On 26/1/08 21:58, in article , "Granity"
wrote:
[color=blue][i]
Jeff Layman;771840 Wrote:
Pam Moore wrote:-
On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:29:17 -0000, "Barb" lid
wrote:

Can anyone recommend something really good for cleaning flagstones?

I've tried the garden-centre algae killers, vinegar, strong
detergent, and I don't possess a power-washer and don't really want
to buy one just for this.-



Last winter I left a large unopened bag of compost lying flat on the
patio, when I moved it in the spring the slabs underneath were cleaned
to the original state, I've been trying to work out why so that I can
reproduce the effect over a large area.



The plastic killed off the weeds and prevented re-growth? A plastic coered
patio is unlikely to be a thing of beauty, though! ;-)


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Thanks for all the replies, folks! I've tried all of them, I think...
Jeyes, bleach, vinegar, sand and elbow grease. I did borrow a power washer
from my son four years ago and it really did the job, so I think that's the
route I'm going to have to go, unfortunately. I have a lot of flagstones
and some brick-design paths, which are also dowdy now.

Oh well, I can't borrow the boy's again, cos he lives in Hampshire now, so I
suppose I'll have to buy one. A cheapie will have to do, and - as
suggested - I'll wait for warmer weather, because you do get soaked!!!

And it'll do for the car!

Thnx again.



You got lots of answers there but didn't the stuff you got from the
garden centre, vinegar etc worked?! I supposed you've use a stiff
brush - I do and use hot water too. What do you have on these
flagstones?! I find it very little point doing it now - I usually wait
until beginning of april.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:06:32 -0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

Yes, very good for cleaning any stone. Mind you, everything else
will end up filthy with the spray bouncing off

Not if you use one of the paving stone cleaning heads rather than a
bare lance. Less likely to rip any grout/cement out from between the
flags as well.

I was cleaning paviers.

Although I haven't tried one, I doubt a cleaning head could deal with those
other than to stop spray, as they are too small. It wasn't too much trouble
to let them dry out and put down kiln-dried sand to replace that blasted
out.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

On 27/1/08 11:14, in article ,
"Barb" wrote:

Thanks for all the replies, folks! I've tried all of them, I think...
Jeyes, bleach, vinegar, sand and elbow grease. I did borrow a power washer
from my son four years ago and it really did the job, so I think that's the
route I'm going to have to go, unfortunately. I have a lot of flagstones
and some brick-design paths, which are also dowdy now.

Oh well, I can't borrow the boy's again, cos he lives in Hampshire now, so I
suppose I'll have to buy one. A cheapie will have to do, and - as
suggested - I'll wait for warmer weather, because you do get soaked!!!

And it'll do for the car!
snip

You can hire them, Barb.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"Barb" wrote in message
...
Thanks for all the replies, folks! I've tried all of them, I think...
Jeyes, bleach, vinegar, sand and elbow grease. I did borrow a power
washer from my son four years ago and it really did the job, so I think
that's the route I'm going to have to go, unfortunately. I have a lot of
flagstones and some brick-design paths, which are also dowdy now.

Oh well, I can't borrow the boy's again, cos he lives in Hampshire now, so
I suppose I'll have to buy one. A cheapie will have to do, and - as
suggested - I'll wait for warmer weather, because you do get soaked!!!

And it'll do for the car!

Thnx again.


Barb

Make up a strong solution of Fairy Washing up liquid and scrub it well into
the stones. (At least twice as strong as when washing the dishes)

Keep the stones wet with this solution for 24 hours.

Keep scrubbing the solution in with a Deck Scrubber or stiff brush ( Not
tooooo much hard work)

Power clean :-))

It worked for me.

Kind regards

Mike


--
www.rneba.org.uk. The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association to find your ex-Greenie mess mates.
www.iowtours.com for all ex-Service Reunions. More being added regularly
After a lot of trouble www.nsrafa.org is now up and running for the National
Service RAF man

It turned the slabs from very dark grey to the original light grey


Agreed, but I could put up with a lot in the winter. :-)

On 27/1/08 20:46, in article , "Granity"
wrote:


=Sacha;
The plastic killed off the weeds and prevented re-growth?

It turned the slabs from very dark grey to the original light grey

Could be something in the plastic?

