Concrete is a very durable building material, and is widely used in all kinds of construction projects. When left unprotected, the surface can be easily stained with contaminants such as oil or grease. These stains leave unsightly marks on the concrete and may even cause damage to the concrete. If you discover stains on your concrete, it's advisable to take action to remove these stains as soon as possible. Otherwise, stains may become harder to remove later on.
Removing concrete stains.
You can use different liquid solutions to remove stains on the concrete. The type of liquid solution you choose depend on how stubborn the stain is. Usually, household cleaning liquids will be enough to clean off the stains. For example, you can use household bleach to try removing the stains. Pour some bleach over the stains, and leave the stains alone for some minutes. After that, try to scrub of the stains. Normally, you only need to do this once. But for stubborn stains, you may need to repeat the process.
Some stains are easier to remove than others. If you don't want to use bleach, you always try using liquid detergent. Liquid detergent is not as corrosive when compared to bleach, but they can still be effective in removing stains. If you choose to use liquid detergent, be prepared to scrub harder to remove the stains. Use a stiff brush to get the job done.
If large areas are affected, perhaps it is a good idea to use specialized concrete stain removers. These are chemicals that are specially formulated to remove stains on concrete. They are highly effective in removing stains, and will not cause damage to the concrete.
Another reason why you should use specialized concrete stain removers is because you never know if the acid that you are using is going to damage the concrete as well. Some acid are so corrosive that it eats into the concrete surface. In reality, the acid is removing part of the concrete together with the stains. And you don't want this to happen.
If you have tried everything and still can't remove the stains, there is another solution. You can change the appearance by adding ColorCrete. ColorCrete is a concrete stain product that allows you to change the appearance by adding a transparent tint to your concrete. There are many different colors to choose from. A gallon of ColorCrete costs about $30, and can be applied to two hundred feet. It is easy to apply, and takes about 4 hours to dry.
When you add a sealer to the color ColorCrete, the appearance will be enhanced and protected from future stains which can be easily cleaned off with just warm water and detergent.
