Relaxing in the backyard with friends and family can be fascinating. But if pesky stains are everywhere, the hardscape will be nasty. Keep on reading to find how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
Why Does My Patio Get Dirty?
Before learning how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer, you may need to know why it can get dirty.
Your concrete patio sits in your backyard all the time. It is normal for it to get exposed to the sun, rain, dirt, and dust, especially if you do not cover it.
The furniture can also leave some stains. As a result, you will have to break a sweat to remove the rust stains and find a way on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
It does not mean you need to forgo the beautiful furniture, though. You just require cleaning the concrete surface regularly.
How to Clean Concrete Patio without Pressure Washer
A pressure washer is a powerful tool that you can use to remove any debris and dirt from the surface of concrete. It will definitely work like a charm.
Unfortunately, not all people have a pressure washer because it is not something that you usually use daily. Besides, this tool is extremely pricey.
Therefore, they tend to look for some alternatives on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
You can find many homemade concrete cleaner recipes that you can try. They are eminently simple and are even available in your kitchen cabinets.
1. How to Handle Loose Debris
Surrounding your patio with trees and shrubs can enhance your backyard landscaping. Unfortunately, this terrific idea entails another problem – loose dirt and debris coming from leaves and pollen.
If such is something you are facing then, worry not! How to clean concrete patio without pressure washer is easy.
You can easily eradicate the loose dirt by sweeping it. It would be better if you did it regularly to prevent the debris from building up.
What if you come across buildup grime on your patio? Sweeping it will not be enough. Therefore, you will need commercial cleaners to solve this problem.
But, be careful! Some of them contain harsh ingredients that can affect either your patio or the neighboring plants. Furthermore, they can be harmful if you breathe them.
2. How to Clean Concrete Driveway with Bleach
Commercial cleaners are effective in getting rid of stains and dirt on your patio. However, they can cause other serious issues related to your health.
Fortunately, there are some alternatives related to household cleaners that are safer for you and the environment. One of them is bleach.
Cleaning concrete with bleach is not a new thing. It is even famous for being an environmentally friendly multipurpose cleaner. So, how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer?
Since your concrete patio sits in your backyard all the time, it is prone to dampness. Thus, you may find mildew stains in some areas. If you are facing this issue, go grab bleach to remove them.
You can use oxygen-based bleach to remove the mildew stains. However, this type of bleach will not be able to kill the spores. If you want to eradicate both the spores and stains, you should use chlorine bleach.
Here is how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
Tools:
- Old towels
- Spray bottle
- Sponge mop
- Nylon-bristled scrub brush
- Eye protective gear
- Garden hose
Step 1:
After wearing the eye protective gear, make the cleaning solution by mixing one part chlorine bleach and two parts water. Do not forget to cover the lawn and nearby shrubs because it may be harmful to them.
Step 2:
Place the solution in a spray bottle and apply it onto the mildew-stained areas. Leave it that way for approximately 30 minutes.
Step 3:
Grab a nylon-bristled brush and begin to scrub the areas. After that, utilize your garden pipe to flush them meticulously. That is how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
3. Cleaning Concrete with Vinegar
Vinegar is renowned for being an excellent natural cleaner. You can use it on your patio as well as the entire parts of your home because it is relatively safe.
So, how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer, but using vinegar instead?
To clean your patio, you will need to mix water with equal parts white vinegar. Place the mixture in a spray bottle.
After that, spray the stain, leave it for a couple of minutes, then scrub it with a hard bristle broom or a special brush for decks and patios.
If it appears not to work properly, then you may require to try spraying the stain with undiluted vinegar. Leave the solution for 10 minutes or so. Finally, scrub it.
You can also try making a cleaning solution by mixing one cup of baking soda and two cups of distilled white vinegar to remove the heavy stain on a concrete patio.
When you concoct them, you will find the mixture foam up. It is perfectly fine. Slowly mix them up until you get a cream-soup-like consistency.
Once the mixture is ready, remove all furniture, planters, and grills from your patio. Make sure you clean it fastidiously from any loose debris.
You can utilize a sweeper or a leaves blower to do this. After that, wet down the concrete with a spray nozzle of your garden hose.
Next, use a sponge mop to spread the mixture over the patio. Let it for at least 30 minutes. Then, rub the stain with a nylon-bristled brush.
Finally, rinse it thoroughly and let it completely dry before you replace the furniture and planters.
4. How to Clean Concrete Patio with Baking Soda
Like vinegar, baking soda is an environmentally friendly cleaner for your patio. It could be an exceptional option for anyone who wants to evade commercial cleaners.
Now, the question is about how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer, but you will use baking soda instead.
First, mix 90 grams of baking soda with 4 liters of water. Put the blend into a small sprayer. Then, you can begin to spray the stains.
