Most winter patio staining starts with wet leaves and damp shade.
How to clean patio slabs through winter, remove black spots and keep your paving looking like new.
Paving in Lincolnshire picks up most of its staining between autumn and spring, when wet leaves, damp shade and short days stop a patio drying out. Green algae, black spots and leaf marks that were hard to see in summer show up clearly once the paving stays wet.
This guide covers why patios stain over the colder months, how to clean each type of paving and keep it looking like new, and the signs that the problem is in the laying. It also covers what to ask patio installers before any relaying goes ahead.
THE SHORT VERSION
- Algae, black spots and leaf marks build up where paving stays wet and shaded through the colder months.
- Brushing leaves and debris off every week does more to keep a patio clean than any product.
- Porcelain needs only warm water and a mild detergent. Sandstone and limestone need a cleaner made for natural stone.
- Keep a pressure washer on a low setting and off the joints, or the jointing will wash out.
- A patio that turns green again within weeks of cleaning is holding water and needs relaying to the correct falls.
ON THIS PAGE
- The quick answer
- Why patios stain over autumn and winter
- How to clean a patio, stage by stage
- Brush, pressure washer or relaying
- Cleaning each type of paving in Lincolnshire
- Leaves, frost and de-icing salt
- When cleaning is not enough
- What to ask patio installers in Lincoln
- Frequently asked questions
- Areas we cover
- Book your free site visit
The Quick Answer
To clean paving in Lincolnshire through autumn and winter, clear leaves every week, brush the surface dry, then use a cleaner made for the paving type and rinse at low pressure. Porcelain cleans with warm water and a mild detergent, whereas natural stone needs a stone cleaner. Black spots, however, need a black spot remover, usually over several treatments. Where a patio stays wet or goes green again quickly, the falls or the joints are at fault. We lay and relay patios in Lincoln, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Sleaford and the surrounding areas.
Why Patios Stain Over Autumn and Winter
Most of the staining we find on patios over the colder months comes from four sources.
WHAT WE ARE FINDING ON SITE
Shade, Falls and Open Joints
Two patios laid with the same paving can stain very differently. A patio in shade dries slowly, and the RHS advice on algae and moss on hard surfaces notes that growth is fastest where light and air movement are poor.
Falls also matter as much as shade. Paving laid with a slight fall sheds rain to a drain or soakaway, and our guide to garden drainage covers the options. A flat or back-falling patio holds water in the same places every winter.
Open joints are the third factor, because once the jointing has cracked or washed out, water and seed settle in the gaps. The slab edges then stay damp long after the surface has dried.
How to Clean a Patio, Stage by Stage
Cleaning in this order clears the surface without damaging the joints or marking the paving. It suits the colder months, and our patio maintenance tips cover care through the rest of the year.
Clear the surface
Lift leaves, pots and furniture so the whole patio can dry and be cleaned evenly.
Brush it dry
A stiff outdoor broom removes loose dirt, moss and seed heads before any water goes on.
Check the joints
Note any joints that are open, cracked or washed out, as these need refilling once the patio is clean.
Test the cleaner
Try the product on a small hidden area first, as some cleaners mark or lighten natural stone.
Apply the cleaner
Wet the paving and apply a cleaner made for that paving type, at the strength given on the label.
Leave it to work
Give the product the contact time on the label, and keep it off lawns and planting.
Rinse at low pressure
Rinse with a hose, or a pressure washer on a low setting with the jet kept off the joints.
Refill and clear drains
Refill washed-out joints with a jointing compound that suits the paving, and clear leaves from drains and channels.
Brush, Pressure Washer or Relaying
Routine brushing with a cleaner made for the paving is the approach we recommend for most patios. Pressure washing and black spot removers both have a place. However, each has limits worth knowing before work starts.
| Option | What it involves | What it fixes | Upkeep after | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brush and a paving cleanerOur recommendation | A weekly brush through leaf fall, with a cleaner made for the paving type when it is needed. | Algae, dirt and fresh leaf marks. | Brushing through the colder months, and a clean when marks appear. | Most patios laid to the correct falls. |
| Low-pressure washingUse with care | A pressure washer on a low setting, used after brushing. | Surface grime that brushing has not shifted. | Joints checked and refilled where any have washed out. | Porcelain and harder stone, and sandstone only on a low setting. |
| Black spot removerFor black spots | A remover made for black spots, applied as the label states. | Lichen spots on natural stone, usually over several treatments. | A further treatment if new spots appear. | Sandstone and limestone patios. |
| Relaying the patioLong-term fix | Paving lifted, the bed and sub-base corrected, then relaid to the correct falls and rejointed. | Standing water, rocking slabs and algae that keeps coming back. | A brush and an occasional clean. | Patios that hold water or move underfoot. |
Cleaning Each Type of Paving in Lincolnshire
To clean porcelain patio slabs, warm water, a mild detergent and a stiff brush clear most marks, as porcelain absorbs very little water. Avoid wax and oil-based products, which leave a film that turns slippery in the wet. Our guide to porcelain paving covers why it suits shaded gardens.
