I've tried hydrogen peroxide before on my older brick patio and it actually worked pretty well. Didn't notice any bleaching, but I was cautious and tested a small hidden spot first just to be sure. Definitely recommend doing the same if you're worried about discoloration.
"I've used vinegar before too, but found it sometimes leaves a bit of a lingering smell. Does the 50/50 dilution help reduce that?"
In my experience, diluting vinegar does help cut down the smell quite a bit, and it fades pretty quickly once everything dries out. If you're still noticing it after drying, you could always give the area a quick rinse with water afterward—usually does the trick for me.
Honestly though, I've kind of embraced the vinegar smell...reminds me of cleaning days at grandma's old farmhouse, haha. Anyway, your patio should look great whichever method you choose. Good luck!
I've had decent luck with vinegar too, but honestly, the smell does linger a bit longer than I'd like, even diluted. Maybe it's just me being sensitive to it. I've been curious about trying baking soda solutions—heard they're pretty effective without the strong odor. Has anyone here experimented with baking soda on brick or stone patios? I'm wondering if it cleans as effectively as vinegar or peroxide, or if it leaves any residue behind. Also, does it affect moss growth at all? My patio tends to get mossy patches in shady spots, so that's always a consideration for me...
I've actually tried baking soda on my brick patio last spring. It did a pretty decent job lifting dirt and grime, especially when I scrubbed it in with a stiff brush and rinsed afterward. Didn't notice much residue either, though I did give it a thorough rinse just to be safe. As for moss...it didn't seem to discourage it much, unfortunately. Has anyone tried mixing baking soda with something else to tackle moss more effectively? Curious if there's a good combo out there.
"Has anyone tried mixing baking soda with something else to tackle moss more effectively?"
Funny you mention that, because I had a similar moss issue and ended up experimenting a bit. Baking soda alone didn't quite cut it for me either, but mixing it with white vinegar seemed surprisingly effective. Here's what I did: sprinkled baking soda directly on the mossy spots, then sprayed vinegar over it (it fizzed up nicely—felt like a science experiment!). Let it sit about 15-20 minutes, scrubbed gently, then rinsed thoroughly. Moss stayed away longer than usual...worth a shot if you're curious.
Interesting method with the vinegar and baking soda combo. I had moss creeping up my patio bricks too, and after some trial and error, I found mixing baking soda with a bit of dish soap surprisingly helpful. Sprinkled it on damp moss patches, gave it a gentle scrub, then rinsed after about half an hour. It didn't fizz like your vinegar solution, but it did loosen things up nicely and kept moss from returning quickly...might be worth comparing results sometime.
