Last Updated On December 26th, 2021

Top 10 Reviews

Best Patio Cleaner in the UK 2022

Luxury Choice

Smartseal Xtreme

4.5/5
Smartseal Xtreme

Editor's choice

Pro-Kleen Concentrate

4.5/5
Pro-Kleen Concentrate

Effortless Solution

Wet & Forget

4/5
Wet & Forget

Depending on location and climate, outdoor surfaces can have the tendency to not only get dirty but grow organic material like mould and algae as well. This means your patio and deck may need a lot of heavy cleaning.

If this happens, you will need a good patio cleaner to keep your outdoor hard surfaces looking like new. However, if you’re an absolute beginner, choosing a patio cleaner can be quite intimidating given the sheer number of products on the market. To help you out, here’s an in-depth review that covers some of the best patio cleaner options available. Keep reading for our top picks.

Best Patio Cleaner List

Best Patio Cleaner Reviews – Top 10 Picks

Topping our list is our Editor’s Choice, Pro-Kleen Concentrate. This product could easily be the best patio cleaner chemical formula for your outdoor cleaning needs. This patio cleaner is safe for use on almost all outdoor surfaces, including the fence, deck, shed, and even your garden furniture.

Pro-Kleen Concentrate

Features

Pro-Kleen patio cleaner works wonders at eliminating moss, green mould and algae. This patio cleaner is super easy to apply, requiring only a low-pressure garden sprayer or watering can. Hence, it eliminates the need for scrubbing or pressure washing. Simply leave the formula and you’ll start to see results in just a couple of days. Its effects can last for up to six months.

Another great thing about this product is the fact that it is biodegradable. It doesn’t contain bleach, acids, or other harsh chemicals, making it safe for kids and pets once it dries completely. It does not have a shelf life so feel free to stock up.

However, it is worth noting that this formula may not be the best option for removing lichens. Also, it should only be applied if it can avoid getting wet for at least 24 hours. Its desired effects may only last a couple of months in wetter climates.

PROS

CONS

Pro-Kleen Concentrate
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Smartseal Xtreme patio cleaner is one of the most powerful patio cleaners on our list. It rapidly cleans stone, pavement, and other outdoor surfaces.

Smartseal Xtreme

Features

This product made our best patio cleaners list because we like its fast-acting potent four-ingredient formula that effectively kills moss, mould, algae, and black spot lichens. It is also good at removing dirt and grime. Smartseal boasts their product can kill roof moss in just an hour.

To apply this patio cleaner to your block paving or other surfaces, follow dilution directions and spray the desired area down using a watering can or low-pressure sprayer. Leave the product for 60 minutes then rinse it off with a hose, if using a pressure washer use on low pressure. 5L bottle of this product can cover 40m2.

Smartseal Xtreme patio surface cleaner has a lower coverage area per bottle and needs to be rinsed off after an hour due to its high concentration formula that contains harsh chemicals.

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Smartseal Xtreme
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Wet & Forget is our next pick in this best patio cleaners list. This product can be used to clean any exterior surface, even wood, thanks to its neutral pH. It is also easy to use and apply, you only need to spray the diluted solution onto the area to be treated.

Wet & Forget

Features

Wet & Forget is a pro at cleaning moss, mould, lichen, algae and mildew. There is no need for scrubbing or power washing with this product. Just fill a pump sprayer with the diluted solution, spray the desired area, and simply wait. Results will start to appear after it rains once or twice.

An entire bottle of Wet & Forget will cover 100-300 square metres depending on how porous the treated surface is. It is also biodegradable, free from harsh chemicals, and doesn’t have a shelf life.

While Wet & Forget patio cleaner doesn’t require a lot of effort to use, you will have to be patient to start seeing results. It does not come with the sprayer needed for application and may stain glass so make sure to keep it away from any windows.

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Wet & Forget
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Patio Magic! is our pick for the best pet-friendly patio cleaner. This product can be used to clean patios, paths, and driveways. In addition, it can even be used indoors as a pre-paint antifungal wash.

Patio Magic!

Features

Patio Magic! is best used as a green mould, lichen, algae remover but it also has antibacterial properties. What’s great about this cleaner is that no scrubbing or power washing is required. To apply, simply brush on or spray onto surfaces and leave it to dry. The results will be noticeable in 2-4 days, and can last for as long as 6-9 months with each application.

One bottle of this product covers 170m2. It contains no bleach or acids and is biodegradable. It is also safe to use around kids and pets, just keep them away until it dries.

