Cleaning Concrete Surfaces Tips

Cleaning concrete can be one of the easiest surfaces to clean as well as one of the hardest  surfaces to clean depending on what type of stains are on the concrete.  Some stains caused by oil cannot be removed with a cold water pressure washer or through the use of chemicals alone.  Even  concrete etching chemicals such as muriatic acid do not remove oil stains from concrete.  If a concrete has heavy oil stains a hot –water pressure washer is going to be needed to get rid of the stains.

A hot water unit is heavier and more expensive than a cold water unit, but is necessary if you plan on mostly cleaning large driveways or parking lots with oil stains

Another thing that can make cleaning concrete difficult is drainage problems. If the water tends to settle on the concrete instead of draining off then the job will be more difficult and of course take longer to complete. Many residential homes with concrete sidewalks or driveways experience drainage problems because over time the concrete sinks in to the ground, especially in areas with heavy rain.

When cleaning concrete it is best to use a pressure washer with a rating of at least 3000 PSI and 4 GPM. Concrete cleaning usually requires more pressure and gallons-per-minute rating then other surfaces. Using a regular spray nozzle when pressure washing concrete can cause uneven marks in the concrete and take a long time. For tougher stains a rotary spray nozzle will work better than the fan spray nozzles.

If you are cleaning large areas of concrete then it would be best to use a surface cleaner with the pressure washer. A surface cleaner can cut the time it takes to clean concrete in half when compared to the standard fan spray nozzle.
 
Most importantly always put safety first when cleaning concrete especially if you are going to be using any concrete etching chemicals. Be sure to always wear safety goggles to keep chemicals or flying debris out of your eyes.  Never point the pressure washing wand at any person or animal.