a paste of the TSP and leave it on for a while and that may do the trick bit really, soot is a real difficult thing to get rid of. Make a solution and get several stiff brushes and give it a try. it will not be easy unfortunately. TSP is strong stuff so use gloves and make sure it does not get into your eyes (goggles?).
There are products out there for cleaning soot off brick but I don't know how well they work. http://www.brick-anew.com/shop/brick-paint/brick-fireplace-cleaner.html

[Busybuyer888]

Fireplace stone or brick is a vertical surface. Any porous vertical surface will be difficult to clean as the actual product will not stay in there long enough to really "clean".
You could wet everything down and make a paste of the TSP and leave it on for a while and that may do the trick bit really, soot is a real difficult thing to get rid of. Make a solution and get several stiff brushes and give it a try. it will not be easy unfortunately. TSP is strong stuff so use gloves and make sure it does not get into your eyes (goggles?).
There are products out there for cleaning soot off brick but I don't know how well they work. http://www.brick-anew.com/shop/brick-paint/brick-fireplace-cleaner.html

That brick cleaner may be a 1st step ... but their paint kit seems like the result I would like.

The firelplace may actaully fit the decore of the room! That before/after would be perfect for that basement fireplace. (Similar BEFORE colour brick colour ... but much older/used.)

$200 is at little risky ... but anything to make it look better.

[Pete_Coach]

That brick cleaner may be a 1st step ... but their paint kit seems like the result I would like.

The firelplace may actaully fit the decore of the room! That before/after would be perfect for that basement fireplace. (Similar BEFORE colour brick colour ... but much older/used.)

$200 is at little risky ... but anything to make it look better.
There is no way to lighten this up. Make sure you have cloth tarps laying over plastic sheeting. the tarps absorb the over-spray and splatter and the plastic prevents it from contacting the floor beneath. It is a crappy messy job. Tedious and time consuming but, in the end, it seems worth it.

[Busybuyer888]

There is no way to lighten this up. Make sure you have cloth tarps laying over plastic sheeting. the tarps absorb the over-spray and splatter and the plastic prevents it from contacting the floor beneath. It is a crappy messy job. Tedious and time consuming but, in the end, it seems worth it.

"Worth it" ... cleaning or painting?

[Pete_Coach]

"Worth it" ... cleaning or painting?
Cleaning or painting would be an design or decor opinion and as I am a guy, I have no idea what looks good. My Wife has told me that for so many years it must be true LOL.
I have painted brick and stone and it also is a messy job. You go through a number of brushes as you need to "stab" the brush into the brick to fill the little holes. If you paint, there is really no ever going back, no matter what they say. Those time little holes will always have pain in them.

[frugalman]

Yup. If you use a pressure washer or even a hose with "jet" stream, you can easily wash out the sand.
There are cleaners available that you wet down the stone/blocks/concrete and then scrub with a broom and wash off. Just go to your big box store or equivilent and ask for a stone cleaner. You can also use a TSP solution. I use TSP for lots of cleaning.
The key is to not allow the cleaner to dry on the surface of the stone. It can etch the stone or blocks.


thanks, TSP solution, they sell this in home depot for example?

[t3359]

thanks, TSP solution, they sell this in home depot for example?

Yup... it's a carton and you mix it with water. Relatively cheap too.

bjl