There’s a host of patio cleaners that are great for cleaning up your outdoor space – but they aren’t all safe for households with pets, so we’ve found some that are effective and pet-friendly
Recently, a top-performing patio cleaner called Wet & Forget has been causing a stir among shoppers because of its fast and impressive results in banishing stubborn algae, lichen, and mould from outdoor spaces and furniture. Plus, it recently had a nifty discount in Amazon’s Spring Deals Week. But it isn’t safe for properties with outside pets for all its prowess at ridding your patio, decking, garden wall, or driveway of stains and growths.
Patio cleaners like Wet & Forget work by being applied to the outdoor space, i.e., your patio, and left there for hours or days until it’s washed away to reveal a ‘good as new’ patio. However, households with dogs and cats, or other outdoor pets, and those with kids that may be able to access the patio should note that most patio cleaners aren’t pet- or child-friendly. But we’ve found one on Amazon that promises to be 100% safe for both pets and kids alike.
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Boasting an impressively affordable price tag (£19.95 for 5L), this patio cleaner works similarly to Wet & Forget in that you spray it over your patio, driveway, decking, etc., leave it (ideally for a couple of days while we’re enjoying a dry spell), and relish in the effortless results.
Designed to be most effective at ridding your patio of green growth, this patio cleaner promises to eliminate mould, algae, lichens, and other green staining from all exterior surfaces. It also prevents regrowth, ensuring you don’t have to repeat this task anytime soon.
Simply dilute the solution with water and spray it across your outdoor surface, and you’ll see results within five days. Thanks to its water-based formula, which doesn’t contain harmful bleach or acid, you won’t need to worry about your children, pets, or wildlife.
Did we mention there’s no need to pressure wash? If you didn’t scoop up a discounted jet washer in the Amazon sales, there’s no need to fret. This solution doesn’t require any scrubbing or powerful spraying. Just wait for it to rain or rinse it off with your garden hose, and relish in the results.
Shoppers can’t stop raving about this spray, with 5-star reviews pouring in. One satisfied customer beams: “Absolutely brilliant! Mix, spray, leave. So easy and great results!”
This buyer offers more praise: ” I am very pleased with the product. It says it will take 5 days. My patio was clean and bright the next day. Absolutely brilliant.”
This shopper shares the same sentiments: ” It worked fast on fence panels, whereas the Wet & Forget still has not impressed at all. I ordered the second 5ltr for the driveway.”
And a fourth gushes: “Worked really quickly..green algae cleared within hours of applying”
And this customer enthuses: “We had green stains on our patio slabs that wouldn’t go after some scrubbing and a power wash so I opted for this product, and it worked wonders. I used a sprayer at the suggested concentration and it said to wait up to 5 days for it to take effect, but the green staining actually disappeared within one day. It was very easy to apply and worked perfectly and I still have most of the container left of I, or family and friends, need to use it again, so great value.”
Though one shopper does share their thoughts, saying: “Great work. Almost all the green staining on our fence disappeared in a day. It is pretty caustic, so avoid using it if it’s windy. I had to shower after applying so I would say keep your pets away until it dries.”
For more pet-friendly patio cleaners, according to Best Product Reviews, Amazon offers this SmartSeal Patio Cleaner Xtreme (£36.95 for 5L) and this Homefront Organic Patio Cleaner (£26.95 for 10L).
If you don’t have pets or don’t mind the patio cleaner you use, you can pick up a five-litre bottle of Wet & Forget from Amazon for £33.85 or from Lakeland for £29.99. If you don’t want to commit to the larger size, you can buy a two-litre container from B&Q for £18.89.