How to clean new landscaping garden rocks and pebbles of silt or dirt

When you receive your first load of rocks or garden pebbles, it is possible that they may be covered in a fine film of silt or have a dirty appearance.  As they are a natural product which comes from the quarry, the silt may have settled in the pile and covered the stones at the bottom of the pile.  With a few simple maintenance steps your pebbles and garden rocks will look amazing for many years to come.

Cleaning the landscaping rocks or pebbles with a broom and a spray hose is usually all you need to achieve fresh new look required for your garden beds.  Rain also can be enough to wash away the silt from the surface of the pebbles.

Lay your rocks into position

First, lay your rocks or pebbles in the garden beds as you would like them.  This will save any double handling and therefore easier cleaning of your stones.

Use a broom

Hard brushing the surface of the rocks or pebbles with a broom will scrub away any excess, therefore thinning the dry silt layer which are covering the stones. Do this before hosing or applying water to the stones.

Water with a spray hose

Using a pressurized spray hose, will blast water in between the rocks to loosen the silt or dirt.  Washing the stones will bring out the best of the colours in the pebbles.

The water may look quite muddy but will wash away fairly quickly, cleaning the gravel or stones.

There is no need to hose your pebbles or rocks if rain is forecast, as the rain will naturally wash away the silt from the stones.

Maintenance

Over the seasons, you may notice some leaves or twigs have fallen over the surface of your landscaping stones.  A simple blast with a blower or garden vac will remove the layer of fallen debris to keep your garden looking its best.

With a very small amount of maintenance, landscaping your garden with rocks, pebbles or gravel will continue to keep its appearance and your garden will look great for many years to come.