How To Prevent Mold From Growing On Your Concrete Patio

You might love your concrete patio, but one thing that can make it a lot less appealing is the growth of mold. Unfortunately, mold can grow on concrete patios quite easily if you aren't careful. If you follow these tips, though, you can help prevent this from happening.

Be Careful with Potted Plants

First of all, you have to be careful with potted plants. Even though potted plants can be perfect for enjoying gardening when you don't have a lot of -- or any -- lawn space and can be great for dressing up your patio and making it look a whole lot more attractive, these plants can also cause the growth of mold. This is because the drain holes on the bottom of your pots can cause a lot of water to pool up in one place, which can cause mold to grow. To help prevent this from happening, consider putting plastic plant trays or disposable plates underneath each pot. Then, you don't have to worry about the water standing on your concrete, and you can easily swap out the trays or remove them to clean them.

Clean Your Patio Regularly

Keeping your patio nice and clean is critical if you want to prevent mold from growing. Plus, regular cleaning can help get rid of any mold that has started to grow before the problem gets too serious. To get your patio truly clean, remove all of your plants and decorative items so that you have a clear patio to work with. Then, while wearing a mask to protect yourself from any fumes, use a mixture of bleach and water to carefully clean the concrete. Scrub it with a long-handled deck brush to get the job done thoroughly and easily, then rinse it with a water hose or with buckets of clean water. Just make sure that you allow the patio to dry completely before you put any of your items back out, however, since the bleach can cause lawn decorations, rugs, or other items to fade or can damage your plants. This should not be an issue after the bleach drys completely, though.

As you can see, you can prevent green mold -- as well as mildew -- from growing on your concrete patio. To help prevent this embarrassing and unpleasant growth from occurring on your outdoor living area, make sure that you follow these simple yet helpful tips.

For more information, contact a local company like Claggett & Sons Inc