Is soft-washing safe for sandstone?

Yes — it was developed for surfaces like sandstone. The cleaning solution does the work, so the stone is not blasted with pressure that could open up its surface.

Why is there still black spotting after a clean?

Black spot lichen roots into the stone. A lichen treatment keeps working after the visit, so the spots usually fade gradually over the following weeks.

Is the treatment safe for pets and plants?

Products are used as directed and rinsed where needed. Keep pets off the patio until it has dried, and tell us about any delicate planting next to the paving.

Do you re-point or re-sand patio joints?

Worn or missing jointing can be discussed at the quote. Our guide on pointing repair versus re-jointing explains which suits your patio.

When is the best time to clean a patio?

Any dry spell works. Many people book in spring before the garden gets used, or in autumn to clear summer growth before the wet months.

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Service overview

Patio Cleaning
across Yorkshire

Lifts algae, lichen and years of biological staining without damaging natural stone.

Patio cleaning removes green algae, moss, black spot lichen and general grime from stone and paving using the gentlest method that works for the material — low-pressure soft-washing for natural stone, rotary cleaning for tougher slabs, hand-scrubbing for historic stone — followed by a biocide that keeps working after the visit.

Lifts algae, lichen and years of biological staining without damaging natural stone.

A soft-wash + biocide treatment on Yorkshire stone typically stays clean 12–24 months in shaded gardens.

A 25–40m² garden patio typically takes 3–5 hours end to end.

Methods

STEP 1

low-pressure soft-wash

STEP 2

rotary detailing

STEP 3

hand-scrub on Grade II or historic stone

STEP 4

biocide long-kill treatment

Common problems we fix

green algae

black spot lichen

furniture rust marks

barbecue grease

moss build-up in joints

Matching the method to the stone

Yorkshire stone and Indian sandstone are soft enough to be scarred by high pressure, so they are soft-washed: a cleaning solution does most of the work and the surface is rinsed at low pressure. Porcelain and concrete flags are harder and can take rotary cleaning. Riven slate needs care along its layered edges so pieces are not lifted.

Black spot lichen is the one most people notice after a clean. It grows into the surface of the stone rather than sitting on top, so washing alone rarely shifts it. A targeted treatment loosens it over the following weeks, and the marks continue to fade after we have gone.

Getting the garden ready

Move furniture, pots and barbecues off the patio if you can, and keep pets indoors while cleaning solutions are in use. Plants beside the paving are rinsed before and after treatment. Rust marks from furniture and barbecue grease are pre-treated separately because they need different products from organic growth.

Patio Cleaning FAQs

Is soft-washing safe for sandstone?: Yes — it was developed for surfaces like sandstone. The cleaning solution does the work, so the stone is not blasted with pressure that could open up its surface.
Why is there still black spotting after a clean?: Black spot lichen roots into the stone. A lichen treatment keeps working after the visit, so the spots usually fade gradually over the following weeks.
Is the treatment safe for pets and plants?: Products are used as directed and rinsed where needed. Keep pets off the patio until it has dried, and tell us about any delicate planting next to the paving.
Do you re-point or re-sand patio joints?: Worn or missing jointing can be discussed at the quote. Our guide on pointing repair versus re-jointing explains which suits your patio.
When is the best time to clean a patio?: Any dry spell works. Many people book in spring before the garden gets used, or in autumn to clear summer growth before the wet months.