=Sacha; A plastic covered patio is unlikely to be a thing of beauty,
though! ;-)'


Agreed, but I could put up with a lot in the winter. :-)


Until you walk outside and slip on it. ;-(


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Jeff Layman wrote:
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:06:32 -0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

Yes, very good for cleaning any stone. Mind you, everything else
will end up filthy with the spray bouncing off
Not if you use one of the paving stone cleaning heads rather than a
bare lance. Less likely to rip any grout/cement out from between the
flags as well.

I was cleaning paviers.

Although I haven't tried one, I doubt a cleaning head could deal with those
other than to stop spray, as they are too small. It wasn't too much trouble
to let them dry out and put down kiln-dried sand to replace that blasted
out.


This stuff is a lot more effective than ordinary detergent

http://www.coopersdirect.com/pagevie...=5000371051224

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
MrCass writes:

Call me lazy, but i use a jet washer, cost £100 but have used it
for the past 2 years, to be honest, it does take time but really
gets it clean and is good for the car too!

Well, since you insist :-) "You are lazy."

I never clean cars, except to sell them, and I haven't done that in
decades. Why should one bother with anything except the windows,
lights etc.?

We must have been separated at birth...

I'm sure we'll get replies from those who claim that the dirt adds weight
and drag, and affects performance. They are, of course, the same ones who
fit large spoilers and expect them to do anything below 70mph!

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

I've just bought a steam wallpaper-stripper and on the leaflet that
comes with it it suggests using it as a stone/brick cleaner, so if you
happen to have one you could give it a try. I'd love to see the look
on your neighbours' faces though if they see you trying to "strip"
your flagstones!

Nick Maclaren wrote:

I never clean cars, except to sell them, and I haven't done that in
decades. Why should one bother with anything except the windows,
lights etc.?

Because if you don't, small scratches from road detritus may go
unnoticed, and cause rust patches that ultimately destroy the car.

Assuming it's got any metal parts, that is.
--
Carol
"If you are allergic to a thing, it is best not to put
that thing in your mouth. Particularly if the thing is
cats." - Lemony Snicket _The Wide Window_

In article ,
(Carol Hague) writes:
|
| I never clean cars, except to sell them, and I haven't done that in
| decades. Why should one bother with anything except the windows,
| lights etc.?
|
| Because if you don't, small scratches from road detritus may go
| unnoticed, and cause rust patches that ultimately destroy the car.
|
| Assuming it's got any metal parts, that is.

You have swallowed the propaganda put out by the vendors of car wash
gimmickry. That is a well-known urban myth.

Virtually no car bodywork ever fails for that reason - almost all
of the rust-through failures (like, 99.99%) are due to rust that
starts underneath the car or inside the panels and members. You
are more likely to CAUSE damage by washing a car than to detect it.

I shan't respond further on this one, as it is off-group.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Good idea! However, I have loads of flagstones and paths - I have the old
showhouse on the end of a terrace with no lawns but lots of shrubs and beds
with paths and sizeable patios front and back. There are brick borders,
too, and all of it is looking very tired and needs sprucing up.

I think the washer is probably the way to go.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks!

Barb


wrote in message
...
I've just bought a steam wallpaper-stripper and on the leaflet that
comes with it it suggests using it as a stone/brick cleaner, so if you
happen to have one you could give it a try. I'd love to see the look
on your neighbours' faces though if they see you trying to "strip"
your flagstones!

Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
(Carol Hague) writes:
|
| I never clean cars, except to sell them, and I haven't done that in
| decades. Why should one bother with anything except the windows,
| lights etc.?
|
| Because if you don't, small scratches from road detritus may go
| unnoticed, and cause rust patches that ultimately destroy the car.
|
| Assuming it's got any metal parts, that is.

You have swallowed the propaganda put out by the vendors of car wash
gimmickry. That is a well-known urban myth.

shrug I've found small scratches on my van that were rusting when I
washed it (with washing up liquid, hot water and a sponge FYI).

I wouldn't have looked that closely at the paintwork had I not been
washing it. Not that I wash it very often, only when the earache gets
intolerable, then I wash the van and he stops nagging :-)

I shan't respond further on this one, as it is off-group.

Fair enough.
--
Carol
"If you are allergic to a thing, it is best not to put
that thing in your mouth. Particularly if the thing is
cats." - Lemony Snicket _The Wide Window_

You amaze me!.. Driving in a dirty car is like walking in dirty shoes!! Do you need an explanation why one should wear clean shoes??