How To Clean Patio Floor

October 6, 2021

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Hiring Professional Concrete Cleaners

How to clean a stained concrete patio

If youve tried every product you could find to remove a stain on concrete and nothing is working, there are services available to homeowners who desire some extra strength.

Professional cleaners often used powerful chemicals like muriatic acid that break down oil stains easier than other compounds.

Your concrete driveway, garage floor, or patio will inevitably endure a few stains. Skills like knowing how to pressure wash concrete help to keep your concrete looking like it was freshly poured. The sooner youre able to spot a stain, the easier it is to remove.

Sometimes cleaning concrete is a hassle with not enough time in the day to get to it. If thats the case, apply a sealer to your concrete to fill the pores and keep stains off.

Regardless of which action you decide to take, your concrete and homes curb appeal are left in better condition than before.

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How Often To Clean Your Patio Or Outdoor Surface

The frequency of cleaning will depend on how much mold, mildew, or moss there is and how often it comes back. Applications may need to be repeated for especially moldy areas. Other times, this could be done once a year for a spring cleaning every season. Remember, it will be worth the effort when guests come over and there will be no embarrassment from the unsightly mold.

The Spruce / Sydney Brown

General Maintenance Of Concrete Floors

Concrete floors should be cleaned at least once a year to keep them in tip-top shape. Before starting, remove any items from the areaif its an outdoor patio, remove all potted plants, furniture, and decorative items. Do a spot test by testing your cleaner in an inconspicuous area to ensure your method will not cause any additional discoloration or damage to your concrete.

To clean a concrete floor in your basement, you may need to do it in sections by moving everything from one side of the room to the other, and then switching back to finish the job.

Inspect your floors for cracks or chips and make any necessary repairs before beginning the cleaning process.

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When Is It Time To Reseal A Concrete Patio

Even when properly applied to a clean well-profiled surface, a sealer will wear away over time. The average service life is three to five years, depending on foot traffic, weather, and other exposure conditions. Resealing a concrete patio on a regular basis will help to preserve its color and resilience.

There are several ways you can tell when a patio needs a new coat of sealer. Has the surface lost its sheen? Does water soak in rather than bead up on top? Is the finish beginning to show signs of wear? If the answer to all of these questions is yes, its time to reseal.

Often all you need to do is to give the concrete patio a good soap and water cleaning, followed by a light reapplication of the same sealer used initially. However, if you are switching to a different brand or type of sealer, most manufacturers recommend removing all traces of previously used sealers because the products may not be compatible. Never apply a solvent-based sealer over a water-based product because the solvent can eat away or soften the existing water-based sealer. For more information, read our guide to cleaning and sealing exterior decorative concrete.

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Concrete Cleaner Or Degreaser

How to Clean a Concrete Patio Without a Pressure Washer

Typically, concrete cleaners and degreasers are made from concentrated alkaline soap. These will loosen up the oil for easy cleanup. They do not, however, break down the oil so they will not work well on concrete that has been stained for a long time. This solution is most effective on porous concrete.

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Pressure Washing Your Patio

1Equip a high-powered pressure washer. The majority of common concrete stains can be coaxed out with enough force. For more noticeable stains like rust, mold and compacted dirt, a pressure washer may be just the thing you need.XResearch source

Pressure washers unleash a concentrated stream of water, chiseling difficult messes from smooth, hard surfaces.

You can typically rent pressure washers from home improvement stores and gardening centers for just a few dollars a day.XResearch source

2Spray off the surface of the patio. Aim the nozzle of the pressure washer downward and away from your body. Use slow vertical sweeping motions to push the dislodge dirt off of the patioXResearch source

Concrete is not easily damaged, so dont be reluctant to use the pressure washer on a higher setting.XResearch source

Make sure the surrounding area is set up for proper drainage. Otherwise, you could be left with standing water to deal with.

3Wait for the concrete to dry. Keep the patio clear until all remaining water has been drained and evaporated. It may be possible to speed the process along by wiping off excess water with a squeegee or dabbing it with a clean, dry towel. Once its dry, you can put all furniture and other items back into place.

Concrete patios need to be pressure washed an average of once or twice a year to keep them free from buildup that may eventually cause structural damage.

Loosening Light Stains With Vinegar

1Combine distilled white vinegar with warm water. Pour the vinegar and water into a large bucket in equal quantities and stir them together. Vinegar is naturally acidic, and can help lift and dissolve stains from within the shallow pores of the concrete better than water alone. Use a ratio of two parts vinegar to one part water if your patio has been affected by moss or mildew growth.XResearch source

If you dont happen to have vinegar on hand, the same concentration of hydrogen peroxide should also do the trick.XResearch source

For slightly heavier or more persistent grime, add half a cup of baking soda to the vinegar solution.

