Deep clean outdoor tiles without chemicals
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These simple, chemical-free tips get outdoor tiles looking almost new again — including an easy trick using a pressure cleaner borrowed from a neighbor.
The outdoor area of a home is an extension of the living space, somewhere to relax, enjoy, and entertain during the warmer days. Since some outdoor areas have tiles or decking, they can look unsightly if left unmaintained. Here are some simple tips to deep clean outdoor tiles without needing any chemicals.
After a long winter, most of us in colder climates want to make the most of the warmer, sunnier days, moving dining and relaxing out into the garden. So it’s time to spruce things up before the season starts.
Table of Contents
Why This Needed Doing
Spring cleaning this year began with the outdoor sitting area. Organic, chemical-free cleaning products are used for everything inside the home, and the garden is no different. Since tiles are exposed to all kinds of weather, they can look unsightly once dirty or mossy — and after a little over a year of neglect, this garden sitting area really was, with patches of moss growing between the tile gaps. Deep cleaning the outdoor tiles took priority before the garden season properly began.
Tools you may need
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How to Deep Clean Outdoor Tiles
Supplies List
- Garden trowel
- Broom
- Hose
- Environmentally friendly cleaner
- Scrubbing brush
- High-powered pressure cleaner (optional)
Instructions
Remove the Moss:
Start by removing the moss growing between the tiles with a small garden trowel.
Sweep:
Sweep the floor area with a broom to clear away dirt, dust, and debris.
Hose Down:
Hose the tiles down with fresh water, giving the soiled areas a bit of extra water.
Treat Stains:
For stains or ingrained dirt, apply an environmentally friendly cleaner to the tiled area.
Scrub:
Scrub the tiles section by section with a scrubbing brush.
Rinse and Dry:
Hose off all the tiles with clean water and let them dry naturally. If the water doesn’t drain easily, mop it off.
The Easy Way: Using a Pressure Cleaner
For a big area, a high-powered pressure cleaner makes the whole job much faster than scrubbing by hand. In the space of a couple of hours, tiles that had years of neglect came out looking almost new. Use a fan spray rather than a narrow nozzle, since a concentrated jet can damage the stone.
Water use with a pressure cleaner is actually quite economical compared to hosing everything down by hand, though buying a high-end model is a real investment. Hiring one from a garden center or hobby center is the cheaper route — this one was simply borrowed from a neighbor who happened to have one.
The same pressure cleaner works well on granite walls and stone too, including a hard-to-reach border wall shared with a neighbor, where potted plants had left behind some stubborn moss and grime.
Tips for Cleaning Outdoor Tiles
Use a fan spray, not a narrow nozzle: a concentrated jet from a pressure cleaner can damage stone tiles.
Hire before you buy: a garden center or hobby center rental is a cheaper way to try a pressure cleaner before committing to buying one.
Sweep regularly, deep clean once a year: regular sweeping keeps things in check between the yearly deep clean.
How Often to Deep Clean Outdoor Tiles
There’s no hard and fast rule here — once a year, in spring, is the usual routine. Garden furniture gets covered with plastic sheets for winter and uncovered again in spring, so the last cleaning happens right before winding down for winter. Sweeping happens regularly, but a full deep clean is kept to once a year.
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