Tampa Landscaping Pros · Paver patios, walkways and driveways for homes in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin and Temple Terrace.
A white haze that shows up on new pavers is called efflorescence. It can appear a few weeks or months after install, and it is a natural process in cement products, not damage or a defect. That means it can wait. The first fix is a scrub with dish soap and water, and cleaning and sealing pavers runs about $2 per square foot across the country (Bob Vila, 2023).
What the haze is and how to clean it
What the haze is
Pavers are a cement product, and a white haze is something cement products do. One question helps when you describe it to a crew. Did it show in the first weeks or months after install? Haze that shows in that window fits efflorescence, which is not damage.
Rain changes how fast it clears
The haze clears faster in rainy, sunny climates. For the rain side, a normal Tampa year brings 49.48 inches, and 30.24 inches of that falls from June through September (NOAA normals, Tampa International Airport). The Tampa Bay area's rainy season runs from May 25 to October 10 (National Weather Service, Tampa Bay Area office).
Haze or a different problem?
Check the level of the patio as well as its color. A patio that dips or holds puddles is a different problem. Pavers most often sink from uneven soil drainage, poor water drainage or too much bedding sand, and that has its own page on pavers that sink or dip. If you see both haze and a dip, treat them as two separate jobs. Clean the haze with the steps below, and have the dip looked at on its own.
Step one: dish soap, water and a stiff plastic brush
Scrub the hazy area first with dish soap, water and a stiff plastic brush. Start here before you buy anything else.
Step two: an efflorescence remover, if needed
If soap and water do not lift it, use an efflorescence remover. Test a small spot first, in a corner or an edge people do not look at, and wait to see how the paver color responds. Some removers are acid-based, and acid-based cleaners can slightly change paver color. Follow the label on the product you choose, and skip wire brushes.
Seal only after the haze is gone
Seal only once the haze is gone, so the order is clean first, then seal. After sealing, wait at least 4 hours before furniture goes back on the patio (This Old House). Pavers need resealing only every few years (Bob Vila, 2023), so sealing is not a yearly chore.
Checklist
What it costs, and what to ask a crew
Cleaning and sealing is priced by the square foot, and the figures below are national ranges. Ask for a written quote that lists the square footage, the material and the base depth.
| Job | Price | Scope and source |
|---|---|---|
| Clean and seal pavers | about $2 per sq ft | National figure, Bob Vila (2023) |
| Clean and seal concrete | about $1.50 per sq ft | National figure, Bob Vila (2023) |
| New installed paver patio, for comparison | $2,400 to $7,000, about $3,800 on average | National range, This Old House |
What moves the price is the size of the area and the material. The first two rows price cleaning and sealing together, so check that a written quote prices the same two steps. For full patio, walkway and wall ranges, see what patio and wall work costs.
If the patio also has other problems
The base matters only if the job grows past cleaning. If the written quote also covers lifting or re-laying pavers, check the base depth it lists against the minimum below. The Concrete Masonry and Hardscapes Association says a paver patio or walkway needs at least 4 inches of compacted base and a home paver driveway at least 6 inches, both minimums for ideal conditions, and that weak soil or poor drainage calls for a thicker base (CMHA). UF/IFAS says many Florida flatwoods soils have a water table that rises to within 5 to 20 inches of the surface, and urban development in Tampa and Hillsborough County often leaves compacted, nutrient-poor sandy soil.
Ask for a walk-over so the crew can check the base and tell you whether a spot repair will hold. For more on patios, walkways and walls, see hardscaping in Tampa.
Questions about paver haze
Is white haze a defect?
No. It is a natural process in cement products, not damage or a defect. It can show a few weeks or months after install.
Will Tampa rain make it go away?
The haze clears faster in rainy, sunny climates, and the Tampa Bay area's rainy season runs from May 25 to October 10. If it is still there after a wet stretch, scrub it with dish soap first.
What should I scrub white haze with?
Dish soap, water and a stiff plastic brush. Use an efflorescence remover only if the soap does not lift it, and test a small spot first.
Can I use a wire brush or an acid cleaner?
Skip the wire brush. Acid-based cleaners can slightly change paver color, so try any remover on one hidden corner before the whole patio.
When can I seal the pavers?
Only once the haze is gone. After sealing, wait at least 4 hours before furniture goes back on the patio.
How much does cleaning and sealing cost?
About $2 per square foot for pavers, a national figure from Bob Vila (2023). Ask for a written quote that lists the square footage, the material and the base depth.
Get your pavers looked at
Call us or use the form. Tampa Landscaping Pros calls you back within one business day. The crew comes out and measures, you get a written price before any work starts, and when the job needs a City permit we pull it.