How to clean concrete WITHOUT a pressure washer?

smiles_ami

it is outside, it's rain & mildew stains. What solution would do the trick?

Answer
Since outside concrete stain is a mixture of mildew and dirt you need something for both.
You might try this formula recommended by the Louisiana Dept of Agriculture.
Per Gallon of Water
1/2 cup chlorine bleach
1/3 cup low suds detergent , such as clothes washing detergent
1/3 cup of TSP
Apply with broom or brush over the ares and let sit for 1 hour: then hose off using a strong hose nozzle. This should remove most of the problem. You can repeat.if needed.

NOTE: If possible use industrial (heavy duty)bleach (from Home Depot, Lowe's etc)

TSP(tri sodium phosphate) is hard to find since many phosphate cleaners are no
longer available."TSP Cleaner"(no phosphate) is is not the same as TSP..

The authentic TSP leaves a residue that inhibits mildew re growth. The best place
to look for TSP is at your neighborhood hardware store or maybe on the internet
or a cleaning supply outlet.

How to fix lines/etch on bricks after pressure washing?

Radojka B

I made a rookie mistake and pressure washed my brick patio with my 1500 psi electric pressure washer, and now its got white lines all over it, almost like its etched in or something. Is there anyway I can fix or reduce the visibility of these?


Thank you

Answer
Next time use 20 minutes, a yard broom and a bucket of weak bleach solution.
No patio needs pressure washing, it's a frightful waste of water and electricity to clean an outside surface, it's not a living room, it's a garden.

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How can I clean the dirty bricks on my house?

pressure washer broom image

mojo

My bricks are looking a bit bad from rain splashing on them in certain parts. They are starting to turn dark along with the mortar. What can I use to clean it? I don't have a pressure washer.

Answer
Mojo, I do know of a solution here for your problem. I know of an 'acid' solution that brick layers use. They use this when there done building the wall, it cleans the brick wall. They de-lute it with a little water and spray the acid solution on the brick wall then with a garden hose and a stiff short-haired broom, they scrub the brick wall. Washing the dirty brick off to give it a clean look. You should be able to pick up this acid solution at a local hardware store and explain what your doing to someone there. Someone at the store should be able to find this acid solution for you. It`s just made for cleaning bricks and concrete. Read the instructions and always were eye protection, especially when working with 'acid'. Hoped this help point you in the right direction. Good Luck an make it look nice again...

how to remove mold off of concrete?

Kathryn T

I have a concrete pad behind my appartment but were not aloud to use pressure washers...it has black dots on it and i'm thinking that it's mold. How to I remove it?

Answer
1 cup bleach per 5 gallons of water. Use a broom to sweep it on and let it set for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off while brushing it with a bristle broom.

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How to clean flagstone and slate?

pressure washer broom image

Chelseafan

Does anyone have any tips for cleaning years of dirt from outdoor flagstone and/or slate ? I've seen it suggested that a pressure washer is a good idea, however, I'm not sure if that alone would be effective.

Answer
You can carefully use miractic acid to clean the stones. Use rubber gloves and protective eyewear. Pour some on the stones and use a broom to perform a scrubbing action. Then rinse with water.

How to fix lines/etch on bricks after pressure washing?

Radojka B

I made a rookie mistake and pressure washed my brick patio with my 1500 psi electric pressure washer, and now its got white lines all over it, almost like its etched in or something. Is there anyway I can fix or reduce the visibility of these?


Thank you

Answer
Next time use 20 minutes, a yard broom and a bucket of weak bleach solution.
No patio needs pressure washing, it's a frightful waste of water and electricity to clean an outside surface, it's not a living room, it's a garden.

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How can I best clean my deck?

pressure washer broom image

my2dogs

I will be doing this without a pressure washer and would like to use something non-toxic if possible.

Answer
Buy one of those large boxes of Arm&Hammer baking soda, and a large bottle of vinegar (how much depends on how big your deck is).
Wet your deck down with the hose and then sprinkle the baking soda all over.
You can just sprinkle the vinegar around out the bottle or you can get a spray bottle and spray it around, it should "foam" up when it hits the baking soda. Let that sit for a few min.
Then take a broom ( I recommend a push broom) and scrub it into the wood.
Rinse off with the hose and let dry!

The Baking Soda serves as a soft abrasive and cleaner, and the vinegar serves as the "acid" to "eat up" the dirt.
I'm glad to hear that someone cares about the toxins and the outdoors, thank-you!

What is the best way to manually clean my house's siding and brick?

david d

I do not have a pressure washer.

Answer
If your trying to do it yourself and save money, there are places that rent those power washers, we used to have one and it cleaned everything from the masonry to zapping the grime from the concrete of the driveway. I've seen a few people use something like those "brooms" that soap up, similar to the ones at those car washes. They hook up to the garden hose, and I think a lot depends on the solution you use, and what you're trying to clean.

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