Removing Concrete Stains

​Getting Rid of Concrete Stains

Oil stains on concrete can be a pain to remove, but it's important to get started on these cleanup duties as soon as possible to keep your concrete looking its best. Cleaning early also aids in the prevention of permanent discoloration. Read the rest of our post on how to remove stains from concrete here. The size of the stain, the material, the amount of time the stain has been allowed to develop, and the atmosphere all play a role in how difficult it is to remove a stain.

Regrettably, the cleaning process is not always simple and may require some trial and error. It's advisable to act quickly if you discover a stain or a pool of liquid. Check to see if the liquid is harmful to you, and if it is, take the necessary precautions. (gloves, masks, and so forth.) Wipe up as much excess oil or liquid as you can before safely disposing of it. Cleanup will be easier if extra liquid is soaked up ahead of time. Then, using a paste-like combination, try to dissolve as much of the discoloration as possible. Powdered laundry detergent or baking soda have worked well for us. Scrub for a few minutes after this has been administered. Then, using water, rinse the concrete. After that, use soap to remove any remaining oil from the concrete. Apply some pressure with a scrub brush to get rid of the majority of the stain.

Have you followed the above methods but still have an unattractive stain on your concrete? Here are some more suggestions. Note that these will also remove stains that you may have overlooked or that have already set and dried.

You can use a poultice to break up the oil molecules and slowly extract the substance from the concrete surface, OR you can use a solvent.

You can remove the stain with an off-the-shelf concrete cleaner or degreasing product that works on concrete.

The poultice method is intriguing, and it can work miracles on deeply damaged concrete surfaces (albeit slowly). Poultice is a generic term for a group of molecules that break down oil and staining materials, then absorb them (like kitty litter) — but imagine kitty litter mixed with chemicals that break down materials. These are straightforward to use. Simply purchase, put to the discolored area, and cover to prevent outside moisture from interfering with the procedure and wasting the material's absorbent nature by absorbing ambient moisture. It's worth noting that the process may take some time and that it's not appropriate for all materials. Before you buy one of these compounds, it's a good idea to figure out what kind of material has discolored your concrete.

Degreasers and concrete/cement cleaners can also be really useful. They might also be more practical. Request concrete cleansers from your local hardware shop. Again, knowing what type of material has stained your concrete is great. It will be easy to choose the best chemical as a result of this. Stick to the package's instructions and be cautious. Scrubbing the concrete or simply letting it sit may be required for this operation. Regardless, be cautious and follow the directions.

Cleaning concrete is a pain, but the easiest approach to avoid stains is to deal with them as soon as you notice something has fallen onto your concrete.

Do you need a second opinion on concrete work or a cleaning? Do you require an evaluation? Give us a call today and we'll be pleased to assist you!