Florida pavers don’t get dirty the way northern pavers do — they get alive. Mold, mildew, and algae are Northeast Florida’s real enemies, with weeds, rust, and tire marks in supporting roles. Here’s the maintenance routine that keeps a paver surface looking installed-last-year, and the mistakes that quietly wreck one.
The routine that works
- Rinse and sweep regularly. Organic debris (leaves, oak tassels, grass clippings) sitting on damp pavers is a mold starter kit. The blower is your paver’s best friend.
- Wash gently 1–2 times a year. Mild detergent or a paver-specific cleaner, a stiff brush for spots, and a garden hose or low-pressure wash.
- Treat green and black growth early. Diluted outdoor bleach solutions or dedicated mold removers work on young growth; established colonies need professional cleaning.
- Watch the joints. When joint sand drops low, weeds and ants move in — top up with the right sand (see our polymeric sand guide).
- Reseal on schedule. Every 2–3 years in our sun — the full case is in the sealing guide. Sealed pavers make every step above dramatically easier.
The mistakes that cost money
- Blasting with high pressure. A pressure washer on max with a narrow tip strips joint sand, etches the paver face, and can carve lines you’ll see forever. Wide fan tip, moderate pressure, held moving and at distance — or hire it done.
- Straight bleach, constantly. Occasional diluted use is fine; habitual strong bleach dulls color and kills the lawn edge.
- Acid washing travertine. Never — acid etches natural stone on contact. Stone-safe cleaners only (details in the travertine guide).
- Ignoring rust and oil. Both walk deeper into unsealed pavers with every month; both come out of sealed ones with a rag.
When to call a pro
Full-surface mold, failed or hazy old sealer, stains that survived two attempts, or a deck that needs clean-sand-seal all at once — that’s a half-day professional job that runs about $1–2 per square foot and resets the whole clock. Get a quote and compare it against a weekend of your own labor.