Clean stone slabs from dirt, moss and lichen

Have your flagstones become covered with dirt and moss? Do you want to freshen them up for the summer? We'll show you the way to spotless flagstones on your patio or driveway. Follow this simple cleaning guide and the dirt on the stone tiles will be a thing of the past!

When the spring sun looms in the sky, an alarm clock rings within us - it's time for spring cleaning and to spruce up the garden, which looks appropriately winter-tired after months of darkness and debris. both stone slabs in granite, concrete, slate and limestone can benefit from a refresh and this to keep the stone alive. Some dirt can be easy to remove, such as sand and gravel, while stains from lichen, algae and moss can be a bit more difficult. These are easily placed in the trays during the year. Not least in autumn when the humid days replace each other. Shady locations in the garden are always more exposed and may need extra love when the snow and ice cover loosens. But keep calm, pick up the following tools and products from the cleaning scrubber and we'll go step by step!

Clean with the following tools:

• Water hose (lightly dirty surface)
• Brush/Piasava broom (lightly dirty surface)
• Joint sand or Stone flour (For hard-to-wash stone tiles)
• High-pressure washing (For hard-to-wash stone tiles)
• Akemi Stone soap / Stone soap alternatively Stone cleaning (For hard-to-wash stone slabs)
• Akemi Antigreen Power (For algae and moss covered stone tiles)
• Possible color enhancement

Water and a brush are a good start

Start by cleaning the stone tiles with a broom and water. First brush off loose gravel and dirt. Then rinse the water over the surface and scrub away stains and discoloration. Go over the spots several times and give them a choice they can tolerate. Should this not be enough, you can try using stone soap on your stained stones. The stone soap from Akemi is a gentle natural stone cleaner that gently cleans and protects your tiles. Follow the bottle's recommended text section and scrub thoroughly. Rinse off the dirt that comes off over time.

Joint sand can help as a light exfoliation of the surface

If your stone tiles are still dirty, you can wait until the surface is dry and pour over joint sand , decorative grout or stone flour on them. Let this dry before you start brushing. A perfect way is to sprinkle a thin layer of setting sand or joint sand over the entire surface. Should it be damp, it will dry quickly during breaks and sunny weather. Stone flour can be bought in convenient 30-liter bags in our stores and goes a long way when just cleaning your patio. Then try to brush away the dirt with the help of the fine grains of sand. It can also work against lime stains that have occurred on stone slabs and concrete paving stones. What now occurs is that the setting sand and the joint find their way into the pores of the stone floor and cause the dirt to peel off from the surface. Scrub thoroughly and rinse.

Use high-pressure washing carefully on difficult-to-wash stone

Should the joint sand not be sufficient, you can use a high-pressure washer. Here, however, we want to give a word of warning. Concrete stone slabs are not as dense as natural stone such as granite and can be damaged by the pressure washer if you go too close. Also be careful with the joints so you don't blow out all your joint. Especially if you put ordinary joint sand or other sand in the joints. On larger concrete slabs it is easier to hit correctly, but on paving stones it can be more difficult. But try your hand and start with a stone in a corner to see how you get the cut. After this step, you may need to top up with new joint sand. This can also in many cases be preferable if the joint has also become full of moss and algae. If you simply want to remove your joint, the high pressure can be directed at the joint. Allow the surface to dry and become clean before re-sealing your surface.

You can remove moss and algae effectively with stone cleaning

If your stone tiles are covered with algae or moss, a cleaning can be done with it Akemi Antigreen Power need to be used. It easily and effectively removes the green from concrete and natural stone. This is a perfect product that has been very popular with our customers for many years. The cleaner dissolves the algae and produces a green foam when you work with it. Be sure to back rinse at this point as well and make sure you remove all your moss and algal deposits!

A color enhancer can even out the color of the stone

Should discoloration and stains remain, you can try using, for example, a color enhancer to even out the tone and give the stone a nice shine. Finish with a protective treatment with one of Akemi's stone impregnations to make the stone more resistant to dirt! This is primarily a recommendation for your natural stone floor and not your concrete stone. The color enhancement intensifies your stone tiles and gives you a wet effect on the surface. And Nano effect can also be added but not in combination with the color enhancement. Here it is either or that applies. What the Nano effect does is that it forms a protective film on the stone but does not cause a major color change. When you intend to use these types of impregnations and surface protection, you should be satisfied with your results beforehand. Any stains and discolorations may otherwise be covered up.