If your patio has gone green, grey, or just looks like it has given up, you are in the right place. Moss, algae, black spot lichen and years of London grime are the most common reasons SE London homeowners book a professional jet wash. It is one of the fastest and most visible garden improvements you can make, and when it is done properly the difference is immediate.
This guide covers exactly what patio cleaning costs in South East London in 2026, what is included for that price, what drives the cost up, and how to get a quote quickly without overpaying.
The short answer: Urban Gardeners charges £4 per square metre with a minimum charge of £140 covering up to 40m². No chemicals, no hidden costs, price confirmed before any work starts.
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How Much Does Patio Cleaning Cost in South East London? (2026)
Urban Gardeners prices patio cleaning by square metre, not by the hour. This means the price is confirmed before work starts based on the actual measured area. You know the final cost before we begin - no surprises.
| Patio Size | Estimated Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small (up to 40m², minimum charge) | £140 | Covers most small SE London terrace patios |
| Medium (40-60m²) | £160 - £240 | £4 per m² |
| Large (60-80m²) | £240 - £320 | £4 per m² |
| Very large (80m²+) | £320+ | Confirmed on arrival after measuring |
These prices cover professional jet washing using commercial-grade pressure washing equipment. We use your outdoor tap for water supply, which is standard practice. No chemicals are used - only high-pressure water, which is safe for families and pets with no drying time required before use.
A note on national pricing guides: many online articles quote £2-£3 per m² for patio cleaning. Those figures typically reflect prices in the North and Midlands. In South East London, a realistic market rate from a professional team with commercial equipment is £4-£5 per m². London pricing runs 25-50% above the national average due to higher labour costs and operational overhead.
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Why SE London Patios Get So Dirty So Fast
This is worth understanding because it explains why you cannot just leave it and hope for the best.
SE London's climate is the main culprit. High rainfall, low winter sunlight, and the urban pollution layer that settles on outdoor surfaces creates near-perfect conditions for moss, algae and black spot to establish themselves year-round. Most SE London terrace gardens are north or east facing, meaning the patio surface gets limited direct sun and stays damp for longer after rain. Shaded, damp surfaces grow moss and algae significantly faster than south-facing, exposed ones.
The porous surfaces common in older SE London properties - natural sandstone, old concrete slabs, aged block paving - absorb moisture and organic matter more readily than modern porcelain. That makes them faster to discolour and harder to clean without professional equipment. If your patio is under a tree or close to a shaded wall, it will need cleaning more often than average.
If your garden also has a drainage problem that is keeping the patio surface wet, our post on poor drainage in SE London gardens is worth reading alongside this one - a clean patio on a poorly drained base will green up again within months.
What Is Included in a Professional Patio Clean?
Here is exactly what a standard jet wash from Urban Gardeners covers.
- Full pressure wash of all paved surfaces in the agreed area
- Removal of moss, algae, dirt, mud and surface staining
- Blast-out of light weeds and debris from between slab joints
- Rinse-down of surrounding surfaces affected by dirty water run-off
- Area left clean and immediately usable on the same day
What is not included in a standard clean:
- Re-sanding of block paving joints (charged separately, typically £1.50-£2.50 per m²)
- Patio sealing or treatment (quoted separately)
- Deep stain removal for oil, rust or paint (specialist treatment, quoted separately)
- Re-pointing loose or cracked mortar
- Replacement of broken or lifted slabs
If you want re-sanding or sealing alongside the clean, mention it when you get in touch and we will include it in the quote.
What Affects the Final Cost?
Patio Size
The larger the area, the higher the total. Our minimum charge of £140 covers up to 40m², which covers most small terrace garden patios in SE London. Anything above that is charged at £4 per m².
Level of Contamination
A lightly dirty patio cleaned two years ago takes less time than one untouched for five years with established moss, thick black spot lichen, and weeds through every joint. Both are charged at the same per m² rate, but heavily neglected surfaces may be flagged during the quote if specialist treatment is needed on top.
Surface Material
Different surfaces need different pressure settings - getting this wrong causes permanent damage.
