Concrete has crept indoors to become an elegant alternative for floors and worktops, whereas it was formerly restricted to patios, sidewalks, roads, basements, and garages. A surface as extraordinarily durable as concrete is highly valued. However, dust, debris, and even sticky spills can still cause it to occasionally become dirty. Rust or mold can penetrate into the surface of unsealed concrete, which can cause it to deteriorate more quickly over time. Fortunately, regular cleanings make it relatively simple to maintain concrete floors.

It is crucial to follow the right maintenance procedures over time to preserve a freshly resurfaced concrete floor. There is an easy way to make concrete look brand-new, regardless of whether you’re cleaning finished concrete inside your house, rejuvenating unsealed concrete on your patio, or dealing with stains in your garage. Below listed a few steps on how to clean your concrete floors:

 

Step 1: Determine the concrete’s finish type.

Determine the sort of finish that was put to the concrete before cleaning it. It’s crucial to know, for instance, whether the concrete has been sealed and, if so, what kind of sealer was applied. Cleaning unsealed brushed concrete will require different techniques than cleaning epoxy-coated concrete.

 

Step 2: Get ready to clean the concrete.

Whether the concrete is outside, inside, or in a garage can affect the method you employ to clean it. While some techniques are acceptable to use indoors, they may harm the grass or plants next to driveways or sidewalks. However, whether you’re working inside or outside, you must first set up your workspace in the same manner as if you were painting a concrete floor.

 

Step 3: Try using TSP or a commercial cleaner to clean the concrete.

The bad news for the meticulous homeowner is that because concrete is permeable, those microscopic spaces can collect grime, mold, and a variety of tough stains. Try using regular detergents straight on the difficult stains and cleaning them with a stiff bristle (not wire) brush as your initial course of action. But you might not succeed.

Be prepared to go all out when cleaning the garage floors. Even power washing may not be sufficient if you have a concrete garage floor that has been exposed to leaking transmissions and oil pans for many years. To get the stains out, you might need to clean the area with TSP and then spray it with the hose. For concrete surfaces that have been exposed to greasy substances, such as driveways, sidewalks, or any other concrete surface, use the same procedure.

 

Step 4: Try power washing the concrete if it’s out in the open.

Power washing should be the first and simplest method used to clean outdoor concrete. The filth and grease can be washed out of the concrete’s pores using this cleaning technique.

It’s easy to complete the process; just add driveway and concrete cleaner to the pressure washer’s soap reservoir and start cleaning. Don’t be hesitant to turn the pressure washer up to roughly 3,000 psi since washing concrete requires a lot of pressure. With a 0-degree nozzle, you can effectively focus the water pressure as needed.

 

Step 5: Use muriatic acid to clean the concrete if everything else fails.

As a final resort, try spraying muriatic acid on the concrete; it’s frequently the magic solution for removing deeply embedded oil stains. Muriatic acid can be used to remove extra streaks of dry mortar and grout, scrub away difficult rust stains, and clean up unclean concrete.

Make sure to take extra precautions while preparing your area before using muriatic acid on concrete, and be particularly careful when cleaning up afterward. Start by soaking the stained area in a mixture of 1-part muriatic acid to 10 parts waters in a bucket or spray bottle. To neutralise the acid, wait about 10 minutes and then spray the area with a solution of 1 cup ammonia to 1 gallon of water.

 

Step 6: Applying a concrete sealer or masonry primer and top coat after the concrete has been thoroughly cleaned will stop additional staining.

A concrete sealant is a dependable solution for initially preventing discoloration. Choose a transparent water-repellent sealer with a silane or siloxane base, such as Rain guard Micro-Seal Penetrating Concrete Sealer, a top pick from our in-depth review of the finest concrete sealers. Foundation Armor’s AR350 Wet Look Sealer is a wonderful option if you desire a wet look. Use a roller or a paint sprayer to apply either product. For an intriguing new aesthetic, acid stain the concrete surface before sealing.

Consider using a masonry primer and masonry top coat to cover the old stains and seal the concrete to stop further staining if you’re working on indoor concrete and the damage is so severe that no quantity or intensity of washing seems to be accomplishing the trick.

How to Clean Concrete Floors

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