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That Dark Paving Is Often More Than Dirt
That Dark Paving Is Often More Than Dirt
by Skigl Pressure Washing / 27 Sept, 2026
Ever feel like your outdoor space looks dull and tired, but you can't quite put your finger on why? Take a look under your feet.
By the end of this you’ll know exactly why that discoloured paving you have is often more than dirt, why it happens and what can be done about it, so that you and your guests can experience the best your property has to offer.
My name is Rey. For the last three years, I’ve been servicing property exteriors across the Johannesburg Metropolitan area.
You might think a place like Joburg with its dry, sunny weather, would protect your property’s surfaces from natural weathering. The truth is, no exterior surface is completely safe from the outside elements, and Joburg's climate and unique landscape bring its own unique set of problems to exterior surfaces in and around the Metro.
Known for its scenic viewpoints, hubs such as Sandton and Randburg are covered in lush vegetation. The Northern suburbs highlight some of the most majestic, mature greenery in the world, earning it a reputation as one of the largest man-made urban forests. The Metro features a vast majority of residential estates and townhouse complexes. As a trend, property borders are covered with vegetation not only for the visual appeal it brings to a property, but also for privacy reasons.
Besides the scenic views the Metro has to offer, Joburg homes feature some of the most stunning patios and courtyards in the country. Built as living spaces rather than simple backyard add-ons, materials such as cement pavers, poured and stamped concrete slabs, exterior tiles and natural stone are often used by professional paving contractors and landscaping companies for their strength, durability, and relative affordability. However, even with their high-standards, these materials are highly porous, and will, over time, absorb dirt, mold, oil, grease and other contaminants.
Despite the hot, dry conditions Joburg experiences for most of the year, surfaces surrounded by dense greenery remain damp for longer, providing the perfect conditions for algae, moss and mold to thrive in. Areas surrounded by fewer trees are no exception to this.
Have you ever noticed black discolouration on surfaces and planters tucked behind a wall? You might want to check your compass. Because Joburg is situated south of the equator, its south-facing walls receive the least sunlight. This leads surfaces behind these walls to remain wet and damp for extended periods, creating favourable conditions for organic growth to accumulate.
These images below highlight three distinct properties to demonstrate how accumulated dirt and overgrown vegetation can degrade external surfaces and negatively impact a property's overall aesthetic value.
At first glance, those dark stains on the driveway might look like ordinary dirt. In reality, much of what you see that's built up on the surface is organic growth deposited from a single overhanging tree over the years. The stained pathway is deposited dirt from constant foot traffic. Over on the patio, heavy surrounding plants, combined with a lack of sunlight, created the perfect damp environment for an algae breakout to take over.
Fortunately, there's a simple and reliable solution to safely and effectively remove it.
Pressure Washing: A Cleaning Guide for Johannesburg Properties
Pressure Washing: A Cleaning Guide for Johannesburg Properties
What is pressure washing? In short, pressure washing is an exterior cleaning method that relies on a motorised pump that pushes pressurised water through a specialised nozzle or nozzles. However, it requires the correct pressure adjustment to balance effective cleaning results with surface safety.
It’s an effective way for cleaning a variety of hard exterior surfaces such as cement pavers, concrete slabs, natural stone and exterior tiles.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that dirty paving simply needs to be scrubbed with a broom and rinsed with water from a hosepipe.
A hosepipe and a broom alone, will not solve the problem.
Because paving surfaces are highly porous, dirt, mold, and other contaminants will get lodged deep within the pores of the surface. Simply spraying the surface with water and sweeping it with a broom might make the surface appear slightly better, but in actual fact, much of the organic growth and dirt would be left behind.
Pressure washing penetrates the pores of the surface, removing the root cause of stains and discolouration.
Fun fact! It’s not your patio furniture that’s looking old, it’s just the stained, weathered paving underneath it.
Can Pressure Washing Clean Paving? Look at the Difference
Can Pressure Washing Clean Paving? Look at the Difference
The above transformations are a great reminder that dull-looking paving doesn't always require replacing, painting or covering up.
More often than not, the original material is still beautiful and presentable. It simply needs to be cleaned properly.
After pressure washing the above surfaces, the natural colour was revived. In addition, the areas around the paving also looked brighter and better maintained.
Those improvements made a surprisingly big difference in the overall look and feel of those properties.
Need Professional Pressure Washing in Joburg?
Need Professional Pressure Washing in Joburg?
If the paving around your property is stained, dull or beginning to turn green, gray, or black, don’t assume it is permanently stained or damaged.
Professional pressure washing may be exactly what it needs.
Skigl Pressure Washing provides professional pressure washing service, throughout the Johannesburg Metropolitan area.
Request a free quote here: https://www.skigl.co.za/contact-us
Call or WhatsApp Skigl Pressure Washing at 060 540 8584.
We'd love the opportunity to help you get your property's surfaces restored, and become part of our next great before-and-after transformation.
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