How To Keep Granite Pavers Clean

Granite?s ability to turn any usual sidewalk into unique and beautiful pathway make this stone first choice of homeowners. This natural stone are often used near pool side, driveways and pathways leading to home. Granite is undoubtedly a perfect material for outdoor use as it is strong enough to resist weather elements. However, being a naturally porous material it is likely to get dirt and stains. When dirt or stains are left for long, they may become stubborn later and thus become tough to remove. If you clean it regularly, you can definitely make their beauty spot-free and last for longer time. Here in this article we have discussed some tips and ideas to clean and maintain granite pavers. These tips are easy to follow that even you can do it yourself. Cleaning the granite pavers yourself will also allow you save plenty of money you would have spent over hiring a professional.

1. Remove unwanted plants grown at the edges of paver and trim grasses touching the pathway. Sweep away the trimmed out grasses and removed plants.
2. Take a paver cleaner but make sure it is suitable for granite stone. If you are not sure, test it in a small area of the stone, preferably near the edge. Apply it and leave for a minute or two, then wipe out the area with a rag. If the area is cleaned without staining it then you can be sure that it is safe to use for entire pathway.
3. Don?t be confused if you encounter too many paver cleaning products in the market. Some of them are more potent to clean cement pavers and may stain delicate paving stones like granite. While buying cleaner make sure the product pack is not labeled as ?extra strong?. If you are still not sure, you can get assistance from the sales person to confirm. For safety concerns, wear sunglasses or any eye-gear and rubber gloves as these cleaners contain chemicals that may harm skin and eyes.
4. Sweep away debris and any leftover or grass and unwanted plants on the paver using a broom. Rinse the entire the surface and leave it to dry.
5. Spread the cleaner all over the paver surface with a paint roller or a broom. Leave it to set for 4-5 minutes.
6. Prepare a pressure washer by connecting it to the water source. Allow water come out of washer with full pressure to the pathway, so as to rinse off the chemical. Let it get dry naturally. This may take several hours.
7. When the stones are completely dry seal the paver surface with an appropriate sealant. Buy cement or readymade stone sealer from any hardware shop. Cement and stone sealers are easily available in any home improvement store. These sealers can be used in varieties of cement or stone surfaces. Make the sealant and apply its coat over the entire surface with a clean paint roller. Avoid using it at least for a day.

When sealing granite pavers with cement it may happen that some cement spill on the stone and you later discover spatters of drying cement on its surface. If that happens with you too, don?t regret your effort. There are ways to remove crusty dried cement from brick, cement, wood and natural stones. Find the ways blow to remove cement from granite paving stones.

1. Luckily, if you discover cement before it gets dry, wash it off with a hose.
2. If the cement has already deposited on the surface and is dry, remove it with a wet scrub brush. Rub the hard bristle brush over the surface in to and fro motion. Keep the brush wet by dipping it in a bucket of water frequently. Wash off the debris when done. Sometimes wet bristle when used in abrasive action proves to be effective in removing unwanted concrete.
3. You can also make a solution of oxalic acid and water. Pour it over cement and let is set for few minutes, then spray water with force using a pressure washer or hose. Oxalic acid has a special property to dissolve cement. While this is an effective solution, but may leave the surface stained. Therefore, it is better to test it in a small area before using it over prime spots.
4. Another way is to chip away the cement using hammer. But make sure you carefully hit cements with hammer as it may break the stone. Use this method only when other ways doesn?t work.

Yarrabee offers high quality sandstone, wide range of granite and sandstone pavers for outdoor exteriors and gardens. They also deal in quality durable bluestone and high end travertine.

Source: http://www.howitoo.com/home-garden/how-to-granite-pavers-clean?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-granite-pavers-clean

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