Cleaning/preventing algae from path & patio?

 Hi,

I have a long path and patio which are covered in algae, they look awful and
are slippery. I pressure-wash them fortnightly with ordinary detergent but
the algae starts coming back within days. Does anyone know of either a
home-made recipe for removing algae and preventing re-growth, or a
commercial product that's available in one of the main DIY outlets (B&Q,
Homebase, Focus, Wickes etc)? I don't mind cleaning it off once more as long
as there is something I can put down to stop it returning.

Thanks for any help!

 Use dilute Jeyes fluid sprayed onto the algae.

It works well for moss too. Don't mix it up too strong on tarmac, it can
soften it. Just apply it with a watering can or garden sprayer.

 I think the commercial growers use a product called Abicide 82 for moss and
so forth, algae is a different story, generally in very wet conditions like
almost running water. If it realy is algae and not moss you might be able to
kill it for once and for all with a dressing of powdered lime? depends on
the eco system you are trying to destroy. Might be worth doing some
googling, or asking the RHS at a local flower show.

You cant get Abicide in the likes of B&Q, but a good garden centre might be
ale to get it. We last got some form a commercial garden supplier
(Birkenhead, Wirral, but there must be others depending on where you live.

Or try www.palacechemicals.co.uk/Cleaners.htm

This link suggests that Abicide is what you want, but i cant vouch from
experience with algae, it does work on moss though.

Cheers

John

 John wrote:

Ah...that MAY be why I got a huge red algal bloom (thought it was
blood!)in the puddles on my sandstone after I brick acid-ed it..:-)

So it don't like alkali?

Bleach or caustic then. Lime will ruin the appearance..

 mentalguy2007 wrote:

I can't understand quite why the algae returns within days, but household
bleach would work by killing the algae spores.  There are specific
algaecides from companies like Quadralene.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257