DIY Miracle Concrete Patio Cleaner | i should be mopping the floor
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DIY Miracle Concrete Patio Cleaner

This post for DIY Patio Cleaner contains affiliate links. I make a small portion when these links are used, at no additional cost to you.

Need an easy concrete patio cleaner to get your outdoor space in shape? This DIY patio cleaner will have your porch looking like new in no time...with items you probably already have on hand. We've now been using this homemade cleaner recipe for several years and swear by it. 

DIY Patio Cleaner
We've seriously had the worst patio for a while now. We have water "issues" in our backyard. Even having a French Drain installed hasn't done much to alleviate them. There is always mud. And it is constantly tracked onto the porch by dogs and kids. We have finally found our favorite DIY patio cleaner that really does the trick. Check it out below.


DIY Patio Cleaner

We realized we needed a patio cleaner of some sort, when at the end of the winter, the patio ended up looking like this:
dirty patio
Niiiiiiice.
Can you see the dogs' path? It's bad, y'all. I've even burnt up a motor in a power washer still unable to clean it. After researching some different methods online, I came up with this particular patio cleaner recipe that resulted in the above spot looking like this:

clean patio
I'll go ahead and preface this by saying, this is by no means a "green" cleaning solution. I normally try to stick to natural cleaners in my home, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone. But, I was desperate, y'all. The family was coming over for Easter and something HAD to be done!

This outdoor cleaner works on all kinds of dirt, stains, grime, algae, mildew, and moss. It's like patio magic.

UPDATE (2022): This post is now 10 years old and I still use this homemade cleaner. We're in a new home now and have a lot of trees over our sidewalks and patio areas. They tend to drop a lot of moss and we often have very green concrete. This solution has worked well for that, too. I also used it on a nasty grease stain in our driveway...worked wonderfully.

How to Make DIY Patio Cleaner

Cleaner Supplies

Supplies:


Directions:

  • Since I mentioned above that this isn't a very "green" solution, you can protect plants, wildlife, and vegetation from runoff by laying your old dropcloths or towels over them. 
  • Wearing your rubber gloves (since we're working with chemicals), combine your bleach and baking soda in the bucket. I often use a long-handled spoon to mix it well.
  • The patio cleaner will be thick, similar to a paste.
  • I just dip my brush into the mixture and scrub the concrete. 
  • Rinse everything with your garden hose when you're done.
  • Allow to dry before walking on the surface.
  • Below, I shared a photo after I began the process.

before and after patio
My husband and I were pretty amazed. And it goes fast. It didn't take me too long at all. Of course, the next day, the dog tracked on prints AGAIN. But, since I had just cleaned it, it easily hosed right off. I'd say doing this a couple of times a year will keep the patio super clean. It also worked where my potted plants had leaked onto the patio and formed rings. Our patio now looks new!

Just be sure to rinse really well after using the patio cleaner. Let dry completely before walking on it again.

CAUTION: I'd only use this patio cleaner on a concrete surface. Don't try it on a composite deck, or any deck, for that matter.


More Patio Cleaners & Ideas:


patio cleaning recipe
I guess sometimes, I really should be mopping the floor.







34 comments:

  1. This is such a clever idea!

    Mrs. Delightful
    www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com

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  2. This is a great tip! I definitely need to try it on my back patio. I'd love for you to share this at my link party {It runs Tues-Sat}. http://adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com/2012/04/terrific-tuesdays-10.html
    Rachel

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  3. This is a GREAT tip!!!! I'll be able to use this on my patio blocks!! Thanks!!

    Thanks for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!

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  4. LOL! Your blog name hooked me and when I hopped over you really were cleaning the "floor". It looks great too, and don't worry about not going green...the baking soda makes it half green...anything goes when your having guests, right? I'm so glad I found your blog via Mom On Timeout. I'm your newest follower so we can stay connected. I would love if you stopped by to visit. Lori

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  5. Looks like you have been doing more than mopping the floor!! Love the cleaning tip. Thanks!

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  6. This is an awesome tip and I can't believe the difference! Definitely giving this a try! Thanks for linking up on Teagan's Travels. I hope you'll be able to join this week's party going on now.

    http://teaganstravels.blogspot.com/2012/04/destination-inspiration-linky-party-11.html

    Thanks, Michelle @Teagan's Travels

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  7. What a great idea! We usually just use our pressure washer but there are always some stains left behind that I'll have to try this on. Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!

