Lisa Breakspear, head of sales, Mapei UltraCare, discusses the best ways to take care of outdoor surfaces during the upcoming Spring and Summer months
Spring showers and damp conditions can leave their mark on external paving, with black spot, algae and rust being particularly common issues in the UK. As the season progresses, other issues often crop up, including stains left by alfresco dining and a build-up of sticky tree sap. Luckily, all of these problems are easy to resolve with application of the correct products, and surfaces can be quickly restored in terms of aesthetics and performance.
Removing residue and protecting joints
Before undertaking a deep clean, on either external porcelain or natural stone, it’s important to consider the grout joint. Using a highly effective cleaning product to tackle organic build-up will eliminate the need to use a pressure washer, which can ‘blow out’ the grout joints. This applies to both brush-in grout and cement-based grout. A good concentrated alkaline cleaner, will easily remove black spot and algae as well as cleaning off any other organic contamination that has built-up over the winter and early spring. We recommend application with a long-handled brush and a hose.
Before application, it’s important to understand dilution rates, contact time and the need for surface agitation; this will guarantee a perfect clean without the risk of damage to the grout joints. Sodium hypochlorite should always be avoided. It’s often recommended on social media and in forums for deep cleaning external paving, including natural stone. However, it’s not safe to use near plants or metal objects and it isn’t effective at breaking down grease and oil. It can also cause “yellowing” when used on light coloured tiles.
UltraCare HD Cleaner is safe to use in all of these settings and will not cause discolouration. All UltraCare cleaning products are fully biodegradable and UltraCare HD Cleaner, as well as UltraCare Keranet, Acid Cleaner and Multicleaner, are fully CO2 Offset and form part of Mapei’s Zero Line.
Applying protection and ongoing maintenance
Once natural stone pavers have been thoroughly cleaned, you should look to re-apply a protective product. For a natural finish with no enhancement, we recommend UltraCare Stain Protector W or Stain Protector W Plus. Both are water-based impregnators and can be applied with residual moisture present, speeding up the application time and eliminating the need to wait for the stone to be completely dry. For an enhanced look, the range also includes water-based UltraCare Intensifier W which can be applied in multiple coats for a glossy finish. This is particularly popular on slate, where it really brings out the colouring of the natural stone.
Once pavers have been cleaned and protected, it’s hugely beneficial to adopt a regular cleaning regime. It will eliminate the build-up of organic residue and the need for lengthy renovation. For spring and summer cleaning, we recommend UltraCare Multicleaner – a highly concentrated cleaning product with a coverage of 1500m2 per litre at a dilution of 1:200. At this dilution, there is no need to rinse after cleaning. To remove stubborn stains, a dilution of 1:30 can be used and surfaces should then be rinsed after cleaning.
Keeping on top of seasonal issues
We’re often asked for advice on how to safely remove rust stains from external installations. Quite often, metal furniture and containers leave rust marks where they’ve been sat over the winter. Plant watering over the summer can also cause rust stains. These marks are easy to remove from natural stone and porcelain but the correct products should always be used. For example, an acid-based product may not be suitable for an acid-sensitive stone. In this case, consider a product like UltraCare Rust Remover, which is specifically designed to be used on natural stone that is sensitive to acid. Our ready-to-use product, UltraCare Rust Remover, turns purple as it reacts, indicating when to remove it. For external porcelain and acid-resistant stone, we recommend UltraCare Acid Cleaner; this treatment is applied directly onto the rust mark, left in contact and then worked over the surface with a green pad before a final rinse.
In BBQ and cooking areas where natural stone is installed, grease can be absorbed into the stone’s porosity and this will need to be removed with a specialist product. UltraCare Stain Remover is ideal in this situation and, for porcelain, we recommend UltraCare HD Cleaner.
Sticky tree sap is also a common issue and, if left in place, can become a key for dirt and residue, creating a build-up of stubborn organic matter. It can also leave a coloured stain. Here, again, we recommend UltraCare HD Cleaner.
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