The best way to ensure your concrete surfaces do not get damaged in the winter months is to shovel frequently (preferably with a plastic shovel) and keep your concrete surfaces clear of all ice, snow or snow melt.
Dish soap and water: Dish soap is a degreaser, and it works well to clean oily and grimy concrete. Create a cleaning solution of warm water and few drops of dish soap and apply it to the surface. Let it sit for a while, then mop the patio and rinse it with fresh water. Repeat the process as many times as needed.
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.
In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
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.
Recipe #3 – Mix 1/3 cup Tide to 1 gallon of warm water. Any of these should work well for cleaning unsealed cement garage floors. SCRUB THE FLOOR – Pour your warm water solution onto a section of the garage floor and start scrubbing. Begin at the back of the garage and move outward.
Vinegar is an all-natural solution for cleaning concrete. It kills mildew and mold, removes grime, and helps treat set-in stains. Before cleaning concrete with vinegar, it's essential to dilute it so you don't affect your sealer.
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.
If it ends up in lakes and streams, the phosphates trigger an overgrowth of algae that results in a depletion of oxygen levels in the water, which can endanger fish and other aquatic life. You can use Simple Green Oxy Solve Concrete and Driveway Cleaner to clean a concrete patio with or without a pressure washer.
Another relatively safe and environmentally friendly solution for cleaning concrete is an oxygen bleach product, such as OxiClean. Just be sure to wear rubber gloves, as bleach products can be tough on skin. Sprinkle the powerful solution over the entire patio and scrub it with an ordinary push broom.
In winter months, you must protect and cure your concrete for at least five days. Use blankets or straw over the plastic to insulate the slab. If you leave the concrete exposed, or if you uncover it too soon, the top layer of the concrete can freeze and pop off.
Read the following tips for maintaining your driveway during winter: Keep your driveway clear of leaves and other debris by regularly using a leaf blower or rake. Be alert for oil spills or other substances that can seep into the concrete or asphalt and leave stains or the risk of a slip-and-fall accident.
Concrete that freezes when it is fresh, or before it has cured to a strength that can resist the expansion associated with the freezing water, will suffer a permanent loss of strength. Early freezing can reduce the final strength of the concrete by up to 50 percent.
Instead of penetrating past the surface, these sealers bond to the surface of the concrete substrate. However, if the concrete is dirty and has not been cleaned, then the concrete sealer will not bond to the surface of the concrete.
There are many ways to clean concrete before applying a sealer but we recommend removing all dirt and debris, power-washing and using an industrial strength concrete cleaner before sealing with a concrete sealer. In order to clean the concrete, we first recommend power washing.
Cleaning concrete with muriatic acid can be a highly effective solution if used correctly, providing ultra-bright white concrete and removal of many types of stains. In one application, you can remove rust stains, oil stains, algae, and paint splatter with a quick chemical application followed by pressure washing.
Yes, because a pressure washer is 30-80 times stronger than your hose, it can cause damage if used improperly. If your concrete becomes etched during the pressure wash, you should stop before causing further damage and reduce the pressure.
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. Not to mention that vinegar can also remove germs and bacteria from 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.