Opt for the Most Basic Route: Soap and Water Cleaning a concrete driveway does not have to be fancy. The easiest is the trusty soap and water mixture. Use dish soap and add it to a large bucket full of water. Then, get your stiff scrub brush, making sure it is not made of metal.
Simply fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar (or water and baking soda), and add a little bit of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture on your concrete surface and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then scrub and rinse your concrete.
Vinegar is a natural and safe alternative to cleaning concrete with harsh chemicals. In the case of algae and mold, it does a better job than bleach, and it is better in the long term for killing these infestations. Oftentimes, vinegar can be found in your home or garage.
Vinegar or baking soda: These natural cleaners work well to clean cement patios with stubborn charcoal or rust spots. Mix equal parts vinegar and water, scrub the patio with the mixture, then give it a good rinse. If stains don't dissolve, try undiluted vinegar.
White vinegar will not damage your concrete. However, leaving this solution for an extended period will damage the cement that binds the concrete together. Hence, you should be careful when using vinegar on your concrete, especially if you will use this solution on polished concrete.
Rinse the bleach off with a hose. If those stubborn stains aren't coming off, mix oxygen bleach with water to make a paste that's the same consistency as peanut butter. Apply to stained areas and let it sit for an hour.
Pressure washing is one of the fastest, most effective ways to get your concrete white again. Concrete can change color over time due to pollen, algae, or dirt buildup, but a good pressure wash can easily remove dirt and stains and make your concrete look new again.
Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while. Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while.
The quick answer is yes, power washing can degrade a concrete surface. You can notice visible damage from water pressure at the level at which even light-duty power washers can operate. Therefore, if you aren't careful, you can cause irreversible damage to your driveway or patio.
If you need to get rid of rust from concrete, your best bet is to use some WD-40 Multi-Use Product, and some elbow grease. WD-40 is specially formulated to be a penetrant, so when you spray it on a rusted surface, it gets to work right away by getting under the rust.
Baking Soda
Salt and commercial ice-melt formulations can stain — or actually eat away — the concrete around your house.
Mix a solution of 1/8 of a cup liquid dishwashing detergent, ½ cup baking soda, and one gallon of water. Pour over the stain. Use a soft brush to scrub the stain away. Rinse the area.
To remove efflorescence from your concrete basement floor, apply a mix of 50/50 white vinegar and water, scrub with a soft nylon brush, and rinse away.
Vinegar does not dissolve concrete itself but can degrade the cement that binds concrete together. As a weak, dilute acid, vinegar will cause only minor damage to concrete but can take the shine off polished surfaces. It can, however, be used to remove small amounts of cement from tools.
Best Overall
RMR-141 Disinfectant and Cleaner is our top pick because it works on nearly any surface, making it an excellent product for the price. It's easy to stop mold and mildew growth with this powerful, effective formula that comes in spray bottle or jug form.
Use Concrete Sealer after Power Washing
It soaks up everything! An effective pressure wash cleans the pores of your concrete, make sure to apply concrete sealer after pressure washing.
The most ideal time to pressure wash, however, is during the spring and summer months. During the warmer wetter months algae and mold will begin to grow. This is also a great time pressure wash because this is when pollen is usually at it's highest.