How to Clean Patio Stains without a Power Washer

Maintain your dwelling house'south value by cleaning stained cement floors and patios. You don't need any special equipment, just a few common ingredients.

Photo of empty garage with stained concrete and cement floor

How to Clean Stained Cement or Physical

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

Time required: Varies

What to Know Before Y'all Start

Cleaning a stained cement or concrete floor isn't a quick chore, just it'southward not a difficult one, either. Before you get started, in that location are a couple of important things to remember:

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

two. Use good ventilation. If you lot're working in the garage, open the doors. If y'all're working indoors, open windows. You'll be stirring up a lot of dust and maybe other irritants that take soaked into the cement. Protect your lungs. If y'all have asthma or allergies, it's a good thought to habiliment a particulate respirator mask, too.

Equipment You lot Need:

  • Push broom
  • Saucepan
  • Potent castor
  • Spray bottle (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 Dingy Cement

Before y'all begin cleaning cement stains, general cleaning of the entire surface.

  1. Sweep the surface with a push broom to remove debris.
  2. In a bucket, combine ane/2 loving cup baking soda, 1 gallon of hot h2o, and a good squirt of liquid dish soap. Employ a push 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 it with oxygenated bleach. Different the chlorinated version, oxygen bleach won't harm your lawn or any plants lining your driveway. (I utilize OxiClean.) Again, use the broom'southward bristles to scrub the surface area, then 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 alone isn't enough to remove mold, moss, or cement from other organic affair. To clean mold stains on your cement, y'all have to kill the spores or plant cloth 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 permit the surface area completely dry.

For actually stubborn mold or mildew stains on cement, use a solution of ane/4 cup oxygenated bleach mixed into 1 gallon of hot water. Let this sit down in place for 15-30 minutes, then rinse and dry the surface.

Grease or Oil Stains

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

It is possible to become rid of these greasy cement stains, but you'll need to exist patient. In other words, the best manner to clean your cement's 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 powder, cornstarch, dirt cat litter, or diatomaceous globe. (I keep a bag of the latter on paw for cement stains and besides to keep ants out of the house.) These substances are all very absorbent and can pull greasy messes out of cement. You need to apply a thick layer, though, of around a one-half-inch.
  2. Let the powder to remain in place 24 hours to elevator the oil. Cheque it a few times and apply more than powder if yous see the top layer starting to testify grease. After a full twenty-four hours, sweep up the mess and discard it.
  3. Adjacent, combine 1 quart of very hot water and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap in a bucket. (Adding one/four cup of Pino-Sol can help, just avoid using pino oil products if yous have pets.)
  4. Apply the mixture to the area and scrub it 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 stiff brush may be enough to remove it. Rinse well with fresh water after, though, since undiluted vinegar tin etch cement over time.

For larger or older rust stains, become the area damp and then sprinkle information technology with a product containing oxalic acrid. (I use Bar Keeper's Friend.) This all-natural acid is mild enough that it won't etch your cement but strong plenty to deliquesce rust. Scrub the spot with a stiff brush, rinse thoroughly, and repeat until the stain is gone.

Tips to Preclude Cement Stains

Information technology's always ameliorate to prevent stains than to let them happen and hope you can get rid of them by cleaning. The tips below volition assist you avoid the about 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 physical floors looking brand new. If you lot plan to sell your home in the next year or two, this stride can really print buyers. (Here are more cleaning tips to protect your home'southward value.) DIY sealants need to be reapplied every 2 to 3 years. Professional, penetrating physical sealants can last as long as xx years and often carry a transferrable warranty.

Barriers and Liners

Use a removable, waterproof barrier betwixt your cement and things probable to stain it. In the garage, this means lining the floor below your cars with oil drip mats. Look for a slip-proof 1 that's easy to clean and it will continue oil or other leaking car fluids from dissentious your flooring. (We use this one.)

Utilise rugs or mats below patio furniture to grab spills and prevent rust spots. Choose a rug specifically designed for outdoor use and so water doesn't damage information technology. Outdoor rugs and mats won't trap water below 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. Apply baste trays beneath planters so runoff and soil don't cause stains. Exist sure to empty those trays afterwards heavy rains so they don't concenter mosquitoes. (Here are more ways to go on mosquitoes abroad from your patio.)

Deal with Wet

Don't let moisture etch or discolor cement. Utilize downspout extensions to divert rainwater from your abode'southward foundation and into the lawn rather than onto your concrete surfaces. Also, make sure to clear away leaves and other debris after storms or during the fall flavour. Letting autumn leaves collect on your patio tin trap moisture and cause mold and mildew stains.

How Ofttimes to Make clean Cement Areas

Cleaning your outdoor areas is a year-round task. Sweep cement patios, steps, and sidewalks weekly during warm weather and at least in one case a month during winter. Sweep your garage at least once a month, likewise. Clean spills on concrete when you meet them and use fans to dry indoor cement areas whatever time they get wet. Routine cleaning of cement and concrete areas is ultimately the easiest way to prevent stains.