Concrete patios are a budget-friendly choice and a sensible alternative to paving, and with so many new coloring and stamping techniques available, they can be much more than a boring gray slab.
Concrete is also very durable, and able to endure extreme weather conditions and with a little maintenance, you can get rid of the stains and marks and your patio surface will look good for a long, long time.
Baking soda is mildly abrasive and will dissolve dirt and grease, so it’s a great cleaning agent for cleaning rough surfaces like concrete.
A DIY baking soda and bleach solution will remove seasonal stains from a concrete patio, and will only need to be done once a year in the Spring. If you prefer a more environmentally friendly cleaner, mix baking soda with distilled white vinegar!
Is Baking Soda Safe to Use?
Baking soda is a great natural product for cleaning lots of surfaces including concrete.
It’s eco-friendly and when mixed with water, will dissolve dirt and lift away grease.
How Often Do You Need to Clean a Concrete Patio?
If you’ve sealed your patio, you should only have to scrub it once a year and it will help preserve the look and life of the concrete.
If you have a cleaning solution, you should likely apply it in spring, since winter is the season which causes the most degradation (especially in regions of heavy snowfall).
If you’re cleaning concrete near a BBQ or grill that’s caused any oil stains, we recommend cleaning in late summer or early fall.
This will help stop oil from soaking into the concrete, which makes it much harder to clean once spring arrives.
Sealed and Unsealed Concrete
Your choice of sealant will also determine how easy it will be to resist stains and the ravages of daily wear & tear.
If your concrete surface is unsealed, removing tougher stains and spills from grease and oil will likely be a little more work.
Best Practice: Cleaning concrete is always best done on an overcast day that is not forecast for rain. This allows the cleaning products to do their job and not vanish before they have a chance.
Preparing the Patio for Cleaning
So here’s what you will need to get ready for cleaning your patio:
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Mop
- Bucket
- Spatula or mixing tool
- plastic scraper
- Soft bristle scrub brush (non-metallic)
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Mask (if you have respiratory issues, we recommend this)
Before you make the cleaning product, make sure the concrete area is swept and free of dust and debris.
You also need to scrape up any of the stubborn dirt with a plastic scraper (find this at the local hardware store) like leaves, gum or tree sap.
Ingredients Required for Baking Soda Cleaning Mix
There are several different options to choose from when cleaning your patio using baking soda, and all you need are a few basic household items.
You can either prepare a concrete cleaning paste made from baking soda and bleach, or you can prepare a cleaner that is more eco-friendly that can be used for spot cleaning concrete surfaces.
What you’ll need and how to prepare the different cleaning pastes.
1. Baking Soda, Detergent, and Water
This is an awesome natural cleaning solution, it’s great for a gentle wash for concrete.
It works really well on stains from leaves or other plant debris, but may not take out harder stains like grease without extra work.
Ingredients:
- Baking soda.
- Dish detergent.
- Water.
Method:
- In a large bucket, mix 1/2 cup baking soda with one gallon of water.
- Gradually add in 1/8 cup of liquid dish detergent, and mix with a spatula.
- Mop the cleaning solution onto the patio.
- For tougher stains, lightly scrub with a soft scrubbing brush.
- Rinse off the cleaning solution with water, and let it dry.
2. Baking Soda and Bleach Paste
This strong and easy-to-make cleaner works well on concrete and will remove stains caused by oil, leaves, and other junk that gets dropped on concrete surfaces.
Be careful when using this solution around plants as bleach is poisonous to most plants.
Ingredients:
- Baking Soda
- Household Bleach
Method:
- Start by mixing three parts baking soda and two parts bleach in a large bucket.
- Mix the two ingredients together until you achieve a soupy-like consistency, taking care during the mixing process. Always use rubber gloves and safety glasses.
- Using a soft-bristle scrubbing brush, work the paste into any areas on the concrete that are stained.
- Allow the cleaning solution to sit for 10 – 15 minutes and scrub again to scrub away any stubborn stains.
- Remove the cleaning solution with clean water and finally mop the complete area before letting the cleaned surface dry.
3. Baking Soda and Vinegar Paste
This is a natural cleaning mixture using items you may already have at your home.
Ingredients:
- Baking soda
- Distilled white vinegar
Method:
- Fill a large bucket with a small amount of product (for your convenience, use a large bucket that you would typically use for mopping). Now slowly add the baking soda, mixing in with a spatula. Right away, you’ll see it foam up. You’ll just need to be patient, let the foam subside, and gently mix until you get a thick, paste-like consistency.
- If you want a thicker paste, just add more baking soda to the mix.
- Cover any stains and just give the affected area a light scrub with a soft-bristle scrubbing brush. After that let the mixture sit for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
- Now give the area a scrub again to remove any dirt or staining and wash off the cleaning solution with water (like hosing it down).
- The baking soda and vinegar mixture is also a more environmentally conscientious alternative and can be used safely around the areas populated with plants.
- Always wear rubber gloves and eye protection when preparing and using the solution as there may be skin or eye irritation with contact.
Summary
Baking soda is a great cleaner for all types of concrete surfaces, from unsealed patio surfaces to sealed concrete benchtops.
Baking soda is naturally abrasive and helps it remove even the most tough stains from a concrete surface with minimal effort.
Use a mixture of baking soda and water for a gentle wash, use baking soda and vinegar for a more powerful wash that is also environmentally friendly.
For the most stubborn stains, use a baking soda and bleach cleaning solution to lift even grease stains from your concrete patio.