As the weather eases into the warmer months, getting the best use of any outdoor space is a must. And if you’ve opted to have a patio instead of a lawn, then you’ll know it requires a lot less maintenance. But the one thing you will need to be on top of is keeping any mould or algae at bay.
Following wetter weather over the winter months, you may need to give your patio a bit of a facelift. A good product to help you get things cleaned up is Patio Magic! Concentrate. It’s ideal for patios, paths and driveways, and at the moment, 5 litres is down to £16.99 on Amazon.
But what does it do, and how does it work?
Well, this long-lasting mould disinfectant can help treat, remove and prevent algae and lichens on hard surfaces, without you having to invest in a powerhose or hours of manual scrubbing. But do note, they say that control of lichens can take anything from two weeks to six months.
As a reminder, lichens are made up of two or more different organisms, according to the Woodland Trust, who describes it as a ‘successful partnership’ between a fungus and an algae and/or cyanobacteria. As they’re non-parasitic, lichens don’t harm plants they grow on, but if they’ve decided your patio is a good home, they can look unsightly if you’re after clean tiles.
As far as Patio Magic! goes, it naturally breaks down in soil and gets to work in days, lasting 6-9 months. Importantly, it’s biodegradable and children and pets don’t need to be excluded from treated areas once the area is dry. Other surfaces it can be used on include garden ornaments, brickwork, masonry, caravans and/or greenhouses.
It’s an algaecidal detergent, so works without you needing to use pressure for it to be effective. And while it works for 6-9 months, it’s worth noting that areas that are in the shade 24/7 or are prone to water collection may see a shorter effectiveness period.
Because gardening and outdoor products are not in short supply, you can look around for other options.
There is Moss-Go from Mifica, which is a trade strength algae remover and can be used on patios, roofs, fences and driveways. It’s also pet safe when dried and you can get 5 litres for £24.99. A well-known brand is Jeyes, and they have a a multiuse outdoor cleaner, which is £35.99 for 5 liters from Screwfix. This product says it will kill 99.9% of bacteria and enveloped viruses, and you can use it to clean paths, patios, decking and more, as well as using it to give your drains a fresher smell.
But for value for money, the Patio Magic! Concentrate has got plenty of people giving it praise.
It has a 4.3 star average on Amazon, and one person said: “I’ve used this product multiple times and it’s really effective. Within a couple days of using it any green algae has completely disappeared and it stays clean for months. Wear old clothes when doing so though, as I got a few splashes of it on my trousers and it bleached them!” Someone else added: “Great product for removing green residue on stonework”.
A third person said: “I don’t often write reviews but I found this product to be brilliant. I diluted it in a watering can and poured on the patio yesterday. I came home from work today and all the yellow/green discolouration that had built up over the winter is gone! I didn’t expect it to work so quickly. There was some moss between slabs which is turning brown too. It will still need a quick powerwash and brush to remove any dirt but that shouldn’t be too difficult now.”
It didn’t quite do the job for everyone, with one three-star review stating: “Did an OK job but not really worth the money”, while another person said: “Had high hopes for this but after one good application couldn’t see much difference really. We still have some left so will give it another try in the spring.”