Should you need something stronger, you can try adding a few squirts of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture on the stains and let it sit for 20 minutes so that it can break down the grime and dirt.
After 20 minutes, you can begin to scrub the patio thoroughly. You will soon notice that the grime begins to vanish.
After that, grab your garden hose to rinse off the area. Let the concrete dry before you put the furniture back in its place.
5. How to Remove Rust Stains
In some cases, you will find rust stains on some areas of your concrete patio. Where did it come from? Well, it might have happened because of the furniture legs and grills, and it is usually hard to get rid of.
Some soil is high in iron. As a result, it may produce red stains, which are hard to eradicate. Here comes the most significant question – how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer? In this case, try using Oxalic acid.
To remove rust stains on your concrete patio or driveway, you will need oxalic acid, a nylon-bristled scrub brush, and a garden hose.
Before starting to clean your patio with oxalic acid, you will have to sweep away any loose dirt and debris. Make sure the surface is clean and ready for the next step.
Once the concrete patio is clean, you can begin to apply oxalic acid to the stained area. You have to follow the directions on the packaging thoroughly.
Let the cleaner stay for a few minutes before you scrub it using a nylon-bristled brush.
Next, rinse away the areas with the garden hose. Let them dry. If the stains remain there, consider repeating the steps.
6. Use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) to Clean Concrete Patio
If you are looking for a heavy-duty cleaner for your concrete patio, you should take TSP into your consideration.
TSP, also known as trisodium phosphate, is renowned for being a strong cleaner. It is odorless and colorless. Besides, it does not contain any bleach nor ammonia.
How to clean concrete patio without pressure washer, but using TSP, instead?
Trisodium phosphate comes in the form of dry powder. Therefore, you have to mix ½ cup of TSP with 2 gallons of hot water in a few minutes until you get a mostly clear solution. It will be slightly cloudy, though.
Bear in mind that TSP is toxic. For this reason, you will need to wear insulated gloves, long sleeves, and an eye shield. You may also use plastic sheeting to cover other areas.
Once you get the cleaning solution, soak a sponge in it and squeeze the excess water from it. Make sure it is rather damp and begin to clean the stain from the bottom upward.
You need to move it in broad strokes for a better result. Repeat the steps several times. If the stains do not come off, you can try applying TSP with a nylon-bristled scrub brush.
To avoid any white spots on the surface of your concrete patio, try rinsing the cleaned area using warm water. Use a new sponge and a new bucket to do it.
Those were the steps on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer.
7. How to Deal with Grease Stains
Besides mildew, grease is another stain that is hard to tackle. It will be more difficult if you let it sit on a porous surface like concrete for a longer period.
When it happens, so what are the steps on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer?
To overcome this problem, you will need kitty litter or cornstarch and commercial degreaser. First, add a thick layer of kitty litter or cornstarch over the stain. Leave it for up to three days to enable it to absorb the grease.
After that, sweep the cornstarch or kitty litter and see whether the stain has nearly gone. If it has not, try repeating the first step.
If the stain is almost gone, use a commercial degreaser to spray the area. After that, scrub it with a nylon-bristled brush. Finally, rinse it off with a garden hose.
In addition to using kitty litter or cornstarch to remove grease stains from your concrete patio, you can also use the mixture of laundry detergent and water until it forms a paste.
Apply the mixture onto the grease stain and use cling film to cover it. You can also use parcel and gaffer tape to secure it. Just make sure it is pretty tight.
Let the mixture sit for 24 hours before removing the cling film. After that, scrub the stain and rinse it with water. If you can still see the stain, you probably need to repeat the steps.
8. How to Remove Crayon Stains
Kids like to spend their time outdoors by doing various things, such as playing board games or drawing.
Although you have given them a drawing book, they like doing it on your concrete patio, leaving such hard and colorful stains to remove.
So, do you know how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer? Try using an oil-based cleanser. If you have WD-40, congratulations! You can utilize it to clean non-washable crayon stains.
You just need to spread the cleaner on the stained area. Let it stay for a few minutes. Next, scrub it with a hard-bristled brush. Finally, rinse it off with water.
9. Use Carbonated Drinks to Clean Concrete Patio
Did you know that carbonated drinks could be superb on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer?
Although doctors say that soda is bad for your health, apparently it can be an excellent cleaner for your concrete patio. It happens because those beverages contain acidity.
So, how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer, but you use soda, instead? It is easy.
All you need to do is just grabbing your favorite soda, preferably the one containing citric acid. Spill that beverage over the stain, and then leave it for half an hour. After that, scrub and wash it.
Now, you know some effective ways on how to clean concrete patio without pressure washer. They are environmentally friendly and – more importantly – relatively cheap.