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  8. YES! I've been wanting a tutorial on this! Thanks for sharing, I'm pinnin this!

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  9. I'm featuring this amazing tip as my first tip of the week on my link party features! Thanks for linking up to Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, I can't wait to see what else you bring to the party every week!

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  10. I have using this method for years now and it is great it also cleans up oil stains from under the car

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    Replies
    1. Oil stains under the car are easily cleaned up with nothing more than kitty litter, the old fashioned cheap kind that is nothing more than granules of dry clay. Just throw it down and leave it till you get around to it again.... if you're in a hurry use muratic acid.

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  11. Great idea. Unfortunately I am allergic to bleach. Still looking for other alternatives. If anyone has any suggestions other than bleach please contact me at trusis49@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Go to your big box store (Lowe's or Home Depot) or local hardware. Pool cleaner / muratic acid works... you absolutely have to dilute it or the fumes will take your breath. An alternative to that is ceramic tile haze remover/tile cleaner. Pick up some very good rubber gloves while there. You'll need them.... this is what I use when installing tile. Battery acid will also work but you really need to go back over with a solution of baking soda to neutralize the acid.

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    2. Vinegar and blue dawn dish soap in water. Not enough soap for big bubbles.

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  12. Great idea. Unfortunately I am allergic to bleach. Still looking for other alternatives. If anyone has any suggestions other than bleach please contact me at trusis49@gmail.com

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  13. I use vinegar with baking soda to clean the grout on my floors. The chemical reaction that occurs is great for breaking up the dirt and clean-up's a breeze. Just do a little scrubbing here and there then wipe it all up w/ a clean towel. Not sure how it would work on a patio, but worth giving it a try.

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  14. was wondering if this would work for floors i find i have tiles that get so dirty with the pets and

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  15. Bleach will kill grass, but if you wet it down before and wash it off during and afterwards that helps from killing it, at least it did my bermuda. What I wanted to mention is that if you want them to stay clean, then you need to apply a concrete sealer, additionally, another helpful solution is to apply "purple cleaner" - just put in spray canister or bottle - mix with water and spray the surface, let it sit for a half hour - this works well if you have a drive on/into patio covering. The bleach solution is also good for killing the mold and mildew, and it is what it is lol Chlorine....... so with all things, use them in a manner appropriate for safety.

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  16. Bleach will kill grass, but if you wet it down before and wash it off during and afterwards that helps from killing it, at least it did my bermuda. What I wanted to mention is that if you want them to stay clean, then you need to apply a concrete sealer, additionally, another helpful solution is to apply "purple cleaner" - just put in spray canister or bottle - mix with water and spray the surface, let it sit for a half hour - this works well if you have a drive on/into patio covering. The bleach solution is also good for killing the mold and mildew, and it is what it is lol Chlorine....... so with all things, use them in a manner appropriate for safety.

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  17. We have some concrete around our in ground pool that has what looks like old rust stains on it from patio furniture that I'd like to get rid of. I think that this might just work. I'll give it a shot and let you know how it works out. Thanks for the post it sounds like it should work well.

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  18. Toilet bowl cleaner works awesome on concrete!!

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  19. Is bleach safe for outdoor animals?? Grass?

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  20. As you rinse away the bleach paste and dirt just make sure you continuously flood the surrounding 2 feet of grass, preferably NOT with a jet stream of water pressure.

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  21. you could seal your concrete with a sealer and then everything would just spray off

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  22. I'm disappointed this didn't work on our concrete slab by our front door. Oh well, I can only assume it's because my children bring in a special type of alien toxic sludge that resists human cleaning methods. It wouldn't be the first time. I am surprised it didn't do anything though, not even a little cleaner. Maybe I need a better scrubbing brush? The one I had wasn't super brittle.

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  23. You could probably scrub it with a broom.

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  24. The look is totally changed after cleaning, I also need to try this, thanks for sharing. xx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ashley! Thank you for stopping by! I hope this works well for you! <3

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  25. Looks great! What about wood decks?

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anre! I'm not sure about a wood deck...We've only tried it on the concrete patio. Thanks for stopping by!

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  26. I am going to try this on the concrete floor in the garage

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