Patio Cleaning in Eaton Socon

Eaton Socon has an older heart around the green and newer housing spreading out from it, and the patios reflect both. Behind some older homes you may find brick paving, worn stone flags or a mix of materials added over the years. Newer homes are more likely to have concrete slabs, Indian sandstone or porcelain. Cleaning older paving well is mainly about knowing when to stop.

Old brick and stone often carry a patina that gives them their character. Aggressive patio jet washing can strip that away in minutes, leaving a raw, uneven surface that weathers badly and picks up dirt faster. We test a small area first and clean at the lowest setting that lifts the grime.

Joints in older paving may be lime based or simply filled with soil. Strong water pressure can wash them out completely, loosening the bricks or flags around them. That is why much of the work on older patios is done by hand, with brushes and a low flow of water.

Mixed patios are common where a garden has been extended in stages, perhaps an old brick area by the house and a sandstone terrace added further out. Each section gets its own method, which can mean two or three approaches on the same day.

If you are wondering how to clean Indian sandstone beside older brick without harming either, the short answer is gently and separately. Products that suit sandstone may not suit brick, so we keep treatments to the area they are meant for. Newer sandstone also tends to pick up black spot lichen in shade, which fades over a few weeks after treatment rather than vanishing on the day.

Conservation area. Part of Eaton Socon falls within a conservation area. A routine clean does not normally need consent, but if your home is listed, it is worth checking with Huntingdonshire District Council before applying a sealer that could change the look of historic paving.