Pressure washing is one of the fastest, most effective ways to get your concrete white again. Concrete can change color over time due to pollen, algae, or dirt buildup, but a good pressure wash can easily remove dirt and stains and make your concrete look new again.
In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
Treat patio stains.
Water stains, mold, and mildew: Use a garden hose or pressure washer to remove water stains or mildew. If this doesn't do the trick, mix a solution of 3/4 cup bleach and 1 gallon water. Wearing protective gear, including rubber gloves, scrub the area with a brush. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
A quick answer is yes! White vinegar can clean concrete and remove stains. It may not be as powerful as concrete cleaners, but it can clean up concrete stains on a budget.
Add 2 ⅔ cups Clorox® Outdoor Bleach to the pump sprayer and then add 13 ⅓ cups water to make 1 gallon of bleach solution. Wear gloves, safety glasses and clothing that you don't mind accidentally splashing with bleach solution.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Simply fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar (or water and baking soda), and add a little bit of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture on your concrete surface and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then scrub and rinse your concrete.
Use Bleach
But that's not all; chlorine bleach can also be used for cleaning the concrete driveway. Of course, you should dilute it with equal parts of water or a 1:1 ratio. With the mixture ready, spray it on the driveway, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, use a stiff brush before rinsing with clean water.
Although bleach is great at the whitening effect, you can use peroxide to achieve this. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxygenated bleach. It is safe for plants, so when you rinse this solution, it won't harm anything. It works together with the dish soap and baking soda to remove dirt and whiten dirty concrete.
As a gentler cleaner, bleach can't harm concrete's durable material. Aside from being an effective cleaner and stain remover, it also acts as a disinfectant to the concrete surface.
The 1600-WHITE series of water-based, white-pigmented concrete curing compounds are wax-based dispersions with selected white pigments. When properly applied, 1600-WHITE forms a premium-grade membrane, which optimizes water retention.
Although the bulk of the hydration process takes place in the hours and days immediately after the pour, concrete needs 28 days to fully dry. While the slab will harden and lighten in color before 28 days, don't be fooled into thinking it's done hydrating.
The Liquid peroxide cleans, refreshes, and brightens concrete, tile, and grout without leaving watermarks or residue in contrast to other cleaning chemicals.
Mix equal parts water and vinegar and apply it to concrete. If this stain removal technique doesn't work, use 100% vinegar and scrub stains out. This solution can work on many surfaces, including car seats and hardwood floors.
Use a mild grease-cutting detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water and a natural or synthetic bristle scrub brush to help brighten the patio surface. NOTE: Never use a wire brush as it can leave rust stains and scratch the concrete surface.
Cleansing — For mild discoloration, repeatedly flushing the hardened concrete surface with hot water, then scrubbing with a stiff brush, can reduce or remove discolored blotches. Acid treatment — If the discoloration is more severe, a mild acid solution of 1-3% muriatic acid to water can help remove the discoloration.
Since a non-reactive stain colors the concrete by filling the concrete's pores or by creating a film that sits on the concrete's surface, typical moisture-related problems include flaking, peeling, bubbling, blistering and dark spots. All of these can cause concrete discolorations.
The product's major asset, aside form its striking architectural beauty, is its ability to remain white throughout its life. White concrete, obviously, is not a surface treatment that can deteriorate with age.
There are two ways you can take a dark stain and make the final shade lighter. First option would be to dilute the acid stain itself. Second option would be to wash the stain off earlier in the process. In addition a second test patch should be done before completing the project.
A water-based acrylic concrete stain is probably the easiest to apply for the inexperienced do-it-yourselfer. The acrylic compound soaks into the concrete and adheres well. This type of stain can produce some very deep colors.