How to Clean Pavers With Vinegar
It's essential to keep outdoor pavers clean because they get exposed to sunlight, oil spills, or all kinds of dirt. This is why we're giving you a step-by-step guide on how to clean pavers with vinegar so you can keep your pavers looking good as new just by using household materials.
How to Clean Pavers With Vinegar
To clean pavers with vinegar, you first have to sweep any debris and pull out weeds from them. Spray vinegar directly on the pavers, focusing on the gaps between the paver blocks. Let the vinegar solution settle for up to 30-60 minutes, pour soapy water, then use a brush to scrub the surface.
With our Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute Certification, our specialists demonstrate the best practices and expert knowledge to install pavers according to industry standards.
However, after a long time of accumulating dirt, pavers can look grimy. To make pavers look decent and functional, it's important that you know all the different ways of cleaning pavers, including using a vinegar solution.
Steps for Cleaning Pavers Using Vinegar
Whether you have concrete, brick, or stone pavers, use these steps to clean pavers and maintain a pristine outdoor living area using vinegar.
1. Prepare Cleaning Materials
It's best to use distilled white vinegar because its 5% acidity level is closest to those of the majority of multipurpose cleaners. Avoid using wine or balsamic vinegar as these can stain pavers.
Despite its acidity, vinegar is an environmentally friendly cleaning agent that isn't harmful to you, children, pets, and soil. While it has a strong scent, it's an effective and biodegradable solution to cleaning pavers without toxic chemicals. It's also budget-friendly as you can simply get vinegar from your kitchen.
Aside from vinegar, you need to gather these tools for an efficient cleaning process.
Spray bottle or pail
Dish soap
Bristle brush
Garden hose, if you don’t have a pressure washer
2. Clean Out Debris
Studies show that getting fresh air and being surrounded by nature increases energy by 90%. The good thing is that you can spend time outdoors, even when it's just in your backyard or front porch, and it’s good enough to get these benefits.
Before anything else, you have to clear out your outdoor space to give way to a more refreshing look. Move furniture, vehicles, plant pots, and other objects out of the way. Use a broom to sweep the surface to remove small stones, leaves, or other debris.
You can pour boiling water or vinegar if there are moss, plants, or weeds along cracks in your pavers. To kill weeds, you can combine vinegar and water in a 3:1 ratio. Doing this can also prevent the regrowth of weeds.
3. Wet the Paver Area
Use a garden hose to saturate the patio, driveway, or path walk. Wet pavers absorb vinegar or cleaning solutions better.
4. Spray Vinegar Mixture on the Pavers
According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, a disinfectant should kill 99.9% of disease-causing viruses and bacteria. Even though vinegar doesn't work well as a disinfectant, its high acidity makes vinegar great for removing dirt.
You can combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle or pail. Pour or spray the vinegar mixture all over the pavers. Make sure to distribute the cleaning solution evenly.
Soak the gaps between bricks or stones because these parts tend to be the hardest to clean. Leave the cleaning mixture for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. In this way, the vinegar can work its way into the slabs.
5. Add Soapy Water, Then Scrub
After soaking the pavers with vinegar, the next step is to scrub and rinse.
Spray or pour soapy water into the pavers. You can also add a degreaser to loosen the dirt further.
Use a bristle brush to scrub the pavers thoroughly and remove the loosened dirt or grime.
You can also use a pressure washer for deep cleaning and a faster process. Spray diagonally or at a 30-degree angle because the powerful pressure may damage the slabs.
Make sure to focus on stains, low spots, and gaps.
Be gentle in scrubbing to avoid damaging the pavers.
Use clean water to rinse the area thoroughly. Wait for the paver stones or blocks to dry.
6. Repeat If Necessary
Despite vinegar's acidity, piled-up dirt or stains are exceptionally tough to remove, especially if you haven't cleaned the pavers in years. Repeat the process if you followed steps 1 to 4, and you still see some stains.
7. Seal The Surface With A Sealant.
A sealant can prevent weathering and protect pavers from soaking up oil, dirt, or other stains. It is therefore important to seal pavers after cleaning them.
Moreover, a sealant can make a paver less porous, preventing mold from growing quickly. Use a paintbrush to apply 2 coats, with a dry time between each layer.
Conclusion
After investing money in installing pavers, regular maintenance makes spending time in your outdoor space more refreshing. However, dirt can easily pile up on pavers. Fortunately, using a vinegar solution, water, and brush is an effective way to clean a paver patio, entryway, or driveway.