How to Clean Patio Stains without a Power Washer

Maintain your domicile's value past cleaning stained cement floors and patios. You don't demand any special equipment, simply a few common ingredients.

Photo of empty garage with stained concrete and cement floor

How to Make clean Stained Cement or Concrete

As with any household job, the best method depends on the type of mess you're cleaning. If your concrete or cement has multiple stains, you'll need to treat each 1 separately.

Fourth dimension required: Varies

What to Know Before You Get-go

Cleaning a stained cement or concrete floor isn't a quick chore, simply it'southward not a difficult one, either. Earlier yous get started, there are a couple of important things to remember:

1. Do not mix cleaning methods. Combining different solvents tin can cause toxic fumes and lead to serious health problems. Treat each kind of stain one at a time and requite the floor enough fourth dimension to thoroughly dry between methods. (Find out more about cleaning products that aren't safe to combine.)

two. Utilize adept ventilation. If you're working in the garage, open up the doors. If you're working indoors, open up windows. You lot'll be stirring upwardly a lot of dust and perchance other irritants that take soaked into the cement. Protect your lungs. If you have asthma or allergies, information technology's a good idea to clothing a particulate respirator mask, also.

Equipment You Need:

  • Push broom
  • Saucepan
  • Stiff brush
  • Spray bottle (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

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

  1. Sweep the surface with a push broom to remove debris.
  2. In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 gallon of hot water, and a good squirt of liquid dish soap. Use a button broom or stiff brush to spread this around and scrub dirty spots. Rinse, and let it dry.
  3. For lingering stains, rewet the surface and sprinkle information technology with oxygenated bleach. Unlike the chlorinated version, oxygen bleach won't damage your lawn or whatsoever plants lining your driveway. (I use OxiClean.) Again, use the broom's bristles to scrub the expanse, and so let the oxygenated bleach work for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Rinse the surface and your broom. Let both fully air dry.

Removing Mold, Mildew, or Moss

Sweeping solitary isn't enough to remove mold, moss, or cement from other organic affair. To clean mold stains on your cement, you accept to impale the spores or found material 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 h2o and allow the surface area completely dry out.

For actually stubborn mold or mildew stains on cement, use a solution of 1/4 cup oxygenated bleach mixed into 1 gallon of hot water. Let this sit in place for fifteen-xxx minutes, then rinse and dry out 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, you may find the oily mess has worked its way below the surface to go out a deep stain.

It is possible to go rid of these greasy cement stains, but you'll demand to be patient. In other words, the all-time style to clean your cement'south grease stains is with a skillful application of elbow grease. Here's how.

  1. Soak upward the surface spill by sprinkling the area heavily with baby pulverisation, cornstarch, clay cat litter, or diatomaceous world. (I keep a purse of the latter on paw for cement stains and also to go on ants out of the house.) These substances are all very absorbent and tin can pull greasy messes out of cement. You need to employ a thick layer, though, of around a half-inch.
  2. Allow the powder to remain in place 24 hours to lift the oil. Check it a few times and utilize more powder if you lot come across the top layer starting to testify grease. After a full mean solar day, sweep up the mess and discard it.
  3. Next, combine 1 quart of very hot water and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap in a bucket. (Adding one/iv cup of Pine-Sol can assist, simply avert using pine oil products if you take pets.)
  4. Use the mixture to the area and scrub it with a brush or broom. Rinse well with hot water, then let 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 afterward, though, since undiluted vinegar can compose cement over time.

For larger or older rust stains, get the surface area damp and then sprinkle it with a product containing oxalic acrid. (I use Bar Keeper's Friend.) This all-natural acid is mild plenty that it won't etch your cement but potent plenty to dissolve rust. Scrub the spot with a stiff castor, rinse thoroughly, and echo until the stain is gone.

Tips to Preclude Cement Stains

Information technology's always amend to prevent stains than to let them happen and hope you tin get rid of them by cleaning. The tips below volition help you avert the most 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 concrete floors looking brand new. If y'all plan to sell your home in the adjacent twelvemonth or two, this step tin can really impress buyers. (Hither are more than cleaning tips to protect your home's value.) DIY sealants need to be reapplied every 2 to 3 years. Professional person, penetrating concrete sealants tin final every bit long equally 20 years and often carry a transferrable warranty.

Barriers and Liners

Employ 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 baste mats. Look for a skid-proof one that's piece of cake to clean and it volition continue oil or other leaking car fluids from damaging your flooring. (We apply 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 use so water doesn't harm it. Outdoor rugs and mats won't trap water beneath them that could pb to mold or mildew growing on your patio.

Don't put flower pots directly onto your patio or front end step. Use drip trays beneath planters so runoff and soil don't cause stains. Be certain to empty those trays subsequently heavy rains so they don't concenter mosquitoes. (Here are more than ways to keep mosquitoes away from your patio.)

Deal with Moisture

Don't let moisture etch or discolor cement. Use downspout extensions to divert rainwater from your dwelling house's foundation and into the lawn rather than onto your physical surfaces. Also, brand sure to clear away leaves and other debris afterwards storms or during the fall flavour. 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 twelvemonth-round task. Sweep cement patios, steps, and sidewalks weekly during warm weather condition and at least once a calendar month during winter. Sweep your garage at least one time a month, too. Make clean spills on physical when you meet them and utilise fans to dry indoor cement areas any time they become wet. Routine cleaning of cement and concrete areas is ultimately the easiest way to prevent stains.