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How to clean concrete with bleach and baking soda
Wouldn’t it be great if your concrete driveway looked as fantastic as it did when it was first installed? Stains and spills will inevitably occur, wreaking havoc on the appearance of your concrete surface, no matter how careful you are. Fortunately, there are numerous methods for removing stains and maintaining the appearance of your concrete. Many concrete cleaning chores can be completed with items that most property owners already have on hand.
Below is a list of items that are often used to clean up new spills and set stains, as well as recommendations on what to do before cleaning.
Cleaning and Preparing Your Concrete
Check to see if you have the following items before beginning the concrete cleaning process:
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Mop
- Bucket
- Brush for Scrubbing (not metallic)
- Bottle for spraying
- Gloves
- Litter for cats
You may not need everything on this list depending on the size of the stain and how much of your concrete surface requires cleaning. Sweep the area of any loose debris before employing the cleaning procedures below if there is no extra liquid on the concrete surface and you’re just doing a basic cleaning.
Pour cat litter over any standing liquid on your concrete (such as grease, oil, wine, etc.) and let it soak up the extra liquid for about 30 minutes. If you don’t have kitty litter on hand, baking soda will absorb the excess moisture.
Your concrete is ready to be cleaned once the liquid has been soaked up and the litter or baking soda has been swept up and disposed of.
To remove a stain, all of the methods below will require a scrub brush. Avoid using a metallic scrub brush since it can leave metal fragments behind that will rust and stain your concrete.
Use These Five Concrete Cleaning Products
- Soda
Grease stains can be removed with baking soda. It may sound absurd, but it is true! This is due to the presence of three important components in soda.
- Carbonated water (sometimes referred to as carbonic acid)
- Phosphoric acid is a kind of phosphoric acid.
- Acidic (citric)
These three acids are effective at removing oil from concrete. This approach works with any drink that contains these chemicals, but Coke is a popular choice. Pour the soda onto the concrete and leave it to settle for 15 to 30 minutes. You can clean the rest with cleaner and water using scrub brushes, towels, or a mop, depending on the extent of the stain.
- Disinfectant
For smaller grease spills, this is a good option. A strong detergent mixed with water, a scrub brush, a sponge, and some good ol’ elbow grease should suffice.
- Baking Soda and Vinegar
If you want to use a natural cleaner, cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a wonderful alternative. While using bleach or detergent to clean concrete can be effective, it can also be hazardous to plants. This is the solution if you’re cleaning your concrete patio or sidewalk and you’re concerned about neighboring plant life.
Simply mix equal parts water and vinegar (or water and baking soda) in a spray bottle, and then add a few drops of liquid dish detergent. Allow 30 minutes for the mixture to rest on your concrete surface. Then scrubbing and rinsing your concrete is required.
- Degreaser or Concrete Cleaner
Concentrated alkaline soap is commonly used in concrete cleaners and degreasers. These will help to release the oil and make cleanup easier. However, because they do not break down the oil, they will not work on concrete that has been discolored for a long period. On porous concrete, this solution works well.
- Use bleach
Do you have a significant area of concrete that needs to be cleaned? Start mopping with a gallon of warm water and about a third of a cup of liquid bleach.
Allow the bleach solution to settle for a few minutes before mopping it up with clean water in a bucket. It’s crucial to remember not to mix bleach with other home cleaners, and that when washing with bleach, you should wear gloves to protect your hands.
Disinfectant
Bleach that hasn’t been combined with a detergent can be used to disinfect concrete surfaces. According to a Cornell University College of Veterinarian Medicine research, detergents and organic substances render bleach useless as disinfection. As a result, they advise scrubbing the concrete surface with a detergent, then rinsing and drying the area before applying the bleach solution, which should be left on for 10 minutes before rinsing off.
Warning
While bleach will not harm the concrete, it may eat away at any sealant or paint that has been placed on it. Bleach, for example, can erode the sealant when used to clean concrete tile grout. Consider the impact of bleach on any sealer that may be on the concrete surface before applying it to it.
Cleaning your concrete surface is as simple as sweeping or wiping it down every now and then. Use a fine bristle brush to sweep away all debris and filth from your concrete surfaces, such as flooring. Don’t let it sit for too long. Rather than sweeping dirt into a corner and leaving it there, sweep it away and bag it in the garbage. The majority of the time, wiping concrete surfaces is for walls. Using a cloth, wipe out any stains, such as hand prints, on areas that are easily accessible. This prevents the stain from becoming a permanent stain on wall.
Because concrete is a long-lasting substance, maintaining it is really straightforward. It develops stronger over time and will last for a long period, so you should clean it thoroughly. Some concrete cleansers are readily available in stores, but there are even simpler alternatives that may be manufactured at home. Bleach, vinegar, and baking soda are all readily available in most homes, so get cleaning.
