Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it’s antisocial to power wash the patio today

184 replies

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:36

Where I am today is a beautiful sunny day. It’s warm enough to sit out with a jumper. The first sunny day ALL YEAR, and tomorrow and for the rest of the week it’s going back to being wet and dreary. So I made my lunch, sat outside, and revelled in the sun and birdsong. Until about an hour later when my neighbour started pressure washing his patio, and he’s still at it now.

Yes, I know it’s the middle of the day. I know it needs doing, I will do mine at some point. I know I am privileged to have a nice garden to sit in. But TODAY? The only sun we’ve had for months? AIBU to think that’s fucking selfish?

OP posts:
cobrakaieaglefang · 25/02/2026 22:16

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 22:00

Of course but they still piss and shit at home and 5 dogs pissing on slabs all day stinks. My garden is cordoned off so they can’t get on the grass in winter only the patio

Show quote history

Same here, 1 large dog. Poo picked up immediately but piss smells and needs washing down. Rain has been washing it away.
Green slime has coated it, it was slippery for us and the dog. I don't jetwash daily ,but I was off today, it was ideal to get it clean. As I said, neighbours smoke weed, I have to tolerate that, they can tolerate my occasional noise. I'll be at work the rest of the week and weekend.

outerspacepotato · 25/02/2026 22:15

Bitofashock · 25/02/2026 21:37

But the point was that she was enjoying the peace until the power washer started. That’s not going to be enjoyable anymore. Headphones seem to be the mumsnet answer to anything! Or people could be considerate to their neighbours and try and keep noise to a minimum especially on the first lovely sunny day. She didn’t want the world to revolve around her, just the opportunity to enjoy listening to the birds! Is that so unreasonable?

Show quote history

Yes it is. It's reasonable to do outside work when the weather permits, especially if you haven't been able to do it for a while. The neightnour's not doing it during quiet hours. OP wants quiet hours to be when she's outside relaxing and that's ridiculous. Yes, she can get noise cancelling earbuds or headphones or move. Neighbour has the right to work on their property. It's not antisocial at all.

Tollington · 25/02/2026 22:13

I take it that you will be pressure washing your paving on a miserable day OP after you’ve moaned about somebody doing it on a nice day

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 22:00

Zov · 25/02/2026 21:47

Do you never take your 5 dogs out for walks? Confused Do you not have a garden? Only a patio?

So glad my neighbours who have pets, only have 1 or 2 cats!

Show quote history

Of course but they still piss and shit at home and 5 dogs pissing on slabs all day stinks. My garden is cordoned off so they can’t get on the grass in winter only the patio

Fifthtimelucky · 25/02/2026 21:58

No jet-washing of patios here today, but I did cut the grass from the first time this year, as did a number of my neighbours!

Zov · 25/02/2026 21:47

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 21:18

Shit and piss from 5 dogs.

Show quote history

Do you never take your 5 dogs out for walks? Confused Do you not have a garden? Only a patio?

So glad my neighbours who have pets, only have 1 or 2 cats!

Zov · 25/02/2026 21:45

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 19:11

You’d hate us. Patio is jet washed everyday here come rain or shine.

Why? Confused

ValidPistachio · 25/02/2026 21:44

Bitofashock · 25/02/2026 21:37

But the point was that she was enjoying the peace until the power washer started. That’s not going to be enjoyable anymore. Headphones seem to be the mumsnet answer to anything! Or people could be considerate to their neighbours and try and keep noise to a minimum especially on the first lovely sunny day. She didn’t want the world to revolve around her, just the opportunity to enjoy listening to the birds! Is that so unreasonable?

Show quote history

It’s not unreasonable, but neither is deciding to clean your patio on a dry day.

ThiagoJones · 25/02/2026 21:43

Why would the neighbour have known anyone was sitting outside in their garden? It’s a weekday in February. Wouldn’t even occur to me to not do something in my garden in a weekday in February in case someone was sitting outside ‘enjoying the peace’.
We had someone in to chop down our conifers today.

Bitofashock · 25/02/2026 21:37

ValidPistachio · 25/02/2026 21:21

What’s the point of not sitting in the garden due to noise, when there’s a simple solution? That’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Show quote history

But the point was that she was enjoying the peace until the power washer started. That’s not going to be enjoyable anymore. Headphones seem to be the mumsnet answer to anything! Or people could be considerate to their neighbours and try and keep noise to a minimum especially on the first lovely sunny day. She didn’t want the world to revolve around her, just the opportunity to enjoy listening to the birds! Is that so unreasonable?

