Cleaning Patio Pavers.

[IGBT]

Any suggestions on cleaning newly installed patio pavers? They have a mineral powdery spotting on some of them that won't rinse off. Do they need to "cure" or something before I try cleaning them??

 

[herm0016]

it's efflorescence . we had a patio put in about 10 months ago and it was pretty bad for the first few months, it is nearly gone now. we just let them weather. washing off with a hose seemed to bring more of it out.

 

[mindless1]

Power washer, over and over and over, again. Or just live with it.

 

[herm0016]

Power washer, over and over and over, again. Or just live with it.

a power washer will wash the sand out of the joints and you will have to redo that part. some of the stuff you see could be from the sand as well, so could be a bit of a viscous cycle.

 

[mindless1]

^ You may be right, would be good to see pics and description of...

 

[IGBT]

a power washer will wash the sand out of the joints and you will have to redo that part. some of the stuff you see could be from the sand as well, so could be a bit of a viscous cycle.

I used a black granite plyometric sand / grout that firms up when lightly watered...it will dislodge with a garden hose stream from a nozzle...I use the shower mode when applying water and sweep with a patio broom when dry...from what I gather the pavers are still curing and will stop efflorescence in a year or so...

 

[iRONic]

Do they look like this?

I bought this house almost 5 years ago and this is how they look like on my patio currently. I’ve scrubbed with the stiff brush & soap and tried to lightly power wash. Nothing has removed any of the whiteness.

At this point I'm just leaving it alone. The dumb ass that built the patio set these pavers in mortar! Some of them are loose and I just pick them up and flip them over.

 

[IGBT]

Do they look like this?

I bought this house almost 5 years ago and this is how they look like on my patio currently. I’ve scrubbed with the stiff brush & soap and tried to lightly power wash. Nothing has removed any of the whiteness.

At this point I'm just leaving it alone. The dumb ass that built the patio set these pavers in mortar! Some of them are loose and I just pick them up and flip them over.

That white haze...not sure what it is...home depot sells stone / brick / masonry cleaner that may be acid based. Take a look at home depot..

 

[herm0016]

I believe our haze was from the poly sand.

 

[IGBT]

I believe our haze was from the poly sand.

I saw chem strippers at home depot for that...

 

[IGBT]

notice the spotting...