In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
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.
Vinegar does not dissolve concrete itself but can degrade the cement that binds concrete together. As a weak, dilute acid, vinegar will cause only minor damage to concrete but can take the shine off polished surfaces. It can, however, be used to remove small amounts of cement from tools.
Yes, vinegar is an excellent concrete cleaner. This solution can strip surface-level messes from concrete. Due to its acidic properties, vinegar can be a powerful tool for breaking down offensive materials such as dirt, stains, and bacteria.
As a gentler cleaner, bleach can't harm concrete's durable material.
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.
Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while. Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while.
Driveways and Sidewalks
If you don't have access to a pressure washer, you can use Super Clean, a hose and a garage broom to get similar results. Spray the area down with cold water, spray on some Super Clean and let it sit a few minutes. Work it into the concrete with the garage broom, and rinse with the hose.
Despite the signal word danger on most such labels, gardeners may instead just see vinegar and be careless. Sobering details: In concentrations over 11%, acetic acid can burn skin and cause eye damage, and concentrations of 20% and above are corrosive to tin, aluminum, iron, and concrete and can even cause blindness.
Mixing vinegar and bleach together releases a poisonous chlorine gas, which can be fatal if inhaled at high enough concentrations.
Natural Stone Countertops. Granite, marble and concrete are porous. Spraying these surfaces with vinegar can cause etching and loss of shine.
Whether your patio is sealed concrete or cement, or even sealed concrete pavers, a bleach and water solution makes it easy to clean away built up soil, stains from leaves and pollen, mold, mildew and algae.
If your area is more prone to algae and mold, then you may want to wash your concrete more often. You should pressure wash your concrete at least once a year to protect your concrete and the value of your home. Using a concrete sealer can also prevent damage to your concrete after it has been washed.
For general purposes, you can clean concrete with a mixture of part distilled white vinegar to part water. The ratio of water to vinegar depends on how deep the stain is that you need to remove from your concrete.
A simple solution of household bleach poured onto the problem area followed by a hot water rinse can remove dirt, grime, mold, and mildew. In certain instances, using a scrubber or a broom with a bleach solution can release embedded dirt. Since concrete is porous, it will retain both odors and stains.
Grab Hydrogen Peroxide
For a natural, stronger solution to tackle stubborn stains on concrete surfaces, mix flour and hydrogen peroxide into a paste the consistency of peanut butter. Spread it over the stained area, and then scrub it with a nonmetallic brush. After giving it a good scrub, let sit overnight.
OxiClean can be used on many surfaces, indoors and out. For removing tannin stains from concrete, first sweep the surface and hose it off. Getting the concrete uniformly damp before you add a cleaner is always a good idea, because doing so will yield more even results.
Liquid peroxide formulas clean and brighten grout lines without harsh acids and chlorine bleaches that can damage the grout and surrounding flooring materials. The Liquid peroxide cleans, refreshes, and brightens concrete, tile, and grout without leaving watermarks or residue in contrast to other cleaning chemicals.
Although the concrete is disinfected after just 5 minutes, lightening it will take a little longer. Leave the bleach solution on the concrete for about 20 minutes, then sweep briskly with the stiff broom to dislodge the softened grime. Use the scrub brush to tackle stubborn areas. Rinse off the patio.
Bleach is commonly used to whiten concrete and is very effective at doing so if the initial stain is removed beforehand. Bleaching stained concrete white prepares it for any additional coloring treatments that you may wish to apply in the future.
When bleach is left to air dry on floors and is not rinsed away, it can leave behind bleach crystals after the bleach evaporates. Sodium hypochlorite will break down into salt and water when left to do so. Since undiluted bleach is mostly water to begin with, once the floor dries, salt crystals will be left behind.