decorative stones - is it possible to clean them?

[thejaffacakesareonme]

We have areas in our garden that the previous owner covered with small stones to prevent weeds from springing up between plants. Over time the stones have gone gray. Is there any easy way of bringing them back to life, or should I just get rid of them and buy new ones? If possible, I'd like to try and clean them because the areas involved are quite big and I think it could be quite expensive to buy new ones.

tbh I think it would be difficult to clean them, and not cost effective to do so. Inspect one, I suspect they are similar to one's I have in large planters that now look a bit dingy. Irregular shape, about 1 cm diameter. Mine looked quite "quartzy" but after 3 years look chalky and grey. If you were to clean them in situ then surely that would involve harsh chemicals. Even a newly blocked patio or diveway will discolour. I would be inclined to remove just the top surface and top them up to refresh the appearance. Have they done the job of keeping the weeds at bay?

They were laid on top of weed resistant plastic and the combination has kept most of the weeds at bay. Dandelions and some other weeds do still get through though. I tend to blitz them with chemicals every few months over the summer period.

You could try using a jet washer on them if they are big enough or if you can be bothered picking them up and putting them in a tub and turning the washer on them.