The Short Answer
On our estimates, professional patio cleaning costs about £3 to £9 per m², so £100 to £180 for a 20m² patio once the usual minimum charge (£100 to £160) is counted. Cleaning and sealing is £140 to £380. A patio up to 30m² takes 3 to 6 hours.
Natural stone needs a gentle touch: Marshalls advises soapy water and a low pressure setting for Indian sandstone. Sealing is optional, and Marshalls says a sealed patio usually only needs an annual clean.
Patio cleaning prices
| Size | Clean | Clean and seal |
|---|---|---|
| 10m² | £100 to £160 | £70 to £190 |
| 20m² | £100 to £180 | £140 to £380 |
| 40m² | £120 to £360 | £280 to £760 |
By surface
- Indian sandstone: Marshalls recommends acid-free soapy water and a stiff brush, with a pressure washer on a low setting or a hose to rinse. For moss and algae it suggests a half-and-half bleach and water mix, left for about 30 minutes and rinsed off thoroughly.
- Block paving: a medium pressure at an angle; too much washes the joints out, which then need refilling with kiln-dried sand. No chemical cleaners on clay pavers.
- Any paving: brushing and topping up jointing sand keeps weeds down.
- Decking: we estimate a 10m² to 20m² deck at 2 to 5 hours to clean.
Doing it yourself
Marshalls' patio cleaning guide starts with the cheapest method:
- Half-fill a bucket with warm water and a couple of squirts of washing-up liquid. For heavy staining add a few tablespoons of household bleach, keeping it off plants, grass and wildlife around the edges.
- Pour it over the dirty area a section at a time and scrub hard with a stiff brush.
- Rinse with clean water and let it dry fully before judging the result: on a hot day that can take under an hour, in cooler weather overnight. Repeat if needed.
If that isn't enough, a pressure washer with the nozzle held 30cm to 50cm from the surface, moved slowly from one side of a slab to the other. Marshalls says the soapy-water method suits delicate areas such as block paving with jointing sand best.
Keeping it clean through the year
- Spring: a thorough clean after winter, and check the joints in case they need re-pointing.
- Summer: clean up spills as they happen; it's the best time to wash a patio because it dries out quickly.
- Autumn: sweep fallen leaves regularly, as they stain and encourage fungal growth if left.
- Winter: avoid de-icing salts on delicate or softer stone, as they can discolour it.
- All year: brush regularly with a coarse yard brush; built-up debris is slippery when wet. Sealing the patio means an annual clean is usually enough.
Clean or relay?
If slabs rock, have sunk or have cracked, cleaning won't help: relaying is the job. See patio costs. For drives, see driveway cleaning.
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Patio cleaning is priced by area and whether you want it sealed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should I pay for patio cleaning?
On our estimates, about £3 to £9 per m², so £100 to £180 for a 20m² patio including a typical minimum charge.
How much would it cost to clean a 25m2 patio?
About £100 to £230 to clean, or £180 to £480 to clean and seal, on our estimates.
How long does it take to jet wash a patio?
About 3 to 6 hours for a patio up to 30m², and 7 to 9 hours for 45m² or more.
How many times a year should you jet wash a patio?
Marshalls says a sealed patio usually only needs cleaning once a year. Regular brushing in between keeps weeds and moss down.
What is the best way to clean a patio without a pressure washer?
Warm water with washing-up liquid, scrubbed in with a stiff brush and rinsed off, Marshalls' first suggestion. Add a little household bleach for heavy staining, keeping it off plants.
Can you use bleach on a patio?
Marshalls suggests a few tablespoons of household bleach per bucket for stained slabs, or a 50:50 mix for moss and algae on sandstone, rinsed off. Keep it away from plants, grass and wildlife.
Can you pressure wash Indian sandstone?
Carefully: Marshalls suggests a pressure washer on a low setting, or just soapy water, a stiff brush and a hose.
How we priced thisView sources (3)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryCleaning Indian sandstone paving slabs, Marshalls. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to clean your patio slabs, Marshalls. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow to clean block paving driveways, Marshalls. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
