How to Clean a Concrete Patio

Concrete patios can quickly become covered with stains from spills and chemicals tracked onto them. For more day-to-day maintenance, a simple wash every few weeks should keep your concrete patio looking as good as new. To clean badly stained concrete patios, heavy-duty cleaning is required using oven cleaner, laundry stain remover, powdered laundry detergent, cat litter and a cleaning agent such as Bio-Clean.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Washing soda
• Bucket
• Push broom
• Hose
• Oven cleaner
• Laundry stain remover
• Powdered laundry detergent
• Cat litter
• Bio-Clean

1. Mix 1 cup of washing soda into a bucket full of hot water. Dip the push broom into the mixture and scrub the patio thoroughly. Once all the stains and dirt are gone, rinse away the soap with a garden hose. Washing soda, also known as salt of carbonic acid, is a nontoxic but powerful cleaner that cuts through grease and other stains, and is commonly use to make soaps and detergents.

2. Use oven cleaner to lift remaining stains. Liberally pray it directly onto the stains, making sure the entire surface is covered. Allow it to sit for 3 to 4 hours, and then rinse with a hose.

3. Apply laundry stain remover to stubborn, aged stains. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle powdered laundry detergent and a small amount of water onto it. Scrub well with the scrub brush, and rinse with hose.

4. Sprinkle cat litter over any oil-based spots on the concrete patio. Use a hard block or heavy boots to grind the cat litter into the stain. Let sit for several minutes as the litter absorbs the oil. Sweep it up, and rinse the area clean.

5. Use cleaning agents such as Bio-Clean to remove dirt, oil and grease. Apply it to the entire surface of the stain, and scrub with the push broom. Once the stain is gone, rinse with water. Bio-Clean is a biodegradable, heavy-duty concrete cleaner. It is citrus-based, and can be diluted in water.

Tips & Warnings

• The best way to keep a concrete patio clean is to scrub any spills or messes with warm soapy water as soon as they occur. They don't become hard to remove until they have been allowed to soak into the concrete. Bio-Clean can be purchased at local hardware, home improvement, and department stores.
• Keep animals and children away from oven cleaner. It is toxic, and can cause serious illness or death if ingested.