2Douse the dirty concrete with the vinegar solution. Slosh the contents of the bucket directly over the surface of the patio. Making sure to cover as much area as you can so that the vinegar will be able to clean the concrete evenly.XResearch source

Apply the solution liberally. Vinegar isnt damage concrete, so you wont have to worry about accidentally using too much.

It may be necessary to mix up more solution if youre cleaning a particularly large area.

3Allow the vinegar to sit for several hours. While vinegar makes an effective natural cleaner, it is relatively mild, which means it will take time to work. The solution will gradually seep down into the concrete, breaking up trapped and solidified dirt.XResearch source

Make better use of your time by tackling other household cleaning and maintenance tasks while the concrete is soaking.

Water Stains Mold And Mildew

Cleaning concrete floors in a basement that is has a mold or mildew problem is different from cleaning a concrete patio with the same issue. If you have a mold or mildew problem on your basement floor, do not sweep the areayoull end up spreading mold spores around the basement, causing a much bigger problem.

Open any windows and allow fresh air to circulate while cleaning. Spray the problem area with a solution of mold-killing detergent and water , scrub the area with a brush, and rinse with a clean wet mop.

Once the area is completely dry, examine it to determine if you need to repeat the process.

To remove water, mold, or mildew stains from concrete patios and driveways, use a hose or pressure washer. If stains persist, mix a solution of one-quarter bleach to one gallon of hot water and scrub the area with a brush, watering down nearby foliage first to prevent damage from runoff. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Proper Maintenance Goes A Long Way

Aggregate Concrete Cleaning- Patio Cleaning

Cleaning is a necessary step in maintaining concrete floors. When you know how to clean concrete the right way, you can extend the lifespan of the surface and make the most out of your investment.

Of course, you can always outsource the job to the professionals at Washh. Call us today at 704.321.8000 or contact us online to learn more about our concrete pressure washing services.

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How To Clean Concrete Patio Try These 5 Ways

To clean concrete patios, you can wash with vinegar and baking soda mix or specialty concrete cleaner. To get out rust stains, youll need oxalic acid and a pressure washer. Mildew stains come out with bleach and pressurized water. Lastly, you can remove grease stains with cornstarch and degreaser.

Are you looking for how to clean concrete patio? With just a few easy steps, you can transform a dirty space into the shining focal point of your outdoor living space.

I know how important it is to keep your outdoor spaces spic and span. More than looking good, a clean concrete patio can give you peace of mind and prevent you from slipping. Therefore, Ive put together this foolproof guide that you can follow.

Natural Homemade Cleaners For Concrete Patios

Clean By Laundry Detergent

1 gallon of warm water
A brush/sponge

How to Clean:

You mix one teaspoon of prepared detergent with one gallon of warm water and apply this mixture to the chairs oxidized areas and scrub them with a brush or a sponge to remove all stains.

To enhance the effect of the washing process, you should leave this solution on the chairs for 15 minutes before rinsing them with water and clean them with a soft cloth.

How To Clean Concrete Patio In No Time

How to Clean Wood Decks With a Pressure Washer

By following the steps above, you can learn how to clean concrete patio either by hand or with a pressure washer. This is an essential skill to know so you can keep your outdoor space clean, hygienic, and an enjoyable place to spend time.

Did you enjoy this tutorial? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and share the article if you found it helpful. As always, if you have any further questions, please feel free to request more information.

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Clean The Paintings With Mild Cleanser

In this last step, you will need to put a mild cleanser on a bucket, then soak the cloth-head mop in it, and run the mop back and forth on the painting. When you finish washing all of the painting, soak the mop in water and clean the whole floor again.

Caution: Do not use cleaners with acidic ingredients such as ammonia or bleach because your floor will be damaged.

How To Clean Concrete

From driveways to patios, and all the areas in between, here are the best ways to clean concrete floors.

Flipboard

Durable, low-maintenance, and inexpensive, theres a reason concrete is a homeowners go-to material when it comes to basement floors, patios, and driveways.

Of course, that doesnt mean concrete is impervious to stainsit does require a good cleaning now and then. Whether youre doing spring cleaning or have a problem stain, heres how to clean concrete floors so they look their very best.

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Upholster Pplastic Chairs For Preservation

If your plastic furniture is frequently exposed to the outside environment , you should wrap them up with fabric upholstery to avoid plastic tables and chairs being oxidized or damaged by the impact of dirt.

Additionally, upholster plastic furniture with colorful and attractive coats is also a way to increase their aesthetics, making users feel more sympathetic.

You can also leave unused plastic chairs in a shady place, away from direct sunlight, as long periods of time in the sun will degrade and oxidize your plastic chairs quickly.

How Do Sealers Improve Patio Appearance

Saltio tile patio floor clean up by Pave Cleaner

In addition to protecting colored concrete patios from fading, a sealer can also enhance and intensify the color. Depending on the type of sealer you apply, your options range from a natural matte finish to a high-gloss sheen.

