Managing weeds and cleaning in playgrounds with Wet Pour

We have recently been approached about weedkilling in play areas.  These often have a variety of surfaces to manage, including Wet Pour, tarmac and block paving.    There are often challenges when maintaining these areas;

1. Sensitivity to children playing
2. Often a close proximity to water
3. challenging surfaces, such as wet pour
4. Access requirements

In this particular instance, due to proximity to water, and the requirement to minimise the use of chemicals in public spaces such as play areas, the council was looking for another solution.  

The Eco Weedkiller Pro 10 stepped up to the plate, with some remarkable results!

The Eco weedkiller is multifunctional, allowing it to do many jobs in the play area.  

Using the Eco Weedkiller Pro 10 for weedkilling

We are able to use it for weed killing on a variety of different surfaces, including block paving, wetpour and tarmac using a low pressure high volume hot water lance shown in the picture below.  at low pressure, the water is able to retain a large droplet size, allowing it to maintain it's heat for a long time.  The water is delivered at boiling temperatures from the lance directly onto the weed, destroying the cells which provide structure and the ability to photosynthesise.  The water can also saturate the soil beneath the surface surrounding the roots of the plant, where it is insulated by the soil, remaining hot for a long period of time, therefore also destroying the root system.  

Is hot water safe to use on wet pour surfaces?

Yes, this system is also safe to use on surfaces such as wet pour, which is often made of recycled tyres and is very common under play equipment.  Some thermal products, such as our systems from Hoaf and Ripagreen use hot air, which might work well on hard surfaces such as tarmac, but will be unsuitable for wet pour because they risk melting the surface.  Hot water is a much lower temperature, and is therefore safe to use on wet pour without this risk.  

As well as weeding on wet pour surfaces, the Eco weedkiller can also be used to pressure wash and clean it.

Contrary to many statements from sellers of wet pour, they are not maintenance free.  

This surface had become covered in algae and moss, making it very slippery and unsightly.  It also meant that the surface was not allowing water to drain as well as it should.  Using the hot water pressure washing function on the Eco weedkiller Pro 10, we were able to easily clean the wet pour surface and other surfaces in the play park, returning the performance of the surfaces, and reinvigorating the look of the park.  

Cleaning off park furniture and hard surfaces

As well as the wet pour, the pressure washer functionality can also be used to great effect on the hard surfaces and park furniture.

For more information on our Hot Water Weeding solutions click here