How to keep garden pavers looking good

No matter what kind of DIY paving you have added - whether it be sandstone, concrete pavers, clay or natural stone options - it is important to regularly maintain your pavers so they are in tip top condition.

Here are some of the important tasks you can do outside to keep your pavers clean and tidy.

Weeding

These plants can suddenly creep up out of nowhere as they easily reproduce and can survive even the most dry and tough conditions.

While sometimes regular wheel or foot traffic can be enough to prevent weeds from re-colonising an area, this is not always possible for the whole garden.

Here are some suggestions to help you keep this area weed-free in future.

Regular brushing

Giving your paved area the once-over with a broom on a regular basis can be enough to stop weeds from cropping up and may even stop newly emerging weeds in their tracks before they become established.

Pulling weeds

Any weeds that have already begun to establish themselves need to be removed to stop them from spreading. You can use a fork, hoe or a trowel.

Remember that it is best to work with moist soil, so you might be able to pull more weeds when the ground has been soaked after rain.

Weed killer

Chemical and natural products can be used to kill weeds that have already crept up in the spaces between your pavers.

However, make sure you look for products that are designed for work in paved areas, as more general herbicides can kill everything but may cause discolouration of your pavers.

Contact pavers can also be used that directly target the object in question. These do take longer to kill the weed as they need to be absorbed into the plant.

How to clean your pavers

Sometimes oil, grease and other items can build up on your pavers and these stains need to be cleaned up.

Hot soapy water can be used, such as simple washing up liquid or an acid-free soap-based floor cleaning product.

Acid-based products can damage certain types of pavers, such as marble and limestone, so their use should be avoided.

Scrub the water into the paver with a stiff brush to loosen any surface detritus.

This needs to be followed up with a wash in clean water. You can use a bucket or hose to wash away the dirt and soapy water.