- Concrete and block paving handle high pressure well. Standard jet washing is suitable and effective.
- Natural stone (sandstone, slate, limestone) is more porous. Lower pressure with slower passes protects the stone while still removing organic growth.
- Porcelain slabs are the most durable and easiest to clean. High pressure is fine and results are usually excellent.
- Old mortar joints can be loosened by high pressure if already degraded. We assess this before starting and adjust accordingly.
Garden Access
Direct access from the front or via a side gate is straightforward. If all equipment needs carrying through the house, it takes longer and may affect the quote for larger jobs.
Shade and Vegetation
A heavily shaded patio under dense planting tends to have thicker moss and algae growth. If your garden has significant overhanging vegetation close to the patio, a quick garden clearance before the jet wash makes the clean more effective and longer-lasting.
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Professional Jet Washing vs. DIY: The Honest Comparison
Domestic pressure washers cost £80-£300 to buy or around £40-£60 per day to hire. So why pay a professional?
The Equipment Gap Is Bigger Than Most People Realise
Commercial pressure washers operate at 2,000-4,000 PSI with high flow rates. Most domestic machines peak at 1,300-1,800 PSI with lower flow. That gap sounds technical but the result is visible - on established black spot lichen and deep-set algae, domestic machines tend to smear and displace rather than actually remove the growth. You end up with a cleaner-looking patio for about three weeks before it comes back just as fast, because the root structure of the algae was never fully cleared.
The Surface Damage Risk
This is the one most DIYers find out about the hard way. Using the wrong pressure setting on natural sandstone opens up the surface, accelerates weathering, and can permanently change the texture and colour. Old mortar joints that are already slightly degraded will be blasted loose. Timber decking cleaned at patio pressure settings splinters and lifts at the edges. These are not recoverable mistakes - the damage is permanent. A professional assesses the surface material before starting and adjusts accordingly. Most homeowners do not know what PSI is correct for their specific surface, and the information on the pressure washer box is rarely specific enough to help.
The Time and Results Reality
A professional team with commercial equipment cleans a 40m² patio in one to two hours and leaves the area rinse-clean. The same job with a domestic machine typically takes half a day, delivers a less thorough result, and leaves the cleanup of dirty runoff water to you. For a large patio or driveway, that is a full Saturday for a result that is visibly inferior.
The True Cost Comparison
Hiring a domestic pressure washer for a day costs £40-£60, plus your time. Buying one costs £80-£300 for a machine that will sit unused most of the year and still underperforms on tough surfaces. A professional clean at £4 per m² on a 40m² patio costs £160 and takes two hours of your time to answer the door. On that basis, professional cleaning is better value for most SE London homeowners unless you are doing very regular light maintenance on a simple concrete surface.
DIY makes sense for: light maintenance cleaning on a recently cleaned patio, concrete or block paving you are confident handling, and quick annual top-up cleans between professional visits.
Professional makes sense for: any natural stone surface, patios with significant moss, algae or black spot, surfaces not cleaned in two or more years, anyone with limited time, or anyone who wants a guaranteed result on a surface they cannot afford to damage.
Patio Cleaning vs. Patio Sealing: Do You Need Both?
Sealing is not essential after every clean, but it is worth considering if your patio is in a shaded or damp SE London garden.
What sealing does: a patio sealer fills the pores in the surface, making it harder for water, moss spores and algae to take hold. A sealed patio stays cleaner for longer and is easier to maintain between professional washes.
What sealing costs: On a 40m² patio that is £100-£450 on top of the cleaning cost. Sealing typically lasts 3-5 years.
When it is worth doing: if your patio is a porous natural stone in a shaded position and you are booking a clean more than once a year, sealing will extend the time between cleans and reduce your total long-term cost.
When to skip it: if the surface is already deteriorating, has loose joints, or you are planning to redesign the garden in the next couple of years, sealing is not a good investment. Our garden landscaping and design service covers new patio options if replacement is the better long-term call.
How Often Should You Jet Wash a Patio in SE London?
