Homemade Concrete Cleaner Recipes: 7 DIY Tips for Cleaning... (2024)

Making a homemade concrete cleaner is a breeze!

  • I gather my ingredients, which are cost-efficient and likely already in my pantry.
  • I mix them according to the easy recipes provided, creating powerful cleaning solutions.
  • I apply these mixtures to my concrete surfaces, whether it’s a driveway, patio, or countertops.
  • I scrub lightly, as these solutions require minimal effort to lift stains and dirt.
  • I enjoy the sparkling results, appreciating the effectiveness and affordability of my homemade cleaners.

To answer your main question, making a homemade concrete cleaner is very effective and also cost-efficient. You’ll need ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and laundry detergent, which are typically found at home and are environmentally friendly. Follow the simple recipes to tackle different cleaning tasks, like degreasing or rust removal.

Apply the homemade cleaner, scrub with a stiff brush, and then rinse. With these methods, you quickly and easily maintain clean concrete surfaces without the need for harsh chemicals or expensive commercial products.

Are you sick of using harsh chemical cleaners to get the dirt and grime off your concrete floors and driveway? Have you been searching for different cleaning solutions that don’t involve using a pressure washer or power washer to clean your concrete patio? What about ones that don’t require using ingredients like oxygen bleach to get rid of concrete stains?

After asking yourself these questions, it’s our turn to ask you one question. Have you ever tried making a homemade concrete cleaner? Mixing ingredients to make an efficient DIY concrete cleaner may seem harder than you think, but it’s not.

We’ll teach you the basics of making the best homemade concrete cleaner using ingredients like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, laundry detergent, white vinegar, and warm water. The best part is that you’ll be able to get out those tough stains while putting minimal elbow grease into it!

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Table Of Contents

  1. Easy Recipes for DIY Concrete Cleaning
    • Degreasing and Cleaning Concrete
    • Cleaning a Cement Patio
    • Use an Eco-Friendly Cleaner
    • Removing Rust Stains
    • Keeping Concrete Countertops Clean
    • Natural Concrete Cleaning Solution for Pressure Washers
    • Easy Concrete Washing
    • Recipe for a DIY Cement Cleaner

Easy Recipes for DIY Concrete Cleaning

Before cleaning your concrete or even staining your deck, you need to get rid of dirt and leaves that may be on the surface. Sweep or use a blower to get rid of loose debris first. If you will be sealing your concrete after cleaning or need to clean a deck before staining, look over our recipes for stain removal to bring back the original color of the material.

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Degreasing and Cleaning Concrete

When it comes time to cleaning oil stains off concrete, it’s important to know that you’ll have to use a DIY concrete cleaner that digs deep down into the pavement. If you’re looking for an excellent way to get oil stains off concrete, start mixing ingredients to make an excellent homemade concrete cleaner.

This recipe also works well as a pressure washer cleaning solution for concrete or brick.

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Cement Degreaser Recipe

  • Borax or laundry detergent
  • Vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Hot water

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Apply baking soda directly to stain on concrete and let it sit for a few minutes. Pour vinegar on the baking soda and the mixture will start to fizzle. Then, apply laundry detergent and scrub with a stiff brush. Rinse the area with a fully powered hose.

Repeat if necessary for complete stain removal. Use this solution for cleaning composite deck with vinegar and baking soda to get rid of mold, mildew and other stains that may mar the surface, too.

Cleaning a Cement Patio

The floors of your house are precious to you, and that’s why you keep them clean; well, the same should go for your patio. We suggest cleaning your patio in the spring, before peak patio season.

Before applying a DIY concrete patio cleaner, be sure to remove all “extra’s” from the concrete (e.g., plants, chairs, etc.). Then, sweep away any dirt or debris present on the patio and apply homemade concrete patio cleaner.

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Semi-Dirty Outdoor Concrete Washing

  • Bleach
  • Water
  • 1/8 cup dishwashing detergent

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Mix bleach with water and then add dishwashing detergent to the mix and put it into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the cement patio, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub the mix into the concrete with a stiff brush.

