12-05-2025
Bathroom essential can help to clean your patio and deter pests at the same time – add it to your outdoor furniture too
IF you're giving your garden some touch ups before the summer this DIY hack may be for you.
A bathroom staple can help to leave your patio gleaming and free of pests.
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It can be pricey to restock your cleaning caddy and with the cost of living constantly on the rise, many people are coming up with creative alternatives.
You can now cut costs even further by repurposing a bathroom essential to revamp your patio paving.
Your paving stones go through a lot of wear and tear and need to be cleaned often.
The experts at Infinite Paving shared the DIY step they recommend for scrubbing your patio without breaking the budget.
"Normally, we would recommend using a power washer, however, with the water and energy bills skyrocketing power washers are no longer very cost-efficient," they explained.
The professionals suggested using mouthwash to clean your patio in time for summer.
"To many people, this is one of the most bizarre cleaning hacks for paving stones," they said.
"A usual remedy to keep bugs away from your paving is rubbing alcohol.
"Mouthwash also contains a level of alcohol and can be commonly found in most households."
According to the experts, this step can also prove "surprisingly effective" at both cleaning and deterring pests.
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"Pests can carry countless diseases that can spread throughout your paving and to your garden," they pointed out.
"The household product is extremely effective at helping to keep away nuisances and pests such as mosquitos, cockroaches, and more.
While mouthwash normally contains enough alcohol to deter the pests, it does not have enough to cause damage to the stones.
To carry out this unusual hack, simply add the mouthwash to a spray bottle and spray all around your patio.
According to the paving pros, this step can also prove useful for your outdoor furniture.
How to repair broken patio slabs
THE paving specialists at Simply Paving told Fabulous how you can repair broken patio slabs, without the faff.
The experts advised: 'If you have a loose paving slab, then it's unlikely it can be lifted straight by hand. Instead, you will probably need a hammer and chisel to prise the paver free of your patio.
'To remove loose paving slabs without damaging your flagstones, carefully chip away at the mortar around the paving slab with the plugging chisel and rubber mallet until the slab comes completely loose.
'Then, slide the spade into the gap left by the mortar and prise the paver free of the patio.
"As you lift it up, place a short piece of timber underneath the spade to act as a lever, making it easier for you while protecting the slab underneath.
'When the paver starts to give, place the cylindrical wood underneath it and roll the slab out of the patio.'
"It could also be worth spraying your paving furniture in addition to this as these can be a breeding ground for bacteria and dirt," they explained.
You can pick up a bottle of Chlorhexidine Mouthwash from Asda for just £1.48.
You can also use soap and tights to repel flies from your home this summer.
A budget-friendly hack can help to banish slugs and snails from your garden.
You can also use a £1.40 household item to deter ants from entering your home.
A 49p hack helps to keep wasps from your garden, but you'll want to act soon.