Chemically reactive sealers are nearly invisible because they penetrate into the concrete, making them great choices for concrete patios that are stamped to replicate weathered stone. Water-based acrylic resin sealers will provide greater color enhancement and a low-gloss satin finish. And solvent-based acrylic sealers and epoxies will give concrete a high-gloss wet look and significantly deepen the color. There are also sealers specifically formulated to enhance the beauty of natural stone in exposed aggregate concrete .

Here are several examples of stamped and stained concrete patios that were enhanced by the application of a sealer:Tiered Concrete Patio Mimics Grouted Stone

Apply Two Coats Of Concrete Sealer

Seal the patio with two coats of MasonrySaver® Decorative Concrete Sealer per label directions. The sealer can be applied using a brush and roller or by spraying with a garden variety pump-up type sprayer. Avoid puddling or ponding of the product. Allow adequate time between coats for the sealer to completely dry before applying the second coat. The sealer must be applied within four hours. After four hours of cure time, the sealer is too hard to bond to. Allow a minimum of four hours before subjecting the surface to foot traffic. Full cure of the sealer is achieved within three to four days.

Strip a Stamped Concrete Sealer

Stamped concrete sealers will alter the appearance by giving a wet look and or shine.

Unfortunately, Stamped Concrete Sealers sometimes fail by discoloring and turning milky white or yellow in color and will need to be chemically stripped to fix.

The main ingredient of a Stamped Concrete Sealer Stripper, Methylene Chloride has now been banned for consumer use in the US. The good news is that there are other options that will work. The main difference is a longer dwell time to activate.

Here are the main reasons as to why you will need to strip an old sealer from your Stamped Concrete:

How To Clean Your Patio With Bleach

Cleaning your patio with bleach provides a little extra oomph over soapy water. Bleach gets into all the dirty cracks and helps to improve the appearance of your patio slabs dramatically. It can help you get rid of moss, algae and weeds.

Cleaning a patio with bleach is easy once you know how, but it can be dangerous. First, youll need to make sure that theres no run-off of the bleach onto any surrounding plant life. Plants that come into contact with bleach will die.

Second, bleach isnt suitable for man-made concrete slabs only natural paving stones. Bleach will fade artificial slabs over time. Lastly, youll need to wear protective clothing to stop the bleach from getting on your skin.

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How To Clean Concrete Floors The Right Way

What is the best concrete cleaner? Although you might be looking for a one-size-fits-all solution to cleaning concrete, it is not quite that simple. The concrete cleaner and method you use will largely vary according to the type of finish on the concrete.

The good news, though, is that the overall process of how to clean concrete is rather quick and easy. Below, you will the ways on how to clean concrete floor depending on the exact material used it is made of:

Removing Fertilizer Stains From A Concrete Patio

Fertilizer from your lawn or planters can leave stains on concrete. The ingredients in fertilizer penetrate and react with the cement, causing a permanent color change. Try using a clear white vinegar, diluted 50:50 with water to bring out the stains. Test in a small area first and be aware that the acid may etch or change the profile of the concrete in the areas you clean.

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How To Clean Concrete Driveway

You may wonder, What can I use to clean my concrete driveway? Just like concrete patios, you can use a homemade bleach or vinegar solution. You can also use a mixture of water and trisodium phosphate, though it is more harmful to the environment. Other than that, you can use muriatic acid to clean concrete, but it is highly toxic. As such, when using muriatic acid, make sure to wear the proper protective gear.

Here are the steps you should take when cleaning concrete driveways:

Sweep away any loose dirt, dust, and debris.
Apply a commercial or homemade concrete cleaner to the surface and scrub using a stiff nylon brush.
Alternatively, you can use a pressure washer to apply the cleaner and let it sit for 5 to 7 minutes.

Rinse away any residue with clean water using a pressure washer or garden hose.

Allow the surface to dry completely.

How To Clean Your Epoxy Garage Floor

Wondering how to clean your epoxy garage floor? In order to remove those tough tire marks from a floor with epoxy coating, soak the affected area with the best cleaner for epoxy floors, our recommended diluted ammonia mix.

Let it rest for about five minutes. Then, using a stiff bristle nylon brush, scrub the marks gently until the marks have dissipated. This is the best method demonstrating how to clean your epoxy garage floors.

As with liquid spills on an epoxy floor, it is easier to remove the marks if you tend to them immediately after noticing them. The more marks built up on the floor, the harder it is to remove them. A quick hack for if you have a vehicle sitting in your garage for a long period of time, is to place cardboard or any type of buffer between the tyres and the epoxy floor.

Bilder: Bannafarsai_Stock, BELL KA PANG / shutterstock.com

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