Use an Eco-Friendly Cleaner

A homemade concrete cleaner that provides a gentle cleaning solution is typically eco-friendly; eco-friendly homemade cleaners almost always use ingredients found in your kitchen.

Mix equal parts water and vinegar and apply it to concrete. If this stain removal technique doesn’t work, use 100% vinegar and scrub stains out. This solution makes the best homemade deck cleaner and can work on many surfaces, including car seats and hardwood floors.

Removing Rust Stains

First things first, use a pressure washing or a power washing technique to get rid of loose dirt on the cement. Once you’ve done this, use a dry cleaning method, or let the cement air dry before moving on to the next step.

Once the surface is dry, pour or spray lemon juice on the rusted areas. Let the highly acidic liquid sit for ten or more minutes before scrubbing. You can use white vinegar to get the job done, too. Then, rinse off the surface with cold water.

If you’re having trouble getting rust stains out of concrete on more delicate or worn out areas, try using a sponge with a rough surface and avoid using a wire brush.

Keeping Concrete Countertops Clean

The best defense mechanism against a dirty countertop is to seal it completely. Think of it this way: unsealed countertops encourage stains, and sealed countertops shoo them away.

If you purchased a countertop, chances are the company you hired to install the countertop used a concrete sealer to keep the counter stable. However, over time, seals can fade. In turn, this means that the countertop in your home should be re-coated every few years to prevent stains from showing up.

One way to make sure it’s time to re-seal your countertop is to check whether water still beads when present on the surface. If it doesn’t bead, you’ll want to start looking into sealing quartz countertops.

Natural Concrete Cleaning Solution for Pressure Washers

Power washers are by far the most accessible tool to use when trying to clean the exterior of your home, especially when it comes to concrete. If made right, a homemade concrete cleaning solution for pressure washer can kill off mold, too.

To start making your solution, pour one gallon of water into a bucket. Try to get the water to a hot temperature. Then, add baking soda little by little and stir while adding the baking soda until it has dissolved into the water. Add in one quart of household bleach and dish detergent, then mix slowly to avoid the suds from overpowering the bucket.

Once this natural cleaner is mixed together, pour it into the pressure washer and follow the directions for the tool as stated on the packaging for the best DIY cleaning result.

Easy Concrete Washing

There’s always one cleaning solution out there that takes seconds to whip up. Recipes like this will give homeowners a break, especially when it’s been a rough week.

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Simple DIY Concrete Cleaning Recipe

  • 2 parts baking soda
  • 1 part bleach

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Mix the two ingredients until the solution is thick and soapy. Pour little amounts of the solution onto stained areas, or dip a wire brush in the solution and start scrubbing the stained surfaces.

Learning ways to clean concrete around the inside and outside of your home is the start to a great home improvement lifestyle. Here, you’ve determined how to make the best DIY miracle concrete patio cleaner. You’ve also learned how to mix kitchen ingredients to create long-lasting homemade concrete cleaning recipes.

Recipe for a DIY Cement Cleaner

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Homemade Concrete Cleaner

Yield: 1 cup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Stubborn cement stains are no match for this cleaning solution.

Materials

  • 8 ounces bleach
  • 16 ounces baking soda

Tools

  • Gloves
  • Bucket
  • Measuring cup
  • Stir stick
  • Brush
  • Hose

Instructions

  1. Put on the gloves.
  2. Mix the bleach and baking soda in the bucket.
  3. Pour a little of the paste onto the stained concrete.
  4. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  5. Scrub with the brush.
  6. Rinse with clean water from the hose.

Notes

This mixture will kill the grass, so direct your rinsing to the street.

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We hope you like our homemade concrete cleaning tips and recipes. Please share these DIY concrete cleaner ideas on Facebook or Pinterest with your friends and family.

Homemade Concrete Cleaner Recipes: 7 DIY Tips for Cleaning... (2024)

FAQs

What is the best homemade concrete cleaner? ›

Cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a good option if you are looking for a natural cleaner.

