Alkaline cleaners, like chlorine bleach, ammonia, borax, and baking soda should also be avoided as sealed concrete floor cleaners. For nonporous surfaces,
It is generally accepted that boric acid has little effect on concrete, but concrete shows a large performance loss at 70 °C and 180,000 ppm.
To clean oil stains off concrete using borax: Make a paste of 1/2 cup borax with hot tap water. The water must be hot enough to dissolve the borax crystals. Apply the paste over the oil stain and scrub with a stiff nylon bristle brush, and allow it to sit there for at least an hour.
While the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies borax as being noncarcinogenic, it does pose some risks, including: skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. digestive problems. infertility.
Borax health risks
It's banned in U.S. food products. It also can irritate your skin and eyes, and it can hurt your nose, throat, and lungs if you breathe it in. If you're around it often, it can cause rashes and might affect male reproductive organs.
Kill Boxelder Beetles and Other Pests
Ants aren't the only thing borax will kill. In fact, many companies make borax insecticides designed to get rid of household pests. Sprinkle borax powder along the edges of your sidewalk, foundation, and driveway to get rid of boxelder beetles and cockroaches.
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.
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.
While low in toxicity to humans, borax powder should not be inhaled, ingested, or left in contact with the skin or eyes. According to the CDC, borax exposure may cause irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, and nose bleeds and breathing difficulty.
The boron in borax is a plant nutrient, but be careful because too much borax applied directly to the ground can kill plants and grass. If you want to avoid making a mess or killing your grass, you can purchase easy-and-ready-to-use borax ant killer bait stations.
Keep fertilizers away from concrete
Fertilizers often contain ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate which are harmful chemicals that can disintegrate concrete. Avoid using these on our near your concrete during its first year.
The inorganic compounds which are useful as concrete dissolvers generally include inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, phosphoric, hypochlorous and carbonic acid. Salts of these acids and alkalies such as sodium-hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate and ammoniumsulfate are also eifective.
First, make sure to keep it away from children's reach. Second, avoid using it as a cosmetic product and handle it with care at all times. This usually means wearing a mask and gloves when using it. Finally, do NOT mix Borax with any boric acid products, such as pesticides.
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.
Cleaning concrete with vinegar will not damage it! However, saturating concrete for an extended period will damage the cement that binds concrete together. Over time, vinegar erodes the concrete itself, so be careful.
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 Liquid peroxide cleans, refreshes, and brightens concrete, tile, and grout without leaving watermarks or residue in contrast to other cleaning chemicals. Powdered peroxide-based formulas are generally high-performance alkaline, tile and grout cleaners and degreasers that are made for use on heavy-duty concrete.
Baking Soda
Salt and commercial ice-melt formulations can stain — or actually eat away — the concrete around your house.
Use as a General Household Cleaner
Spray on areas prone to soap scum and mildew buildup, such as porcelain sinks, bathtubs and showers. Use the borax spray to spot clean carpet, stainless-steel surfaces and outdoor furniture. Add some lemon juice to the mixture and you'll have a potent rust remover.
In addition, you can use Borax to deter mice from invading your home. Sprinkle borax around any openings, crevices, eaves, or roofs. If you have children or pets, you should choose a different method.
That brings us to the crucial questions: Is borax toxic to dogs or cats? Or can we clean with this natural ingredient worry-free? Unfortunately, borax is, in fact, toxic to both dogs and cats. And although it's considered natural, borax can cause harmful side effects in pets—and humans.