Swimming pool chemical cleaner (Calcium Hypochlorite) in Sheffield?

Does anyone know where in Sheffield i can buy Calcium Hypochlorite(aka Swimming Pool Chlorine)?

Its for cleaning lichens of some old lime stone paving. Any help appreciated

Can't you just use diluted household bleach?

You might struggle to source it in Sheffield, but it is readily available online.

Cant you use Sodium Hydroxide (caustic soda) instead as that is easily available from a chemist or Wilko.

A quick google shows a company called David Hallam Ltd in Catcliffe

Brick cleaner (Homeopathic hydrochloric) should do the job. Any builders merchants (it may fizz a bit).

Can't you just use diluted household bleach?

 

You might struggle to source it in Sheffield, but it is readily available online.

Thanks, bleach doesn't work and it's a different chemical

---------- Post added 31-08-2016 at 06:41 ----------

Brick cleaner (Homeopathic hydrochloric) should do the job. Any builders merchants (it may fizz a bit).

This is a bad idea apparently http://www.pavingexpert.com/maintain_02.htm

Morrisons and i think tesco do thin bleach (sodium Hypochlorite), (it just doesn't have the thickening agent to make it less runny its same strength as an oxidiser) for something like 30p for 2 litres sainsbury's do it but quite a bit more expensive, unless buying in bulk i doubt you will get cheaper.

I presume you are thinking calcium Hypochlorite to reduce the dissolution of the calcium in you stone, so long as its alkali i doubt even with regular use over many years you would see any effect. Its different for a pool with the water in constant contact with the grout. Also in a pool its mixed with an acid to produce free chlorine which is the active sanitiser at a neutral PH. The acid rain will be having a much worst dissolving effect, shame it doesn't stop the lichen.

I'm no expert but i think sodium hydroxide isn't an oxidiser just a strong alkali, ok for general cleaning especially oils and greases but the lichen might not be too harshly effected.

Morrisons and i think tesco do thin bleach (sodium Hypochlorite), (it just doesn't have the thickening agent to make it less runny its same strength as an oxidiser) for something like 30p for 2 litres sainsbury's do it but quite a bit more expensive, unless buying in bulk i doubt you will get cheaper.

 

I presume you are thinking calcium Hypochlorite to reduce the dissolution of the calcium in you stone, so long as its alkali i doubt even with regular use over many years you would see any effect. Its different for a pool with the water in constant contact with the grout. Also in a pool its mixed with an acid to produce free chlorine which is the active sanitiser at a neutral PH. The acid rain will be having a much worst dissolving effect, shame it doesn't stop the lichen.

 

I'm no expert but i think sodium hydroxide isn't an oxidiser just a strong alkali, ok for general cleaning especially oils and greases but the lichen might not be too harshly effected.

Purely by chance I found out that actually Sodium Hydroxide seems to do a very good job of removing lichen. It happened when I last cleaned out my oven, and put the oven racks and grills in a bin liner and coated them with a spray oven cleaner I'd just bought from Makro (though other brands are available obviously !). My OH made sure I left them on the patio outside rather than on the worktop, and I was slightly surprised when I retieved them 6 hours or so later to find that the bag had leaked, and in the patch left behind, the Indian sandstone flag underneath was spotless compared to those around it.

So in an attempt to prove whether the oven cleaner is the miracle flag cleaner, my OH sprayed a number of flags, left them a few hours, then pressure washed them down. The difference compared to the 'sample group' is staggering, and I'm sure that even the few random spots of lichen left after he finished cleaning have disappeared even further given a few days of rain and sun. The key ingredient in the cleaning spray is sodium hydroxide I note, so it's clearly an alkali based cleaner rather than an acid one. The spray is sold in litre bottles and I'm sure it wasn't that expensive, though I realise not everyone can access Makro (though I'm sure similar products must be on the usual supermarket shelves). He just sprayed, brushed it in with a broom, left it 2 hours or so, then pressure washed it down, and hey presto, spotless patio flags, though the initial discovery shows that even a pressure washer might not be needed if you've got a bit more time on your hands.

Just one thing if it's not stating the obvious, but keep pets and kids off it whilst it's working - we've got both and didn't want any trips to the vet/CH.

Hope that helps.

Wow Hallam girl what can I say !! Worked a treat. Tried two different sprays. Results same after spraying two slabs. All black and horrible in morning then just pressure washed the gunk off. Now just need to buy a stack of the cheap oven cleaner from home bargins!

Does anyone know where in Sheffield i can buy Calcium Hypochlorite(aka Swimming Pool Chlorine)?

 

Its for cleaning lichens of some old lime stone paving. Any help appreciated

No you want brick clean .Thats the proper stuff for job . Some times called patio cleaner any builders merchant about £20 a tub. They also sell concentrated stuff if really grubby,

No you want brick clean .Thats the proper stuff for job . Some times called patio cleaner any builders merchant about £20 a tub. They also sell concentrated stuff if really grubby,

No its the worst stuff u can use as it can ruin lime stone paving. It's sorted now thanks

Wow Hallam girl what can I say !! Worked a treat. Tried two different sprays. Results same after spraying two slabs. All black and horrible in morning then just pressure washed the gunk off. Now just need to buy a stack of the cheap oven cleaner from home bargins!

See post 3.

Oven cleaner is the expensive way, go to Wilko or a chemist and buy some Caustic Soda and make your own solution up. Just make sure you wear rubber gloves when using it.