Patio cleaning service: what to book before the frosts

Why book a patio clean before the frosts?

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) says algae, lichens, liverworts and mosses can make patios, paths, decking and steps slippery, and that where they could cause slips and falls it is advisable to prevent or manage their growth. That is the reason to treat a green patio as a job rather than a cosmetic problem. A patio that is merely dull can wait. One that is slick underfoot cannot.

The Met Office publishes 1991 to 2020 averages for Woodford. Read October, November and December as a set:

In December, 15.70 wet days out of 31 is about every other day. The 53.08 hours of sunshine works out at roughly 1.7 hours a day, against about 6 hours a day in June (179.53 hours over 30 days). And 9.29 frost days is just under one morning in three.

There is a booking reason too. Checkatrade names spring as a good time to clean because it avoids the risk of water freezing on the surface. The same logic favours October and early November over December: a wash needs a day when the water will not freeze behind it. Housekeep also says spring and summer are its busier months, so an autumn slot is usually easier to get. These are long-run averages for one station, not a forecast.

What does a professional patio clean involve?

A good quote describes a sequence, not just a price. This is what to expect from any firm, and it is how our hard surface cleaning is set out: method chosen by material and condition, not by habit.

1. An inspection first. The surface material, staining and any vulnerable joints or damaged areas are identified before any water is used.
2. Preparation. Furniture and pots moved, loose debris swept, and nearby doors, walls and plants considered.
3. Washing at a pressure that suits the surface. Not the maximum the machine can do. Marshalls, a paving manufacturer, advises low pressure for natural stone, sandstone and porcelain outdoor tiles because high pressure can erode them.
4. Treatment of the growth, where it is used. If a product is applied, the firm should be able to name it and use it as its label says.
5. Rinse, joints and a final check. The area rinsed, the joints dealt with and the finished surface looked over.
6. Straight advice on what will come back. Which marks may stay and what upkeep stops the rest returning.

Every step is something you can ask about, which is why the quote checklist further down follows the same order.

Jet wash, soft wash or steam: which method should you ask for?

There is no single right answer, because it depends on what the patio is made of and what is on it. A jet or pressure wash uses water at pressure, and Checkatrade says most patio cleaning services use it. Firms use the term soft wash for a low-pressure wash with a treatment applied to the growth, and it is commonly offered for softer or more delicate surfaces. Steam is another gentler option; Checkatrade lists it for delicate surfaces such as natural stone. We could not find an official definition of soft wash, so ask what the word means in your quote: pressure, product and rinse.

A quote that only says "jet wash" has told you nothing about your surface. One that names the pressure, what is treated and what happens to the joints has told you a lot. If the patio is natural stone, porcelain or something you cannot identify, ask for a test patch in a corner before the whole area is done.

Will it go green again after a professional clean?

The RHS is straight about it. A pressure washer removes growth quickly, but the result is temporary, and growth returns if the conditions stay the same. It also says most chemical patio cleaners are non-persistent, so repeat applications are needed. A clean on its own resets the patio. It does not guarantee how long it stays that way.

That is the case for thinking in three layers, each doing a different job:

• The clean lifts the growth and dirt that is there now, which is what makes the patio safe underfoot again.
• Any treatment slows regrowth for a time, and is only worth paying for if the product is named, labelled for the job and used as its label says.
• The upkeep plan deals with why it went green: shade, a blocked gully, leaves left to rot, a patio that never dries. The RHS says regular brushing helps stop growth taking hold, and so does pruning overhanging plants and clearing drains. Sweeping between visits is sensible, but it supports the plan and is not the plan.

If a firm promises a result and never mentions the conditions behind it, be cautious. A better quote says what is likely to return and when to book again. Under trees and hedges the leaves matter as much as the shade, so see our leaf clearance guide. And if water still sits on the surface hours after rain, that is groundworks rather than cleaning, and our guide to the signs you need landscaping covers puddling and uneven paving.

What does a patio cleaning service cost?

We do not publish a rate card, because a patio is priced from its size, surface and condition and we would rather quote from photos or a visit. So the ranges below are market ranges from three named UK guides, not our prices. They disagree and none explains its method, so read them as the edges of a range, not a quote.

For a 30 m² patio those guides span roughly £60 (Housekeep, including VAT) to £250 (MyJobQuote). Only one of the three says whether its figures include VAT, which is the most common way two quotes for the same patio end up different. The standard rate is 20%, and a business must register once its taxable turnover passes £90,000, so many small firms do not charge it. Neither answer is wrong. Ask which applies and have the total written with it.