However, it is worth noting that Patio Magic! is highly toxic when it comes to aquatic life. It also does not come with a sprayer. You may also still need to scrub areas with dense patches of green mould and algae growth.

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Patio Magic!
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Algon is our favourite organic patio cleaner. Free from harsh chemicals, this formula effectively cleans almost all types of outdoor surfaces without harming the environment.

Algon Concentrate

Features

This moss, mould, lichen, algae remover does not possess harsh chemicals and is deemed safe for use around pets and wildlife. It is environmentally friendly too.

One bottle of this product can cover as much 60m2. There is no need for a power washer or any scrubbing with Algon thanks to its spray-on-and-leave application process. Within a few days, you will start to notice a difference and the results can last for up to one year, depending on the surface and climate.

This product, however, does have a few drawbacks. It doesn’t come with a garden sprayer for application and can potentially harm aquatic life. It also has a potent vinegar odour that some people may find offensive.

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Algon Concentrate
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Jarder Spray and Leave is another worthy contender for the best patio cleaner in the UK. It cleans all hard surfaces including garden furniture, wood, synthetic and natural stone, and terracotta pots.

Jarder Spray and Leave

Features

Moss, lichens, black spot mould and algae are no match for Jarder Spray and Leave. This patio cleaner can be applied on outdoor surfaces using a low-pressure sprayer or watering can, starts showing results in 2-3 days, and the barrier it creates can last for more than six months. For best results, apply in the late afternoon or early evening and give it at least eight hours to fully work its magic.

This product can cover up to 240m2 with one bottle of its biodegradable, bleach-free formula. The Jarder Spray and Leave is also pet and kid-friendly once completely dry.

Based on patio cleaner reviews, however, the Jarder Spray and Leave has slightly more restrictive application instructions, is not safe to use around ponds, and may cause a temporary brown discolouration on some surfaces.

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Jarder Spray and Leave
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Pro-Kleen Ready to Use patio cleaner is a great choice if you don’t want to go through the hassle of diluting the product before use. It can be used to clean your patios including block paving and stone.

Pro-Kleen Ready to Use

Features

Pro-Kleen Ready to Use patio cleaner effectively wipes out green algae, moss, mould, and more. Simply spray the desired area using a watering can or sprayer and walk away. After several days you’ll start seeing results that last up to six months per treatment.

This cleaning product is biodegradable, contains no bleach, and is non-acidic. After it dries, it becomes both pet and kid-friendly. This product is also safe to use indoors.

Pro-Kleen Ready to Use patio cleaner is not the best option for dirt and grime and may require a second application. It doesn’t last for quite as long as some of the other products on our list and also has a smaller coverage area because you don’t dilute the formula.

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Pro-Kleen Ready to Use
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Doff Super Concentrate will effectively clean your patio and other outdoor surfaces. This product features a super-strength formula which is designed for use on all outdoor surfaces.

Doff Super Concentrate

Features

Doff Super Concentrate kills and prevents moss, algae, mould, and mildew from regrowing for up to a full year. No scrubbing or rinsing is required to use this product, all you have to do is just spray and leave to start seeing results in a couple of days.

This product makes up to 12 litres once diluted and is another great choice on our list. Doff is an independent UK company that is well-known when it comes to garden care products.

The Doff Super Concentrate cleaner is not the best product for stubborn black mould and is not safe to use near kids or pets. However, this formula may have a bit of a delayed response that makes you wait to see the full results. It may take as long as two weeks to show its true cleaning power.

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Doff Super Concentrate
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The well-known Jeyes Fluid is one of the best patio cleaning products suitable for most homeowners. It is a multi-purpose outdoor cleaner best used on paths, patios, driveways, flower pots, and other hard surfaces.

Jeyes Fluid

Features

This formula kills up to 99.9% of germs, removes grease and dirt, disinfects hard surfaces, and even unclogs drains. So, is Jeyes Fluid good for cleaning patios too? You bet! In fact, they even have a Royal Warrant and supply the Royal Household with their products.

The coverage area you can expect from a bottle of Jeyes Fluid varies greatly because different tasks call for different dilution recipes. Different tasks also come with different application processes but with patios, you can expect to apply the cleaning solution, wait 30 minutes, and then scrub.

Be aware, though, that this multi-purpose cleaner should be kept away from plants and pets. It also does not eliminate moss and may discolour decks or plastic.

PROS

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Jeyes Fluid
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If you want to rid your outdoor stone surfaces of stubborn buildup, the Pro-Kleen Patio and Driveway Cleaner could make an excellent choice. It easily cleans stubborn grime and dirt, even if it has been around for years, and is easy to apply.

