Concrete is an excellent material for a terrace. It is durable, aesthetic, and non-slip. Taking into account the weather, barbecues, and children’s play, any concrete patio needs a periodic cleaning. I will tell you how to clean a concrete patio in different ways, and you can choose the one that suits you.
How to Clean Concrete Patio with Special Cleaner?
The most simple way to remove stains and dirt from a concrete surface is to use special cleaners which can be in the form of liquids, sprays, or powders.
Cleaning the patio with special cleaning agents takes place in these easy steps:
- Prepare your patio. Clean debris from the floor, move the furniture aside. Make sure no children or animals enter the yard;
- Water the plants to create a water barrier against harmful special cleaner components;
- Pour water over the surface and apply a special cleaning solution. If you cannot hose the floor with water, mop the floor;
- Brush the floor after 15-20 minutes;
- Hose the patio thoroughly to remove all grout. Wait until the surface will dry to use the patio again.
Chemical to Remove Rust from Concrete
If the surface is heavily soiled, there is rust on the floor, you will need special chemicals to clean the concrete patio. Rust stains are difficult to remove. You will need an acid-based cleaner that is good at dissolving rust. All rust cleaning products can be divided into two groups: household and professional. If your patio is not heavily soiled, you can use a few handy tools like vinegar, lemon acid, and baking soda.
Industrial cleaners contain hydrochloric acid, trisodium phosphate. When using them, be sure to follow the safety precautions and instructions. Always wear protective gloves and a respirator when applying the chemical cleaner. Until you completely rinse off the chemical cleaner, keep children and animals out of the patio.
How to Clean Concrete Patio with Vinegar and Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda are the most effective and eco-friendly concrete patio cleaners found in every home. Now I’m going to show you how to make a vinegar-soda solution to quickly clean your patio of stains and rust.
The exact proportions are not so important when preparing the vinegar-soda cleaner. The main thing is to end up with a pasty consistency.
Pour some vinegar into a bowl and add baking soda. The agent will foam. You should add the baking soda gradually to prevent any liquid from draining out of the container. Wait for the foam to settle to see the resulting consistency and decide if you need to add baking soda.
Apply the prepared paste to the surface for 20-30 min. Scrub the stains with a brush. Rinse off the composition with water and wait for the patio to dry.
Easy Tips for Cleaning Concrete Patio
I have prepared some more easy tips for you on how to clean up your patio in most effective ways:
- Do not use metal brushes to clean the concrete patio to avoid damaging the concrete surface;
- If you can’t remove stains, apply the chemical a second time for 30 minutes, then rinse;
- If using bleach or other chemicals, keep pets and children out of the yard;
- Be sure to wear gloves and a respirator to avoid chemical poisoning;
- You can use a special pressure washer to clean the concrete patio instead of a brush. But do not direct the stream of water to flower beds or other plants to avoid damaging them;
- After using chemicals, be sure to rinse lawns and flower beds so that no harmful chemicals remain on the plants;
Wash the concrete patio regularly and treat it with suitable waterproofing to keep it clean.
The frequency of cleaning depends on the climate, amount of sunlight, movement of people and vehicles.
