Whats the best way to clean concrete slab?

[GolfVenture]

My slab infront of the garage gets pretty black every year. And every year I get the pressure washer out.

 

Is there some biogradeable chemical that one can sprinkle on concrete slab to soak in so that a gentle spray can get it clean. Right now I end up having to get the spray very close to the concrete to get it clean. It uses a lot of water.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Gunk.

 

It just works.

 

http://gunk.com/products/cat_SCD_CA.asp

 

Not sure about the bio-degradeable factor. Hell you dont need those pesky fish and wildlife in the area anyway.

 

 

 

[pmelah]

i use caustic acid 50% sodium my restaraunt hood clening crews use it to clean the greasa if you have a chemical suply store close you can get 1 gal. jugs mix 1 cup to 1 gal. water in a sprayer and spray the driveway then after about 10 min. get the water hose or use the pressure washer and be done in no time i use it on my driveway every 2 yrs.

 

you want to wear ruber gloves when working with it and it is biodegradable the more water you add the more it dilutes to nothing its the only epa aproved cleaner we like to use on kitchen hoods because it does the best job and the fact you add more water to it the more it dilutes to nothing. and what you dont use you need to put in a warm plase above 54 degrees as it will freeze

Edited May 24, 2012 by pmelah

[dacheedah]

simple green mopped on and allowed to soak in for about ten minutes before washing. remember to reseal your concrete once it's clean and dry

Edited May 25, 2012 by dacheedah

[yamtom]

Hi,

 

I used muriatic acid , , but you can get it at home depot etc in a gallon jug. One gallon has lasted me twenty years. I use a cup or so, put it on the spot, broom it in well with a broom you dont need any more, it will turn yellowish and foam. Wipe it up with paper towels or rags. I didnt have a sprayer or I would have washed it off with that. Wear gloves, be careful with any caustic, it will ruin clothes in a second or two. I doubt if this is epa approved, and it will leave your floor yellowish stained if you dont wash it down with water and then may stain it even at that. Ive left mine out in the cold every year, and no problem frozen or not.

[bongobobny]

Use a gallon of Mr. Clean, etc and a gallon of Clorox and a stiff broom to scrub with then power wash. Once you get it clean you should use a tinted sealer and paint your driveway...

[octoberboy]

Mine was pretty bad, at least a section of it. Jack hammer worked great.

[MikeWa]

I was going to offer you the use of my pressure washer but I see you already have one. I get the very heavy and black mildew on my concrete patio. Either 'Gone in 60 Seconds' from Home Depot or bleach and water scrubbed in with a broom then pressure washed will work. It is better if you do it before it gets to hot out or evaporation will be a problem. I use the bleach and water/ pressure washer. But I like to let the bleach soak in for a while before applying pressure.

 

I now keep a spray bottle filled with 40/60 bleach and water near the patio. Every once in a while I give the highest offending areas a squirt and just let the bleach soak in. I usually do this late in the evenings. It makes clean up time go much easier and faster.

 

Good Luck

Mike

[djh3]

Pool shock. Its a powder chlorine. I wet it some, sprinkle it over and a stiff brush it in and then rinse.

[GolfVenture]

Thanks for all the replys. MikeWa lives only about 30 minutes from me and bring that we both have similar environments and weather, I'm going to try the 40/60 bleach/water, then broom it in.

 

Being that I work 2nd shift I will do this in the morning just after sunrise. The air and cement will be cool so evorporation will not be an issue.

 

I'll get my 2 gallon backpack sprayer ready for this yearly chore.

 

Thanks everyone.

[friesman]

For the oil spots that show up under your car , or a particularly fincky oil leak under a bike try pouring wd40 from the square steel can onto the spot, cover it with sawdust for a few days and sweep it around and add more wd40 every day or so, and within a week your oil spot will be gone.

 

Brian

[bongobobny]

Once again, once you get it clean, SEAL IT!!!

[Condor]

Walmart sells some stuff called Purple Power.... well as least it's purple. Anyway it's amazing what the stuff will do with oil. I've even used it to clean up micro towels. Let 'm soak overnight and they are clean in the morning... I'm always spilling oil and it keeps me out of the dog house....

[DwightGA]

The best way I have every used is paint remover for removing oil. Just pour on the stain, let set for a few minutes, brush in and rinse off. You will be amazed.

[Shamue]

a mixture of tide powder soap and water (paste mix not to runny) using a stiff broom, brush the dirty areas and let it soak, then continue to brush just before you pressure wash. works on oils that haven't built up for years.

 

My slab infront of the garage gets pretty black every year. And every year I get the pressure washer out.

 

Is there some biogradeable chemical that one can sprinkle on concrete slab to soak in so that a gentle spray can get it clean. Right now I end up having to get the spray very close to the concrete to get it clean. It uses a lot of water.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

The BEST way to clean concrete is to go riding. It wont clean the concrete. But you wont care.

 

 

[bongobobny]

The BEST way to clean concrete is to go riding. It wont clean the concrete. But you wont care.

 

 

 

Now THAT'S thinking out of the box!!!

[aharbi]

wet it - Tide - power wash rinse - repeat once a year.