How soon after pointing patio can I clean it?

[RayOfFlight]

We pointed it on Monday. It's now grubby with our feet, wheelbarrow etc and I want to give it a wash with the Karcher patio attachment. How long should I wait? Has been dry here.

Why not wash it down without pressure, i.e. bucket and water.

Then do it with the pressure washer later in the year.

The chap who did our patio said to take care with pressure washers as they tend to blast out the pointing - I think he meant take care for ever.

It's done this in the rain, that's not good is it?

Anyone? Is the pointing buggered already?

Did you point it by brushing a dry mix in or on your hands a knees with cement / motor mix?
I feel it will jet wash off, or possibly brick acid / patio cleaning acid but try a section first incase it damages it

rain is good for cement-based materials such as concrete, mortar and pointing.

This is because it hardens by a chemical reaction between the cement particles and water. The longer they are wet, the harder and stronger they grow. Once dried out, the curing process stops and will not restart unless you grind it into a powder.

A watering can is useful on paving after day 2 (when it has stiffened enough not to wash away)

Mortar is reasonably hard after a week. Two weeks is better.

The marks on ther slabs are probably just a thin smear and will wear away when walked on. When they fully dry they will go very pale.

Good advice from piglet. Be careful though with pressure washers unless they have used resin instead of mortar as it is much harder.

DH has bought some patio cleaner from screwfix that came recommended but not tied it yet. We will jet wash it after but carefully as we have a proper attachment

Oh and some of ours looked like that but it will wear off with walking over and rain etc..takes a few months though in our case

P.s.

Don't use acid cleaners to remove mortar smears from concrete paving. It will eat away the cement-based mortar but also the cement-based slabs.

Leave it.let it harden. You can clean it later, don't jet wash it.

Ps it looks lovely,