Here is one worked sum, on a 30 m² slab patio and Checkatrade's figures:

Small patios behave differently. A 12 m² patio at £3 per m² is £36 on paper, but if a firm applies a 30 m² minimum as Checkatrade describes, it is £90. Housekeep's smallest band starts at £30, so ask whether there is a minimum before you compare.

What moves the price

• Size and surface. Larger areas take longer and may trigger a higher minimum. Stone, block paving, concrete and decking can each need a different method.
• Condition. Heavy algae, moss, black spots or ingrained dirt cost more than light marking.
• Extras. Treatment, stain removal, re-sanding and sealing are commonly priced separately.
• Access. Steps, long hose runs or no outdoor tap slow the job. Checkatrade notes that most cleaners use your tap and that bringing their own water can cost extra.

What should you ask before you book?

Put two or three written quotes side by side and tick these off. Any line a quote does not answer is the line to ask about.

1. What area is being cleaned, and how was it measured?

   An area in square metres, and whether paths, steps or a driveway are part of it.

2. What is the surface, and what method will be used?

   Pressure, steam or low-pressure wash, named, with a test patch where the surface is stone, porcelain or unknown.

3. What will be applied, and what is it called?

   The product name, its authorisation number and the safety instructions on its label.

4. What happens to the joints?

   Whether weeds and moss are cleared from them and whether re-sanding is in the price.

5. Are stain treatment and sealing included?

   Oil marks, black spots and sealing are where a final price most often changes.

6. Is there a minimum charge?

   And is it based on a minimum area, as Checkatrade describes, or a flat call-out?

7. Is VAT in the total?

   The quote should say "including VAT" or "VAT not charged" next to the total.

8. What do you need to provide?

   Furniture moved, an outdoor tap available and access to the area.

9. What will come back, and what will stay?

   An honest note of marks that may remain and growth that will return if the cause is not fixed.

10. Is the price and date in writing?

    With the work included and what is excluded.

To get a fixed quote from us rather than a range, send a photo of the patio taken from the house, a close-up of the worst area, a rough size and your postcode, and say whether there is an outdoor tap.

How do you check a patio cleaner yourself?

Do not take any firm's word for it, ours included. Each of these takes a few minutes and uses an official source:

A firm that is happy to answer is usually one that is used to being asked. A vague answer to any of these is information too.

Should you have the patio sealed after it is cleaned?

Sealing is the add-on most often offered, and Checkatrade's figures show it roughly doubles the price: £6.50 per m² on average for cleaning and sealing slabs, against £3 for cleaning alone. Marshalls says sealing suits porous surfaces such as concrete or natural stone, may not be needed on non-porous materials, and that pressure washing may remove an existing sealant. Ask what the sealer is for, what its data sheet says about how long it lasts, and whether the surface will be clean and dry first. A sealer over damp or still-growing patio fixes neither problem. We found no official UK guidance rating anti-slip claims for patio products, so treat a grip claim as the seller's.

Where does the wash water go?

It is a fair question to put to any contractor, and it matters in Greater Manchester, where United Utilities runs the public sewers. United Utilities says the only thing going down a surface water drain should be water, and that anything else can go straight to local rivers and beaches. Its page does not name patio cleaners or detergents, so we are not claiming it rules on them. It gives the principle. The HSE adds that the user of a biocide is responsible for disposing of leftover product and empty containers. So ask where the rinse water will run and whether loose debris is bagged before the wet work starts. It also helps to know which drain yours joins: United Utilities explains that rainwater from a roof, drive or path normally goes to the public sewers, but some homes drain it to the ground, a watercourse or a soakaway.

When should you book, and what should you do between visits?

Decide in October, get quotes in October, and have the clean done before the November frost days build up. December is for upkeep, not washing. Between visits, a stiff brush and a clear gully are the cheap parts of the plan, and the RHS puts regular brushing first among its non-chemical measures.

• Now: photos, a measured area and two or three written quotes using the checklist above.
• After the clean: note what the firm said might return, keep gullies clear and cut back what shades the patio. Our autumn lawn care guide and the garden maintenance guide cover the other seasonal jobs.
• Next autumn: look again before the frosts. A patio that was shaded this year will be shaded next year.

Renting? Our guide to who is responsible for the garden in a rented property covers who looks after it. Our patio and path cleaning page sets out how we work. Exterior property cleaning and exterior surface restoration cover the walls, fences and surfaces around it across Manchester and Stockport, and our guide to what affects maintenance costs explains how quotes for exterior work are built.

Questions about booking a patio cleaning service