How to Clean Patio Stains without a Power Washer

Maintain your home's value by cleaning stained cement floors and patios. You lot don't need any special equipment, but a few common ingredients.

Photo of empty garage with stained concrete and cement floor

How to Clean Stained Cement or Concrete

Equally with any household task, the all-time method depends on the type of mess you're cleaning. If your physical or cement has multiple stains, you'll demand to care for each one separately.

Time required: Varies

What to Know Earlier You Commencement

Cleaning a stained cement or physical floor isn't a quick task, but it'south not a hard ane, either. Earlier you get started, there are a couple of important things to recollect:

1. Practise not mix cleaning methods. Combining different solvents can crusade toxic fumes and atomic number 82 to serious health problems. Treat each kind of stain one at a time and requite the floor enough time to thoroughly dry betwixt methods. (Observe out more about cleaning products that aren't safe to combine.)

2. Employ adept ventilation. If yous're working in the garage, open the doors. If you're working indoors, open windows. Y'all'll be stirring upwards a lot of dust and possibly other irritants that have soaked into the cement. Protect your lungs. If you have asthma or allergies, information technology's a good idea to wear a particulate respirator mask, as well.

Equipment You Need:

  • Push broom
  • Saucepan
  • Potent brush
  • Spray canteen (some stains)

Materials You Need:

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

General Cleaning for Muddied Cement

Before y'all brainstorm cleaning cement stains, general cleaning of the unabridged surface.

  1. Sweep the surface with a push broom to remove debris.
  2. In a bucket, combine 1/two cup blistering soda, i gallon of hot water, and a good eject of liquid dish lather. Use a push broom or potent brush to spread this around and scrub dirty spots. Rinse, and permit it dry.
  3. For lingering stains, rewet the surface and sprinkle it with oxygenated bleach. Unlike the chlorinated version, oxygen bleach won't harm your backyard or any plants lining your driveway. (I use OxiClean.) Once again, use the broom'south bristles to scrub the surface area, then let the oxygenated bleach work for 10-xv minutes.
  4. Rinse the surface and your broom. Let both fully air dry.

Removing Mold, Mildew, or Moss

Sweeping alone isn't plenty to remove mold, moss, or cement from other organic matter. To clean mold stains on your cement, you take to kill the spores or plant 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 push broom, scrub the 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/iv cup oxygenated bleach mixed into i gallon of hot water. Allow this sit down in identify for xv-30 minutes, then rinse and dry the surface.

Grease or Oil Stains

Oil leaks from cars, lawnmowers, or other equipment tin can leave a slippery stain on your concrete floor. Since cement is porous, yous may find the oily mess has worked its way beneath the surface to leave a deep stain.

It is possible to become rid of these greasy cement stains, just you'll demand to be patient. In other words, the best style to make clean your cement's grease stains is with a skilful application of elbow grease. Hither'south how.

  1. Soak up the surface spill by sprinkling the surface area heavily with baby pulverisation, cornstarch, clay cat litter, or diatomaceous globe. (I keep a handbag of the latter on mitt for cement stains and also to go along ants out of the firm.) These substances are all very absorbent and can pull greasy messes out of cement. You lot need to utilize a thick layer, though, of around a half-inch.
  2. Permit the pulverization to remain in place 24 hours to lift the oil. Check it a few times and apply more powder if yous run across the meridian layer starting to show grease. After a full day, sweep upwards the mess and discard it.
  3. Next, combine 1 quart of very hot water and i teaspoon liquid dish soap in a bucket. (Adding i/4 cup of Pine-Sol tin assist, but avert using pine oil products if y'all have pets.)
  4. Utilise the mixture to the area and scrub information technology with a brush 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 straight white vinegar and a strong brush may be enough to remove it. Rinse well with fresh water afterward, though, since undiluted vinegar tin compose cement over time.

For larger or older rust stains, get the area damp and then sprinkle it with a production containing oxalic acid. (I utilize Bar Keeper's Friend.) This all-natural acid is balmy plenty that information technology won't etch your cement but 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

Information technology's always amend to prevent stains than to let them happen and hope y'all can become rid of them by cleaning. The tips below will aid you lot avoid the nearly common 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 physical floors looking brand new. If you plan to sell your home in the side by side yr or ii, this pace tin can really print buyers. (Hither are more cleaning tips to protect your home's value.) DIY sealants need to be reapplied every 2 to 3 years. Professional, penetrating concrete sealants tin can terminal as long equally twenty years and frequently carry a transferrable warranty.

Barriers and Liners

Use a removable, waterproof bulwark between your cement and things likely to stain information technology. In the garage, this ways lining the flooring beneath your cars with oil drip mats. Look for a slip-proof 1 that's easy to clean and it will proceed oil or other leaking automobile fluids from dissentious your floor. (Nosotros use this one.)

Use rugs or mats below patio furniture to take hold of spills and prevent rust spots. Choose a rug specifically designed for outdoor employ and so water doesn't damage it. Outdoor rugs and mats won't trap water below them that could atomic number 82 to mold or mildew growing on your patio.

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

Deal with Moisture

Don't let moisture compose or discolor cement. Apply downspout extensions to divert rainwater from your dwelling's foundation and into the lawn rather than onto your concrete surfaces. As well, make sure to clear away leaves and other droppings subsequently storms or during the fall season. Letting autumn leaves collect on your patio can trap wet and cause mold and mildew stains.

How Often to Clean Cement Areas

Cleaning your outdoor areas is a yr-round task. Sweep cement patios, steps, and sidewalks weekly during warm weather and at least once a calendar month during winter. Sweep your garage at least once a calendar month, too. Clean spills on concrete when you see them and employ fans to dry indoor cement areas any time they become moisture. Routine cleaning of cement and concrete areas is ultimately the easiest manner to prevent stains.