Concrete is a significant low-cost, durable flooring for your patio and outdoor areas. We decided to install a concrete patio in our home as we liked the look, which was cost-effective. Like the rest of our house, cleaning the deck is part of our schedule.
Today we look at how to clean a concrete patio and what you can do to prevent concrete stains and keep your deck looking great.
Contents
What You Will Need to Clean Concrete Patio
You don’t need special equipment to clean your concrete patio: a broom, bucket, warm water, cleaning solution, scrubbing brush, and a hose. Having access to a power washer will cut back on some of the hard work.
If your patio is stain-free, you need to brush the entire patio to eliminate any loose debris. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions and mix the cleaning solution in the bucket. Spray water on your patio, then use the scrubbing brush dipped in the cleaning solution and get scrubbing. A long-handled scrubbing brush is ideal for this type of work.
Keep your patio clean section by section and use your home or pressure washer to rinse off after scrubbing. If your patio is not too dirty, you will finish the entire surface in no time.
How To Remove Stains
Our patio always gets stains around the grill from grease and spills. Concrete is porous, so it does absorb liquids and will stain. I try to deal with these little messes as they happen, but small areas need extra attention when scrubbing time.
I use the same cleaner I put in the bucket to tackle these grease stains, but I use a much more potent mix. Make a thick paste from the cleaner, then apply it to the affected areas and leave it for two hours. This mixture gets absorbed by the concrete and shifts the stains. After 2 hours, I brush it away and rinse it. Really stubborn stains may take two or three applications to remove.
How To Clean Concrete Patio Without A Pressure Washer
A power washer will help remove some of the hard work cleaning your concrete surface. The added water pressure will mean you do not need to scrub hard. However, you can still have a beautifully clean patio if you cannot hire one. The only thing you will need to do is scrub a little more complicated. A bit of elbow grease will save you money.
How Often Should You Clean Your Concrete Patio
I clean my concrete patio twice a year, but many people do it just once. We do the main cleaning in the fall when it is too cold to use the patio. I do another spring clean to ensure the surface looks great before the outdoor season starts.
We have this twice-a-year cleaning process schedule because we use our patio a lot during the summer months. We do a lot of outdoor entertaining and cook on our BBQ grill three or four times a week. By the end of summer, many grease and food stains need to be cleaned. The end of summer clean means the spring clean is just for any mud or other dirt built up over the winter months.
How To Clean Unsealed Concrete Patios
If your patio is unsealed concrete, you need to pay a little attention to your cleaning schedule. Unsealed concrete will absorb a lot of water and dirt. You can tell if your patio is sealed or unsealed by pouring water on it. If the water beads and runs off, it is sealed. If it sits and gets absorbed, it is unsealed.
When cleaning an unsealed patio, you must pay attention to the concrete cleaner you use. An acidic cleaner, like white vinegar, can loosen the concrete and remove the top layer. When choosing a detergent, select the natural cleaner recommended for unsealed concrete.
How To Remove Mildew Stains
Mildew can grow on a concrete patio, and it can be a tough stain to remove. You will need to treat the stained area with chlorine bleach. This bleach solution will remove the stain and help kill the spores.
Clean the mildew-affected area with a scrub brush, apply the chlorine bleach, and leave for 30 minutes. Return with the scrub brush and garden hose for clean water and scrub away.
Other Stains
If you tackle other tough stains, like rust stains or dog urine, then a cleaner based on Muriatic Acid can help. When dealing with heavy-duty cleaners is essential to follow instructions, not mix them with other cleaners, and wear protective clothing like rubber gloves and protective eyewear.
Cleaning your patio regularly is the key to a great-looking outdoor area. A quick spray with clean water from your garden hose will keep the concrete surface clean and stain-free. Cleaning the entire area regularly once or twice a year to clean stains will keep your entertaining outdoor area the place to be.
