Concrete is everywhere. It is used to build our roads, sidewalks, bridges, even some houses. It is made of composite material of fine and coarse aggregate bonded with fluid cement. It is known to be the most durable building material with a longer life span than other building materials and this is because it produces a fire resistance which is better than most wooden construction. The beauty of concrete is that as time passes it becomes hardened and gains strength over time.
When concrete is first applied, it doesn’t look too great it would have tiny holes which are porous but there are finishes which can be added to it to make it look appealing. These finishes are designed to protect the concrete surface and bed from stains, penetration by water amongst others.
There are different ways by which we can further enhance the look of concrete. When used in building houses the most popular form is to paint it. Houses made from concrete can be painted using different kinds of paints, say, water-based, oil-based paint, depending on the choice of the home owner. Notwithstanding, our concrete walls or floors get stained. The stains could be of any kind. Oil spills, rust stains, food stains, etc. The question then is, how do you get these stains out?
The first way by which you can clean your concrete floor is by using a pressure washer. Now, using a pressure washer is great if you are cleaning your concrete garage or a patio. Using a pressure washer inside the house might not be possible unless the house is empty. A pressure washers work by connecting them to a hose and the water pressure which it releases is very high. It is advisable you wear protective clothing like, a rubber or plastic overall to protect you body and more importantly a pair of googles to protect your eyes from the water pressure. Also cover all shelves, cabinets, chairs and tables, if you can not move them, in your garage or patio while using a pressure washer.
The second way by which you can wash your concrete floor or walls is by using the best concrete cleaner you have or can make from household products. A concrete cleaner you can make from household products is leach mixed with some parts water. Depending on the area or size of the concrete wall or floor you want to clean, you would need more parts bleach than water. Mix them together and use a spray bottle on all areas you want to clean. Focus more on areas that have stains, spray the bleach and water mixture, let it sit on the stain for a few minutes, then scrub with a hard bristle brush. Try and avoid using a metal bristle brush as this might leave marks on your wall or floor.
So, you can use a pressure washer and a mixture of bleach and water. Another option available to you is to use vinegar. Yes, our all purpose liquid with different uses. Using a mixture of vinegar and water, you can clean your concrete floor or walls. The difference between a vinegar plus water mixture and a bleach plus water mixture is, while using bleach and water, you can spray and clean almost immediately but for vinegar and water, you have to let it sit for a little while. This way the solution attacks all stains and gets them out. If you find vinegar and water doesn’t get your concrete floor or wall cleaned as you would want, try using only vinegar. Let it sit on the stain or wall, them scrub with a hard bristle brush or wipe with a cloth.
These ways are great to attack stubborn stains but if you have say, food stains, try wiping it with a damp cloth. If you use a damp cloth and the stain isn’t completely cleaned, try adding a bit of dishwashing liquid to the damp cloth and clean the stain. Dishwashing liquid is a good concrete cleaner especially for concrete that has a sealer, or it is polished. Concrete sealer gives concrete a clean smooth finish which covers all porous holes and the unattractive look of raw concrete. So, dampen a cloth, add some dishwashing liquid, wipe the surface and get that stain out.
Another household ingredient which you can use to clean you concrete surface is baking soda. Baking soda acts as a reacting agent which placed on a concrete surface. Wherever the stain is located on the surface, add some baking soda, the amount used depends on the size of the stain, then add a little bit of water. Let this mixture sit for a while, you can either scrub the stain or wipe the stain with a cloth.
The simplest way by which you can clean your concrete surface is by sweeping or wiping it down occasionally. For your concrete surface like floors, use a nice bristle brush to sweep away all debris, dirt from the floor. Do not let it sit. Sweep all dirt away and bag it in the trash, don’t sweep it into corner and leave it there. Wiping concrete surfaces is mostly for walls. Get a cloth and wipe down any stains like, hand prints, on areas which you can easily reach. This way it doesn’t become a permanent stain on the wall.
Taking care of your concrete surface is truly simple as this is a material which is enduring. It becomes stronger as time goes by, it will be standing for a long time, so it follows that you should take care in cleaning it well. There are some concrete cleaners which you can easily purchase from a store, but even easier solutions you can use can be made at home. Bleach, vinegar, baking soda are readily available in the home so whip them out and get cleaning. Remember, to make your cleaning easier, use a concrete sealer if you haven’t already.