Clean It Up

UK General Cleaning Forum => General Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: benny d on July 25, 2010, 12:20:01 pm

Title: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: benny d on July 25, 2010, 12:20:01 pm
Hi all,
Im mainly a carpet cleaner but do quite a lot of patios etc mainly for customers who know that I do a really good carpet cleaning job.
I use a 4000psi petrol powered machine with either turbo lance or fan nozzles, or a Mosmatic 18inch i think it is.

My question is, I have a 80 ft by 12 ft area to clean for a lady whos property is right by the sea in West Sussex. Must be worth well over a million pounds! Well it is before I have possibly ballsed up her patio!  ;D

The paving slabs that I have to clean have black staining on them from where I dont know. There are no trees near it. Apparenty she did have someone else last year with a Karcherish type machine to try and clean it, but apparently he was there for hour after hour trying to clean a small area and he didnt get anywhere. I think he ran into the sea,(a la Reggie Perrin), as he had given up the will not only to clean patios, but also the will to live!  :o

What soultions can I apply and then aggitate in before cleaning? Similar to pre spraying a solution before carpet cleaning.
I need to try and loosen the black stuff on the slabs before pressure washing.
Sorry but I dont have any photos.
Thanks in advance
Benny by the sea.  ;)
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: mark.laycock1@ntlw on July 25, 2010, 03:12:53 pm
could do with a photo
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: BDCS on July 25, 2010, 03:26:22 pm
You will need to use bleach or sodium percarb and then use a hot pressure washer. It sounds like lichen
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: Alan McTernan on July 25, 2010, 07:17:06 pm
Hi Benny d,

Give me a call 07739 535648. I live down the road so i would be more than happy to price/do the job and give you a finders fee!!! We are very good at patio cleaning ;)

Regards
Alan
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: Griffus on July 27, 2010, 09:29:40 pm
Photo's would help but if more of a stain it could be grass cuttings were dumped there for a while. This can dye the surface beneath.

We had this in a warehouse, concrete floor, that had been rented out to a landscaping company and couldn't budge it. The floor came up squeaky clean but the mark was permanent.
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: Mike Mahoney on July 28, 2010, 01:23:19 pm
Hi benny

I recently did a paved area to the rear of a pub which had not been cleaned for, I used HG GREEN SLIME REMOVER, amazing results, all the green moss was gone within 24 hours without the need for power washing, then cold water power wash on lichen and it removed the lot. Got it on the net from cleanstore.

regards

MCM
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: benny d on July 29, 2010, 08:09:58 am
Thanks for the info Mike.
Its appreciated.
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: Alan McTernan on August 09, 2010, 05:46:16 pm
If that doesn't work you can still give us a call  ;D
Title: Re: Help please -How to get rid of black"soiling"from paving slabs?
Post by: gordonswindows on August 11, 2010, 10:44:26 pm
Have you tried a poultice?

It works similar to your pre stain removal

It comes in a paste form you put it on the stain cover with plastic bag leave to draw stain from stone and wash away.

Using chemicals may remove the stain but next year the chemicals that soaked in to the stone will show he shape of the original stain, lightly but you will be able to see it.

If unsure take one of the others near to you to help and advise, a million quid? You don't want to be the one paying for the damage to her stonework.