In a typical SE London garden, a full professional clean once a year is the most common approach, usually booked in spring before the garden is used through summer. Heavily shaded patios under trees or against north-facing walls may benefit from twice yearly cleaning - once in spring and a lighter maintenance wash in early autumn before winter growth sets in.
Patios sealed after their last clean can often go two years between professional washes without significant deterioration. Between professional cleans, a stiff brush every few weeks keeps moss and algae from re-establishing quickly.
Can You Combine Patio Cleaning With Other Garden Work?
Yes, and it is one of the most practical ways to approach garden preparation in SE London.
Patio cleaning and garden clearance is the most common combination we handle. If the garden has overgrown planting close to the patio or debris covering the surface, a clearance first makes the jet wash significantly more effective. Read our full guide to garden clearance in South East London for what that process involves.
Patio cleaning and fencing is another regular combination. If the fence boundary panels are also moss-covered, we can clean both surfaces in the same visit. Our garden fencing service covers panel and post replacement if anything needs replacing alongside the clean.
Patio cleaning and decking cleaning can be done together in a single visit. Decking requires a different pressure setting but both can be completed back to back efficiently. If you are also thinking about installing or replacing decking alongside the clean, our 2026 decking cost guide for SE London covers what to budget for.
Patio Cleaning Across SE London Areas
We work across SE London regularly, and surface types and conditions vary a lot by area.
In Greenwich and Blackheath (SE10, SE3), many properties have larger natural stone or period paving. Sandstone flags common in Blackheath are porous and moss-retentive - pressure settings need careful adjustment on these surfaces.
In Lewisham, Catford and Forest Hill (SE13, SE6, SE23), high density terrace gardens with narrow north-facing patios are very common. Algae and black spot build up quickly here and these are among our most frequently booked areas for patio cleaning.
In Eltham and Lee (SE9, SE12), larger post-war gardens often have concrete or block paving. Straightforward to clean with good access, and larger patio areas are common, meaning higher totals but strong value per m².
In Peckham, New Cross and Brockley (SE15, SE14, SE4), smaller courtyard spaces are typical. Often combined with front path cleaning in the same visit. Contemporary porcelain and block paving increasingly common in recent garden renovations here.
In Bromley and Bexley (BR1-BR6, DA5-DA7), larger properties with more generous outdoor space. Driveways and patios often cleaned together. Longer lead times may apply in peak spring months due to demand.
Visit our Service coverage page for the full list of areas where we operate.
Patio Cleaning FAQ
No. We use high-pressure water only, which is safe for families, pets and garden planting with no rinse-off time and no residue. For stubborn black spot lichen that does not fully lift with pressure washing, a targeted treatment can be quoted separately.
Not if the pressure settings are correct for the surface. We assess the material before starting and adjust accordingly. Natural stone, old mortar joints and timber are the surfaces that need most care - these are exactly the ones we pay closest attention to.
Yes. We use your outdoor tap for water supply - this is standard practice across the industry. If you do not have an outdoor tap, mention it when you book and we will discuss options.
Immediately. No chemicals are applied and no drying time is required. The surface will be wet when we finish but fully safe to walk on straight away.
Yes. We clean driveways, paths, garden steps, decking and brick walls alongside patio surfaces. Mention everything when you get in touch for a combined quote.
Spring is the most popular time, and for good reason - you want a clean patio going into the months you actually use it. If you want to avoid the spring rush, late February or early March secures availability before peak demand. Autumn cleaning is also practical to remove summer growth before winter sets in.
How Our Gardening Services Can Help
Patio cleaning is often the starting point for a broader garden refresh. Here are the services SE London customers most commonly book alongside a jet wash.
- Patio cleaning — professional jet washing across SE London, £4 per m², price confirmed before we start
- Garden clearance — strip out overgrowth and debris close to the patio before the jet wash for best results
- Garden maintenance — ongoing care to keep the whole garden looking as good as the freshly cleaned patio
- Garden fencing — moss-covered fence panels can be cleaned or replaced in the same visit
- Garden landscaping and design — if the patio itself needs replacing, we can design and install a new one
Need help deciding where to start? Get in touch and we'll recommend the right service for your garden.
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