How do you make homemade concrete remover? ›

Fill a spray bottle using half of the pure white vinegar and top it off with lukewarm water. Shake the contents of your spray bottle for at least 5 minutes in order to thoroughly mix the water and vinegar. Vinegar's acidity helps in dissolving your cement stains, which makes it easier to remove.

How do you completely clean concrete? ›

To remove water, mold, or mildew stains from concrete patios and driveways, use a hose or pressure washer. If stains persist, mix a solution of one-quarter bleach to one gallon of hot water and scrub the area with a brush, watering down nearby foliage first to prevent damage from runoff.

Does hydrogen peroxide clean concrete? ›

For a natural, stronger solution to tackle stubborn stains on concrete surfaces, mix flour and hydrogen peroxide into a paste the consistency of peanut butter.

What does baking soda do to concrete? ›

Baking soda is also known by its chemical name, sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate acts as an accelerator in concrete, causing it to rapidly stiffen.

What dissolves concrete fast? ›

Concrete is a durable building material that takes special materials to dissolve once it's hardened into place. Phosphoric acid and trisodium phosphate are the main compounds used to dissolve concrete leftover from masonry work.

How is self cleaning concrete made? ›

The self-cleaning properties of the concrete are induced by introducing the photocatalytic materials such as titania (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO). Self-cleaning concrete that contains those photocatalysts will be energized by ultraviolet (UV) radiation and accelerates the decomposition of organic particulates.

How do you clean concrete cheaply? ›

There are a few ways to clean concrete driveways without using a pressure washer. One option is to use a garden hose to wet down the driveway and then scrub it with a brush. Another option is to use a bucket of warm water and a stiff brush to scrub the driveway surface.

What is the best thing to clean outdoor concrete with? ›

Pressure washing: This is one of the most efficient ways to remove dirt, grime, and mildew from outdoor concrete surfaces. You can rent a pressure washer or hire a professional to do the job for you. Detergent and water: For mild to moderate dirt and grime, you can use a mixture of water and mild detergent.

Does Dawn clean concrete? ›

Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while. Just as you would regularly vacuum the floor and dust your furniture inside your house, you should keep your patio clean so it's ready at a moment's notice to entertain.

How do you whiten dirty concrete? ›

Cleaning a patio with bleach is easy.

Whether your patio is sealed concrete or cement, or even sealed concrete pavers, a bleach and water solution makes it easy to clean away built up soil, stains from leaves and pollen, mold, mildew and algae.

How do you make concrete white again? ›

Mix one cup of bleach with one cup of powdered laundry detergent, then add 15 cups of hot water. Pour your mixture over your driveway's dirty areas, such as the parts that contain oil stains. Work your mixture in using a bristle brush and scrub for approximately 20 minutes.

Will bleach clean concrete? ›

Concrete driveways suffer from oil-based stains and other stubborn problems. Bleach can be used as a preparatory cleaner on some stains, and it can remove dirt and kill algae in other areas.

Will Dawn and vinegar clean concrete? ›

Fill the spray bottle with a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and water. You can add liquid dish soap to the mixture. Step 2. Spray the mixture onto your concrete.

Is Dawn good for cleaning concrete? ›

Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while. Just as you would regularly vacuum the floor and dust your furniture inside your house, you should keep your patio clean so it's ready at a moment's notice to entertain.

Can you use Dawn dish soap to clean concrete? ›

Dish soap and water: Dish soap is a degreaser, and it works well to clean oily and grimy concrete. Create a cleaning solution of warm water and few drops of dish soap and apply it to the surface. Let it sit for a while, then mop the patio and rinse it with fresh water. Repeat the process as many times as needed.

How do you remove green algae from concrete naturally? ›

Use a mixture of water and white vinegar to spray down the area and kill the algae. Rinse the surface alga off the concrete with a water hose. Next, pour white vinegar directly on the surface and scrub using a brush. Use a vigorous back and forth motion.

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