If you’re a hardscape professional who offers cleaning and sealing services, you’ll want to read this. In today’s post, we’re going to share six invaluable cleaning and sealing hacks that you can benefit from.

1. How to dilute efflorescence cleaner the easy way.

If you’re using Gator Efflorescence Cleaner, it needs to be diluted first. The ideal mixture is four parts water to one part cleaner. Measuring out and mixing the proper ratio can be done in three steps (no measuring cup required):

Fill a five gallon bucket to the brim with water.
Take an unopened gallon of Gator Efflorescence Cleaner and plunge it into the bucket. The volume of water that gets displaced will be a gallon.
Take the bottle of cleaner back out of the bucket of water, open it up, and pour the liquid into the bucket. This will give you the perfect ratio of water to cleaner (4:1).

2. How to clean organic stains in a snap.

Try Pool Shock. It’s a handy product that’s not only great for cleaning pools, but for sprucing up dirty pavers, too. Pool Shock is a dry powder (available in 1 lb. bags) and can be found at most pool supply retailers. It’s a highly concentrated bleach, which is excellent for stain removal. To apply:

Mix a half bag of Pool Shock into a five gallon bucket filled with warm water.
Pour the mixture over any organic paver stains.
Scrub with a stiff bristle brush.
Rinse, and watch the stains disappear.

3. How to remove purple primer stains.

Irrigation contractors often use a purple colored primer when binding the pipes for sprinkler systems. If this product drips on unprotected pavers, removing the purple stain is essentially impossible … unless you know this well-kept hack.

Irrigation primer comes in two forms: a purple version (mentioned above) and a clear version. The main difference between the two is the dye. To remove a paver stain caused by purple primer, purchase the clear version of the same formula originally used. Apply the clear primer on top of the purple stain and it will completely fade away over the next 24 hours. Depending on the severeness of the stain, multiple applications may be necessary.

4. How to check for moisture.

A key to successful paver sealing is making sure the pavers are completely dry prior to applying the sealer. Trapped moisture can lead to a variety of problems later down the road. How can you tell for sure that the pavers are dry? Tape a small square of Saran Wrap somewhere on the surface. Step away for about 45 minutes. If there’s no condensation when you come back, the pavers are are dry enough to seal.

5. How to tell if pavers were previously sealed.

Before starting a sealing job, you’ll want to know if the pavers were ever sealed before. If the homeowner is uncertain, there’s a trick to finding out on your own. All you need is efflorescence cleaner. Drop a very small amount on a paver and if it doesn’t fizz, the chances are, the surface has been sealed before.

6. How to determine what type of sealer was previously used.

If you’re resealing pavers and are unsure about what type of sealer was originally used, the surface should be tested. To do this, choose a low-traffic area, such as a corner, and pour a quarter-sized drop of Xylene onto a paver. Wait about 15 seconds, wipe off the Xylene, and touch the area. If it feels tacky, it means a solvent-based sealer was used. If it’s not tacky, a water-based sealer was most likely used.

RECAP

Having these six hacks in your arsenal can make a world of difference on upcoming cleaning or sealing jobs:

Use a five gallon bucket to dilute your efflorescence cleaner the easy way.
Use Pool Shock to clean organic stains.
Use clear irrigation primer to remove purple irrigation primer stains.
Use cling wrap to check for moisture.
Use Xylene to determine what type of sealer was previously used.

6 Cleaning & Sealing Hacks For Hardscape Professionals