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.
'A homemade cleaning solution for your patio can be made by mixing equal parts water and white vinegar,' says Zak. 'This natural cleaner is effective in removing dirt, mildew, and algae. For stubborn stains, you can add a few drops of liquid dish soap to the mixture. '
DIY Patio Cleaner With Baking Soda
Make this simple homemade patio cleaner to get your concrete or pavers looking brand new. Make a paste with two parts of baking soda to one part of vinegar. Spread the paste on the patio surface and scrub with a brush (we like a long-handled one so you don't have to bend over).
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Experts say they can do the trick for the patio as well. 'You can remove black spots easily from patios in an eco-friendly, low-cost way, with white vinegar,' says Laura Harnett, Founder, Seep. 'It has antifungal and antibacterial properties and will also stop the mould or lichen growing back.
One of the best things for household stains is white vinegar, and the same can be said for how it targets stubborn garden dirt. This eco-friendly solution is made up of equal parts vinegar and water, which is then left to soak into the patio to correct any discolouration and also remove tough marks.
Cleaning patio slabs with bleach
It is important for us to mention that it may be more environmentally friendly to use detergents than bleach. The bleach will get into the cracks and dramatically improve the look of your patio by killing things like weeds, moss, and algae.
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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.
Vinegar Solution
Vinegar is the perfect option in such cases. Used similarly to bleach, vinegar is known to kill many species of fungus including harmful mold. Spraying a vinegar solution (1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water) onto the surface, saturating it fully, should kill most strains of mold.
After the concrete has dried for at least 24 hours, you can effectively apply a concrete sealer. A sealer helps prevent future stains and potential damage from products like ice salts.
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.
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.
Pour ⅓ cup of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach into 1 gallon of water in a plastic bucket or container. Apply bleach solution using a brush or broom on horizontal surfaces, and a sponge or mop on vertical surfaces. Heavily soiled surfaces may require additional scrubbing. Wait 6 minutes for disinfecting.