Two no-rinse patio cleaners were put to the test to see which tackled algae, moss and dirt best, and the cheaper option came out on top
Anyone with a garden patio will know that keeping it clean is not easy. Algae, dirt, moss and watermarks can all leave their mark on wood or paving stones, which isn’t ideal as we’re heading into the summer months.
Now is the ideal time to head outside and give your patio a good clean, and there’s no shortage of products available to choose from. However, there’s no need to splash out on pricey products. One gardening enthusiast has put two no-rinse patio cleaners head-to-head to find out which performed best, and the winning product was very budget-friendly.
TikToker Jade Doutch, keen to breathe new life into her patio, decided to trial two different patio cleaners and compare the outcomes.
She said: “I bought two of the highest rated no-rinse patio cleaners to see if they worked. Do they do exactly what they say on the bottle?”
She divided her patio down the middle and applied a different cleaner to each half. Jade started with 2.5L Patio Magic Mould and Algae cleaner, available for £9.99 from The Range. She diluted it in a four-to-one ratio with water, following the bottle’s instructions, before using a watering can to apply it across one half of the patio.
On the other half, she tested the Jarders Spray and Leave cleaner. Jade said: “This is a five to one ratio and actually worked out around the same cost.”
Purchasing a bottle is slightly more expensive, but the 5L container is bigger, and it’s priced at £16.95 from the official Jarders website. Jade then allowed both sections of the patio to dry for 48 hours, before returning to inspect the outcomes.
She revealed they both performed equally well, and a substantial amount of the green marks had disappeared – though they still required a touch more attention, so she opted to use the jet washer.
Jade admitted that employing the pressure washer ‘defeated the purpose’ of using a no-rinse product. Nevertheless, she pointed out that pressure washing the patio following the cleaners only took her under an hour, whereas usually it would take up “a whole afternoon”.
She said: “My honest opinion – yes it does work, yes I would recommend it, but my favourite was the Patio Magic.”
Commenters agreed that Patio Magic was an excellent product, with others suggesting alternative solutions.
One said: “Patio magic should be left for at least a week before power washing. It’s on the label, the longer it’s there the better and kinder lasting it is.”
Another wrote: “I love patio magic but find it goes further if you sweep with a soft brush and use a paintbrush for ornaments and fencing.”
And a third suggested: “Spear and Jackson from Home Bargains works brilliantly.”