ValidPistachio · 25/02/2026 21:21

Bitofashock · 25/02/2026 20:19

According to the majority on this thread you should have donned your miracle noise cancelling headphones and gone round and volunteered to do his patio while he enjoyed the sun! What’s the point of sitting in the garden but having to cut out all the noise of birdsong?

Show quote history

What’s the point of not sitting in the garden due to noise, when there’s a simple solution? That’s cutting off your nose to spite your face.

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 21:20

AInightingale · 25/02/2026 20:44

Why??? What a waste of water.
The price of electricity too - you must be minted.

Show quote history

Loaded 🤑

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 21:18

CaptainMyCaptain · 25/02/2026 20:08

Why? How is it getting dirty?

Show quote history

Shit and piss from 5 dogs.

NewPinkJacket · 25/02/2026 21:11

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 19:08

No, I wasn’t sprayed. But obviously I had to go inside. I really don’t believe that any of you would stay sitting a few meters away from a pressure washer, or have headphones in with the music loud enough to even be heard over the noise let alone drown in out. Either would give me a migraine within five minutes! Maybe you all live in mansions with huge separation between the gardens?

Show quote history

What a weird post.

You 'honestly don't believe' it?

It's really not all about you OP, no matter how much you'd love it if life was.

GasPanic · 25/02/2026 21:04

I reckon the incessant amount of rain that has battered the patio and paths for the last 4 months is pretty much equivalent to a power wash.

Mine won't be getting done for months yet.

BurntBroccoli · 25/02/2026 20:49

Oh I absolutely feel you! I cannot stand the noise of power washers!

I was sat outside earlier in the garden with a coffee listening to the birdsong and watching them tear round the garden squabbling over territories when my bloody neighbour got his huge stinky noisy petrol mower out! Grrrrrr!!!

AInightingale · 25/02/2026 20:44

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 19:11

You’d hate us. Patio is jet washed everyday here come rain or shine.

Why??? What a waste of water.
The price of electricity too - you must be minted.

ThiagoJones · 25/02/2026 20:33

I thought about doing mine today. Couldn’t be arsed in the end.

Bitofashock · 25/02/2026 20:19

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 19:08

No, I wasn’t sprayed. But obviously I had to go inside. I really don’t believe that any of you would stay sitting a few meters away from a pressure washer, or have headphones in with the music loud enough to even be heard over the noise let alone drown in out. Either would give me a migraine within five minutes! Maybe you all live in mansions with huge separation between the gardens?

Show quote history

According to the majority on this thread you should have donned your miracle noise cancelling headphones and gone round and volunteered to do his patio while he enjoyed the sun! What’s the point of sitting in the garden but having to cut out all the noise of birdsong?

grumpygrape · 25/02/2026 20:12

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 15:44

It’s the fact that we have had no sun for months. I don’t care in the summer, he does his garden when he wants and I do mine when I want, no big deal. It just feels like the only possible chance for any sun for what feels like forever has been stolen.

How do you know when you decide to do yours won't piss him off?

Z0rr0 · 25/02/2026 20:10

Power washing the patio is selfish any day. I think people should have to have a license to use a power washer. Wasting gallons of drinking water on a pointless clean is criminal. Water is a scarce global resource. Drinking water even more so. Regardless if we have water in the UK. No one needs to power wash their driveway or patio.

CaptainMyCaptain · 25/02/2026 20:08

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 19:11

You’d hate us. Patio is jet washed everyday here come rain or shine.

Why? How is it getting dirty?

phoenixrosehere · 25/02/2026 20:05

AirborneElephant · 25/02/2026 19:08

No, I wasn’t sprayed. But obviously I had to go inside. I really don’t believe that any of you would stay sitting a few meters away from a pressure washer, or have headphones in with the music loud enough to even be heard over the noise let alone drown in out. Either would give me a migraine within five minutes! Maybe you all live in mansions with huge separation between the gardens?

Show quote history

I wear headphones in the garden and no I do not live in a mansion with a separation of a garden. I have a semi detached home (neighbour and I share a fence) on a corner that sits on two bus routes on the main roads that go through the estate, down the street from a primary school, a play park across the street and delivery drivers going through at all hours, including parking on the pavement in front of our house.

Have you actually tried wearing headphones or are you assuming you will still hear your neighbor?

PullyDog · 25/02/2026 20:02

babylamb4 · 25/02/2026 19:11

You’d hate us. Patio is jet washed everyday here come rain or shine.

whys that

Aquarius91 · 25/02/2026 19:42

YABVU. The first few days of decent weather I get, I will be spending them tidying, cleaning and sorting the garden getting it nice for the rest of the year. It’s a mess at the moment due to all the rain we’ve had, why would you want to sit out there without cleaning up is my question actually!!