Sandstone and limestone, on the other hand, are softer and more porous. Use a cleaner made for natural stone, and keep acid-based products off limestone altogether, as they etch the surface.
Granite and Yorkshire stone are harder, although they still mark if the wrong product goes on. Block paving in concrete, clay and natural stone blocks also cleans the same way, with the jointing sand topped up once it has dried.
Not sure if the staining will clean off?
We check the paving, the joints and the falls on a free site visit, and tell you if cleaning will hold or if the patio needs relaying.
Leaves, Frost and De-Icing Salt
Clearing leaves every week through leaf fall stops those marks forming and keeps drains and channels running.
Frost does most damage to paving in Lincolnshire where joints are open, so open joints are best refilled before the coldest weather.
Rock salt can also mark natural stone and concrete blocks. Use it sparingly on icy paving, and brush the residue off once the ice has gone.
Pots and furniture left in one spot all winter leave pale or green marks where the paving underneath cannot dry. Moving them every few weeks therefore keeps the colour even across the patio.
No two natural stone patios clean up the same, because every batch of sandstone and limestone varies in colour and texture.
Reshape Landscaping Ltd, LincolnRecent projects
RECENT PAVING WORK
When Cleaning Is Not Enough
Some patios stain because of how they were laid. Slabs that rock, sink or hold puddles, joints that keep washing out and algae that returns within weeks of cleaning all point to the bed or the falls.
When we relay paving in Lincolnshire, the old bed comes out, the sub-base is checked and made good, and the paving goes back on a full mortar bed. It is then laid to falls that carry water to a drain or soakaway.
Slabs that lift cleanly can often be cleaned and relaid. Otherwise, new paving goes down in their place. Our paving in Lincoln page covers the work around the city.
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What to Ask Patio Installers in Lincoln
Before a patio is relaid, ask what the paving will be bedded on, what falls it will be laid to and where the water will go. Also ask which jointing compound will be used, and check that it suits the paving. Ask too if any slabs will be reused, and how new paving will be matched to the old where they cannot.
Patio contractors quoting for relaying should also say what happens to the old bed and the sub-base. If a contractor skips any of these stages, ask what they are leaving out and why. To arrange a site visit, contact us.
WHY HOMEOWNERS PICK US
We are a British-owned and run landscaping company based in Lincoln, covering the city, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Sleaford and the surrounding areas.
- Established in 2010, with over 400 completed projects.
- Prestige Awards 2026 – Landscaper of the Year, Lincolnshire.
- Houzz 2026 Best of Service award, judged on customer feedback.
- Midlands Enterprise Awards 2026 – Best Bespoke Garden Landscaping Service, Lincolnshire.
- Approved installers for Talasey Landscaping Solutions and Select Living Group.
- Helped design and build a Japanese-inspired garden featured on ITV’s Garden of the Year.
- Qualified through the National Design Academy.
- Insured, including public liability.
Patio Cleaning: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best thing to clean patio slabs with?
For most patios, a stiff outdoor broom and a paving cleaner matched to the material do the job. Patio cleaners vary in strength, so dilute them as the label states and rinse well afterwards to stop residue drying on the surface.
What are the black dots on my patio?
They are usually lichens, which grow on sandstone, limestone and concrete paving that stays damp. They grip the surface tightly, so it can take a few weeks after treatment for the spots to fade as the lichen breaks down.
Can I use washing-up liquid on porcelain paving?
Yes. A small amount in warm water is fine for routine cleaning. Rinse it off fully, as soapy residue left to dry can leave a dull film and make the surface slippery.
What should you not use on porcelain paving?
Avoid wire brushes, which can scratch the surface, and any product containing hydrofluoric acid. Check that a cleaner is labelled as suitable for porcelain before it goes on.
Should I pressure wash my patio in winter?
It is best done on a dry day well above freezing, so the paving and joints can dry out before a frost. Water left in the joints overnight can freeze and loosen the jointing.
How often should paving in Lincolnshire be cleaned?
A brush every week through leaf fall and a full clean once or twice a year suits most patios. However, paving under trees or in full shade may need cleaning more often.
Areas We Cover
We lay and relay paving in Lincolnshire, with patios in Lincoln, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Sleaford and the surrounding areas. As a paving company in Lincoln, we work in porcelain, sandstone, limestone, granite and Yorkshire stone, along with block paving in Lincoln for paths and driveways. We also lay paving in Gainsborough and porcelain paving in Scunthorpe.
Book Your Free Site Visit
If a patio stays green, holds water or has started to rock, use the quote form or call us to arrange a site visit.
Our patios and paving page covers the full service. The Reshape blog has more guides on looking after a garden through the year.
We reply to every enquiry within 48 hours.
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