How to Wash a Concrete Sidewalk
Concrete sidewalks can be stained by all sorts fluids and markings. Skid marks from the neighborhood kids' skateboards, sap and other stains from the trees and bushes near your sidewalk and the occasional motor fluid drippings can all leave your sidewalk unsightly. Clean your sidewalks annually to avoid the build-up of stains and make each successive cleaning easier. Sealing the concrete will protect your sidewalks from weather wear, but first, a good cleaning is in order. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Protective eyewear, gloves, and closed-toe shoes
- De-greaser or other non-chlorine detergent
- Power washer
- Garden hose
- Power washer detergent
- Scrub brush
Instructions
-
-
1
Don protective eyewear and gloves as well as closed-toe shoes or boots for safety. Pre-treat any spot or stains on the sidewalk with de-greaser or other non-chlorine bleach detergent. Spray the detergent onto the spot(s) and scrub with a scrub brush.
-
2
Add the pressure wash detergent to the pressure washer's tank. Follow the guidelines for your specific size and style pressure washer.
-
-
3
Connect the garden hose to the intake valve on the pressure washer. Connect the spray nozzle hose to the output valve.
-
4
Start the pressure washer's motor. Select the "clean" setting on the pressure washer's controls. Location will vary depending on the model you have chosen. The opposite of the "clean" setting is the "rinse" setting.
-
5
Spray the sidewalk in sweeping passes until the entire section you intend to clean has been doused with cleaning solution. Allow the detergent to soak into the concrete for five to 10 minutes. Switch the setting to "rinse."
-
6
Attach the high-pressure rinse head onto the pressure washer's nozzle. Rinse the sidewalk thoroughly with the pressure washer. The "rinse" setting will stop the inclusion of the cleaning detergent and allow only water to be sprayed through the washer's nozzle. Allow the sidewalk to dry and stand for at least a day before sealing the concrete if you choose to do so.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Rent a pressure washer from a hardware or home improvement store. Check the pressure warnings and guidelines on your pressure washer. The manual will provide guidance as to how far away you should hold the pressure nozzle when cleaning your sidewalk.
