Greenwood Patio Cleaning
Flagstone set in mortar, concrete steps, covered porches and the stacked stone that frames them. We clean each surface at the pressure it can take: lighter on the joints and the veneer, a surface cleaner where the concrete runs flat. Free quote first, no travel fee from Marshall, and your furniture goes back where you had it. Call (318) 401-2772.
Flagstone Needs a Lighter Touch
A flagstone patio is two materials acting like one. The stone itself is tough and will take a firm scrub. The mortar packed between the stones is softer, and once a joint starts to crumble, a hard stream of water digs it out a little deeper with every pass. We see plenty of patios with joints that were opened up by a heavy-handed cleaning and then left to fill with dirt and weeds.
So the pressure comes down along the joints, and a cleaning solution handles the growth living in them. The stone faces get a firmer wash, kept moving and held at a low angle so the edges of each stone do not chip. Any plain concrete next to the flagstone goes under a surface cleaner, which leaves a flat, even finish instead of the striped look a wand leaves behind on a slab.
If a joint is already loose or missing mortar, you hear about it before the water touches it. A wash will not glue a joint back together, and we would rather you know that going in. The rest of our method is on the patio cleaning service page.
Covered Porches Miss Every Rain
An open patio at least gets rinsed whenever it rains. A covered porch never does. Dust, pollen and yard dirt settle on that concrete and stay put, and every spill from a glass or a dripping grill leaves a mark that just sits there. Bit by bit the floor goes from clean gray to blotchy.
The porch floor gets a degreasing pass on the dark spots first, then a surface cleaner across the whole slab so it dries to one color. The stone wall behind it gets a gentler wash with solution and a low rinse, because veneer is held up by mortar too. We rinse toward the yard so the water leaves the porch instead of pooling against the house.
Wall lanterns and porch outlets get covered before anything gets wet, and the ceiling fan stays off while we work underneath it.
Why the Low Stones Turn Green First
Look at the steps coming off a porch and the pattern repeats: green on the concrete riser of the top step and on the lowest flagstones, while the stones out in the open look fine. Those spots stay shaded, sit closest to the soil, and catch the water that drips off the step edge or a rain chain. Damp, shaded and dusted with pollen, they grow algae faster than anything else out there.
That green layer holds water, so it keeps the stone under it wet even longer, and the cycle feeds itself. We treat those spots with solution first and let it sit before we rinse. Pressure by itself tends to knock off the top layer and leave the roots in the pores, which is why the green comes back so fast after a homeowner’s weekend with a rented machine.
Heavy tree cover around Greenwood homes adds to it, since needles and leaves pile into the corners of steps and hold moisture against the stone. Clearing those corners out is part of every patio we do.
The Stone Around the Patio
Walls, posts and steps next to a patio need the same care as the floor.
Stacked Stone Veneer
Veneer walls have deep shadows between the stones where dust and cobwebs collect. We clean them with solution and a soft rinse, working top down so dirty water never runs over a section that is already done. High pressure can loosen a stone or blow out the mortar behind it, so it stays off these walls.
Stone-Wrapped Posts
Posts pick up a dirty band at knee height from yard splash and a gray film near the top under the porch ceiling. Both come off at low pressure. Light fixtures and switch plates mounted on the stone get wiped by hand rather than sprayed.
Concrete Steps and Risers
Risers face the yard and catch red clay splash every time a hard rain hits bare dirt. That rusty stain needs its own treatment, so we try it on a small corner first, then work across the face of each step evenly so no step ends up lighter than its neighbor.
Furniture, Grills and Planters
Nobody wants to haul a patio set across the yard the night before a cleaning, so that part is on us. Chairs, tables, cushions, rugs and side tables come off the surface and go onto the grass or the drive. The grill gets rolled clear, and if it has been sitting on a stain from years of drips, that spot gets its own degreasing pass while it is out in the open.
Planters take more thought. Heavy pots leave rings, and lifting one usually uncovers a circle of green underneath. We pick up what we safely can, clean under it, and set it back on the same spot. If a pot is too heavy or too fragile to move, we clean around it and tell you, so you are not surprised by a ring later.
Once the stone is dry enough to walk on, everything goes back. If you like a certain layout, snap a picture before we show up.
A couple of small things help on your end. Leave the outdoor spigot nearest the patio working and the hose off it. Keep pets inside until the stone has had its final rinse. If there is a sandbox, a dog bowl or a bird feeder near the edge, set it somewhere out of the spray. And if the patio drains toward a bed of vegetables or flowers you care about, point it out so we can soak that bed first and steer the rinse away from it.
Slick Stone After a Rain
A patio with a film of algae is slippery the morning after a storm, and flagstone is worse than concrete because its surface is uneven to start with. Spring pollen adds to the problem, mixing with dew into a greasy yellow paste on the stone. For families with small kids or older parents, this is the part of the job that matters most.
Clean stone drains and dries faster, and it gives your shoes something to grip.
If one set of steps stays slick no matter what you do, mention it. That spot usually has a drainage reason behind it, and we will show you where the water is coming from.
More From the Crew in Greenwood
Pair the patio with any of these and we handle both on one visit.
Patio Cleaning, Asked and Answered
Will pressure washing damage the mortar between my flagstones?
It can if the pressure is too high, which is why we turn it down along the joints and let a cleaning solution lift the growth instead. The stone faces get a firmer wash. Any joint that is already loose gets pointed out to you before we start.
Can you clean a covered porch floor?
Yes, and covered floors usually need it more than open ones, since rain never rinses them. We spot treat the dark marks, run a surface cleaner over the whole slab, and rinse toward the yard so the water does not sit against the house wall.
Do I need to move my patio furniture first?
No. We move the chairs, tables, rugs, grills and the planters we can safely lift, clean underneath, and put everything back once the stone dries. If you have a favorite layout, take a quick photo before we come and we will match it when we finish.
How do you clean stacked stone walls and columns?
With solution and a low rinse, working from the top down so dirty water never crosses a finished section. Veneer is held in place by mortar, so strong pressure stays off it. Light fixtures and switch plates set into the stone get wiped by hand.
Will my patio be less slippery after cleaning?
Usually, yes. The slick feeling on wet stone comes mostly from algae and pollen film, and once that is gone the surface drains and grips better. A spot that stays slick afterward often has a drainage problem, and we will show you where the water collects.
Do you charge a travel fee to come out to Greenwood?
No. Greenwood is inside our service radius, so there is no travel fee. We drive over from Marshall on I-20, and the free quote costs you nothing either. Call (318) 401-2772 and we will set up a time to look at the patio.
Have a Look at Our Work
Our gallery shows stone, concrete and porch work from jobs across the Ark-La-Tex. If you like what you see, send a few photos of your patio and we can talk it through before the visit.
Bring the Patio Back Before Cookout Season
Our no-obligation quote covers the floor, the steps and the stone around them. If any part of the job falls short when we finish, we come back and fix it. Tell us what your patio is made of and when you want it ready.