Revive your cobblestones post-winter with simple, household solutions
After winter has taken its toll, cleaning cobblestones is a task we must pay attention to. It can be far from pleasant or easy. Deep cleaning may seem an impossible task given the characteristic green discolouration of the stone or the residue left from the salt used to combat ice.
5 Feb 2024 | updated: 7 March 2024 09:16
Cleaning cobblestones after winter:
There's no need to be disheartened; eliminating dirt from the pathway is simpler than it seems. There's no need for costly chemicals, specialised equipment, or hiring professional cleaning services, even for particularly hard-to-reach corners.
All you need to clean cobblestones is a homemade mix, concocted from two everyday ingredients: water and washing-up liquid. Just stir together three parts water to one part soap, pour the mixture onto the cobblestone, and leave it for a day. After 24 hours, rinse the pavement down with clean water.
Alternative cobblestone cleaning methods at home
If the conventional cleaning method doesn't achieve the desired results on stubborn grime, there's an alternative. Try a mixture of water and lemon juice, combined in a 1:2 ratio: for each part of water, you'll need double that in lemon juice.
The application method is easy: simply clean your pathway with the solution. It's recommended to put the solution in a spray bottle and thoroughly spray the pavement, then rinse everything off with water after a few minutes.
Vinegar also has its benefits. For a vinegar solution, dilute it with water in a 1:2 ratio and spray your cobblestones with the resulting mixture.
Both citric acid (found in lemon juice) and vinegar desiccate the lichen, which can often be found on pavement, ensuring it dies along with its roots. These methods are not only natural but also safe for the soil, causing no alteration to pH levels. There's no need to worry about discoloration or damage to the pavement either.
