How to Clean Patio Stains without a Power Washer

Maintain your home's value past cleaning stained cement floors and patios. You don't need whatever special equipment, just a few common ingredients.

Photo of empty garage with stained concrete and cement floor

How to Clean Stained Cement or Concrete

As with any household task, the best method depends on the type of mess you're cleaning. If your concrete or cement has multiple stains, you'll demand to treat each ane separately.

Time required: Varies

What to Know Before You Kickoff

Cleaning a stained cement or concrete flooring isn't a quick task, just information technology's not a hard one, either. Before you go started, at that place are a couple of of import things to retrieve:

i. Do not mix cleaning methods. Combining dissimilar solvents can cause toxic fumes and lead to serious health problems. Care for each kind of stain one at a time and requite the floor enough time to thoroughly dry between methods. (Find out more most cleaning products that aren't safe to combine.)

2. Apply adept ventilation. If y'all're working in the garage, open up the doors. If you're working indoors, open windows. You'll be stirring up a lot of dust and possibly other irritants that have soaked into the cement. Protect your lungs. If you have asthma or allergies, it'south a proficient idea to wear a particulate respirator mask, also.

Equipment You Demand:

  • Push broom
  • Bucket
  • Strong brush
  • Spray canteen (some stains)

Materials You Need:

  • Baking soda
  • Hot water
  • Liquid dish lather
  • Oxygenated bleach (some stains)
  • Cornstarch or clay true cat litter (some stains)
  • Distilled white vinegar (some stains)
Man using push broom to clean dirty cement sidewalk

General Cleaning for Dirty Cement

Before you begin cleaning cement stains, general cleaning of the entire surface.

  1. Sweep the surface with a push broom to remove droppings.
  2. In a bucket, combine i/two cup blistering soda, 1 gallon of hot water, and a good eject of liquid dish soap. Utilise a push button broom or stiff castor to spread this around and scrub dirty spots. Rinse, and let information technology dry.
  3. For lingering stains, rewet the surface and sprinkle information technology with oxygenated bleach. Dissimilar the chlorinated version, oxygen bleach won't harm your backyard or any plants lining your driveway. (I utilize OxiClean.) Over again, utilise the broom's bristles to scrub the area, then let the oxygenated bleach piece of work for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Rinse the surface and your broom. Let both fully air dry.

Removing Mold, Mildew, or Moss

Sweeping alone isn't enough to remove mold, moss, or cement from other organic matter. To clean mold stains on your cement, you have to kill the spores or institute textile causing the problem.

  1. Spray the moss stain on your cement with equal parts of distilled white vinegar and hot water.
  2. Using the button broom, scrub the surface area well after spraying.
  3. Rinse with a bucket of fresh water and let the area completely dry.

For really stubborn mold or mildew stains on cement, use a solution of 1/4 loving cup oxygenated bleach mixed into one gallon of hot water. Let this sit down in place for xv-30 minutes, then rinse and dry the surface.

Grease or Oil Stains

Oil leaks from cars, lawnmowers, or other equipment can leave a slippery stain on your concrete floor. Since cement is porous, you may observe the oily mess has worked its fashion below the surface to get out a deep stain.

It is possible to get rid of these greasy cement stains, merely yous'll need to be patient. In other words, the best way to make clean your cement's grease stains is with a skilful application of elbow grease. Hither's how.

  1. Soak up the surface spill past sprinkling the area heavily with baby pulverization, cornstarch, clay cat litter, or diatomaceous earth. (I go on a bag of the latter on mitt for cement stains and also to keep ants out of the house.) These substances are all very absorptive and can pull greasy messes out of cement. You need to apply a thick layer, though, of around a half-inch.
  2. Let the powder to remain in place 24 hours to lift the oil. Check information technology a few times and apply more powder if yous run across the summit layer starting to evidence grease. After a full 24-hour interval, sweep up the mess and discard it.
  3. Next, combine 1 quart of very hot h2o and one teaspoon liquid dish soap in a bucket. (Adding 1/iv cup of Pine-Sol can help, just avert using pine oil products if you have pets.)
  4. Apply the mixture to the area and scrub it with a castor or broom. Rinse well with hot water, then permit it air dry.

Removing Rust Stains

If the rust stain on your cement is fairly fresh, cleaning it with direct white vinegar and a stiff brush may be enough to remove it. Rinse well with fresh water later on, though, since undiluted vinegar tin can etch cement over time.

For larger or older rust stains, go the area clammy and then sprinkle it with a product containing oxalic acid. (I use Bar Keeper's Friend.) This all-natural acid is balmy enough that it won't etch your cement simply strong plenty to dissolve rust. Scrub the spot with a stiff brush, rinse thoroughly, and echo until the stain is gone.

Tips to Prevent Cement Stains

It's always amend to prevent stains than to permit them happen and hope you tin can go rid of them by cleaning. The tips below volition help you avoid the most mutual stains on your cement or concrete surfaces.

Clean concrete walkway bordered by trimmed lawn and hedge

Sealants

Applying a sealant to your garage floor protects it from stains and keeps concrete floors looking make new. If you programme to sell your dwelling in the next year or 2, this stride can really impress buyers. (Hither are more cleaning tips to protect your abode's value.) DIY sealants need to be reapplied every two to 3 years. Professional, penetrating concrete sealants can last as long every bit 20 years and frequently carry a transferrable warranty.

Barriers and Liners

Use a removable, waterproof barrier between your cement and things likely to stain it. In the garage, this means lining the floor below your cars with oil drip mats. Look for a slip-proof one that's easy to make clean and it will go along oil or other leaking car fluids from dissentious your floor. (We use this one.)

Use rugs or mats beneath patio furniture to take hold of spills and preclude rust spots. Choose a carpet specifically designed for outdoor use so water doesn't damage it. Outdoor rugs and mats won't trap h2o below them that could lead to mold or mildew growing on your patio.

Don't put flower pots directly onto your patio or front step. Use drip trays beneath planters so runoff and soil don't cause stains. Be sure to empty those trays after heavy rains then they don't attract mosquitoes. (Hither are more ways to proceed mosquitoes away from your patio.)

Bargain with Moisture

Don't let wet etch or discolor cement. Utilize downspout extensions to divert rainwater from your dwelling house's foundation and into the lawn rather than onto your concrete surfaces. Also, make sure to articulate away leaves and other debris afterwards storms or during the fall season. Letting autumn leaves collect on your patio tin can trap moisture and crusade mold and mildew stains.

How Oft to Clean Cement Areas

Cleaning your outdoor areas is a year-round task. Sweep cement patios, steps, and sidewalks weekly during warm weather and at to the lowest degree once a calendar month during wintertime. Sweep your garage at least once a calendar month, too. Make clean spills on concrete when you see them and employ fans to dry out indoor cement areas any time they get wet. Routine cleaning of cement and concrete areas is ultimately the easiest style to foreclose stains.