Features

Pro-Kleen Patio & Driveway Cleaner gives you the option to apply the solution either through a watering can or a pump sprayer, whichever suits your fancy. All you have to do is apply the solution, wait for it to do its thing, and then simply rinse away all the grime and dirt with your garden hose a few hours later.

In addition to cleaning stubborn markings and stains, this patio cleaner is also fairly effective at removing green mould and algae that grow in the cracks and crevices of your stonework.

This is an excellent choice for removing stubborn stains, but it is not suitable for use on tarmac, decking, or fencing, and its effects might not be as long-lasting as other options. Also, you may want to apply the cleaner a second time to get the best results, and this formula is not pet friendly.

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What to Look for in a Patio Cleaner

That’s all for our patio cleaner reviews. Now let’s expand our understanding of what makes the best patio cleaners, and how to choose the best product for your specific cleaning requirements.

Patio Surface Material

outdoor space paved with brick

One of the first questions you should ask yourself is, “What type of surface or surfaces am I trying to clean?” This is because not all materials can handle all types of cleaners and some work best on certain materials and not others. For example, Indian sandstone and wood may be better served by different cleaning products, however, some multi-purpose, less abrasive cleaners will work on all outdoor surfaces.

Most patio cleaners strongly advise against using their product in an indoor setting but there are exceptions to this rule if you want to minimise the overall number of cleaners you keep around your home.

Area to Cover

We also recommend paying attention to the coverage area a single bottle of cleaner can accomplish. Thus, you don’t accidentally run out of product halfway through cleaning your patio and ultimately delaying the results you are trying to achieve.

Keep in mind, many products are concentrated, making it harder to tell by looking at the size of the bottle alone. They also feature differences in concentration level and have different mixing formulas.

Cleaning Process

When it comes to the cleaning procedure, not all patio cleaners are made the same. Some cleaners require scrubbing, some need to be rinsed off after a short time, and others still can feature the ability to simply be sprayed on with a garden sprayer or watering can and left to do their job unattended. How much work are you interested in doing to keep your patio clean? In our opinion, the less work required the better.

man using pressure washer to clean outdoor space

Active Ingredients

We recommend paying attention to whether or not a patio cleaner possesses harsh chemicals. Ideally, you’d want a product that won’t stain or discolour surfaces. Some outdoor materials that you wish to clean are more fragile than others and as a result, do not tolerate harsh chemical application well, or without adverse side effects. Stay away from cleaners with harsh chemicals if you want to clean and maintain decks, furniture, wood, or hard plastics.

If you have pets or small kids it is also important to choose a product that doesn’t contain caustic or harsh chemicals. Most of the products on our patio cleaner list are pet- and kid-friendly and we make sure to let you know when they are not.

Other Things to Consider

If you’re cleaning your patio for the first time, here are pro tips that will help speed up great results.

What is the Best Way to Clean a Patio?

The best way to clean patio surfaces depends on the tools you have at your disposal and how much physical labour you want to commit to the process. For example, if you’re wondering if you can use bleach to clean a patio, the answer is yes. However, it will require an intensive scrub session.

Using a pressure washer, or jet washing, is another way to clean your patio but if you don’t have one there is always the patio cleaner. Many of the patio cleaners available can be sprayed on and forgotten which is the easiest way, in our opinion.

Combining a patio cleaner with a pressure washer is a great way to speed up the process and get your patio clean and looking like new again in almost no time at all. What is the best patio cleaner to use with a pressure washer? It depends what type of surface you are working with.

Cleaning Power

Different patio cleaners are better suited for removing different types of organic materials. When choosing a product to clean your patio we recommend knowing what you’re trying to remove. Do you have black spot mould, moss, lichens, algae, mildew? Most products do at least a fair job removing all of these unwanted growths but some are better equipped for mould or dirt than others. Hence, make sure to choose a product with the appropriate cleaning power for your needs.

Which Patio Cleaner Will You Choose?

By now, you should have all the information needed to determine the best patio cleaner for your home but before you make a final decision, let’s review why our Editor’s Choice is our top pick.

Pro-Kleen Concentrate patio cleaner can be used to clean all outdoor hard surfaces and removes moss, algae, mould and mildew. Simply spray and leave and you’ll start noticing results in a couple of days. In addition, this product offers lasting performance and will keep your patio looking like new for up to six months. It is also biodegradable, devoid of harsh chemicals, and doesn’t have a shelf life. It is safe to use around pets and kids too.

All things considered, is Pro-Kleen patio cleaner the best choice for you? Or, do you prefer the other cleaning products featured on our list?

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