Patio Cleaning in London — Professional Results, Fair Prices
Professional patio cleaning in London costs from around £4–£8 per square metre. We clean all patio surfaces — Indian sandstone, York stone, porcelain, limestone, concrete and natural stone — using gentle, surface-appropriate methods that remove years of algae, moss and black spot without damaging your paving.
What We Clean
Indian Sandstone
London's most popular patio stone. Porous and prone to black spot (lichen) — needs soft washing plus biocidal treatment, with sealing highly recommended.
York Stone
Common in period properties and conservation areas. We use an extremely gentle approach to preserve the natural patina — steam cleaning is an option for heritage stone.
Porcelain
Increasingly common in modern London new-builds. Low porosity, requires pH-neutral cleaners and care around the grout lines.
Limestone
Very sensitive to acid and etches easily — pH-neutral cleaners and soft washing only.
Concrete Slabs
The most durable patio surface, tolerates higher pressure and is cost-effective to clean.
Slate & Natural Stone
Varied porosity — we assess each surface individually before choosing a method.
Our Process — Soft Washing, Not Blasting
Patios use more delicate materials than driveways, so we follow a three-stage soft-washing process rather than a single high-pressure blast:
1. Pre-Treatment
HSE-approved biocidal wash kills algae, moss and lichen at the root, rather than just blasting away the visible growth.
2. Low-Pressure Rinse
A fan-jet nozzle distributes pressure evenly for a thorough but gentle rinse — no etching, no sand displacement.
3. Protection
Re-sanding where applicable, plus optional sealing to protect the surface and slow down regrowth.
Why soft washing, not blasting: aggressive high-pressure washing opens up a stone's pores, which actually makes it get dirty faster afterwards. Our soft-washing approach cleans thoroughly without increasing porosity, so your patio stays cleaner for longer.
Pricing
From £4 per m² depending on surface type and condition — see our full pricing guide for detailed costs across all our services. Every job gets a free, personalised quote.
Is It Worth It?
A professional clean costs a fraction of relaying a patio. Beyond cost, removing algae and moss eliminates a genuine slip hazard in wet weather, and a clean patio means more enjoyment of your garden through spring and summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
High pressure alone can etch sandstone. We use soft washing — biocidal treatment plus a low-pressure rinse — which is safer and more effective long-term than blasting.
It's usually lichen, a stubborn organic growth that needs biocidal treatment to remove at the root, not just pressure washing, which only removes the surface growth temporarily.
Spring (March–May) before you start using the garden, or autumn (September–October) before winter moss growth sets in. See our seasonal guide for more detail.
We use appropriate pressure for the joint type — mortar pointing on older patios is treated differently from sand-jointed block paving.
Sealing isn't essential but extends how long the clean lasts — 2–3 years with sealing versus 1–2 years without — and reduces water absorption that drives regrowth. See our sealing page for more on sealant types.
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Ready to Bring Your Patio Back to Life?
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