This page is a generic guide for people who don’t know exactly what sort of surface they have – if you follow these guidelines, you’ll get a clean surface without any problems. However if you know what sort of stone or tile you have, please refer to the relevant “How to” guide.
Outdoor tiles will get dirty – there is no way to prevent leaves dropping, birds flying overhead, or rain falling. Even if your outdoor stone or tiles have been sealed, they will still get dirty. The solution is to clean your outdoor tiles regularly, and to re-seal the surface regularly.
Cleaning Tiles / Cleaning Stone outdoors – regular cleaning
- Sweep
- Scrub
- Extract
Remove loose grit, leaves and dirt from the surface using a soft broom. If necessary use a stiff broom to remove larger debris, followed by a soft broom for smaller grit such as sand and dirty.
Start by scrubbing plain warm water into the surface. If this is not removing light loose surface grime, add a light dilution of neutral cleaner such as Slique Cleansing Fluid or a small amount of dishwashing liquid to the warm water. Scrub into the surface using a soft broom.
Remove contaminated water using a wet vacuum or clean, dry mop.
Cleaning Tiles / Cleaning Stone outdoors – for heavy staining
Heavy grime (oil stains, bird poo, grease etc) will need a stronger alkaline solution to remove, such as Slique Heavy Duty tile cleaner. The same process can be used, but a wet vacuum is recommended to assist removal of heavy stains, and can be hired from most local equipment hire shops.