Summertime in Chicago is officially here! This means sunshine, beach time, and even hosting barbecues with family and friends. However, the winter and spring seasons allow for concrete patios to accumulate stains, moss, and imperfections. Unfortunately, the grimy patio can take away from an otherwise perfect celebration. Concrete patios should also be cleaned at least once a year to keep them in shape. Luckily, right before the summer season is a perfect time to do it. Read on to learn how to clean your concrete patio and make it look pristine for summer gatherings!
The Key Steps to Cleaning
Cleaning a patio is easy but essential in its maintenance. Keeping all the dirt and debris on the patio can cause holes and cracks to occur over time, increasing overall costs and headaches. Keep them at bay with these simple cleaning steps. All you need to get started is a broom, laundry detergent, stiff nylon brush, and water.
First, clear off your patio of all the furniture, plants, and other items that may have been sitting there all season. These areas are normally the dirtiest parts, so extra care is needed when working on them. Next, sweep off the patio with the broom to get off all of the surface dirt and debris. Once that is complete, create sections of your patio that will be worked on one at a time. Pour laundry detergent into the section, scrub off with a nylon brush, rinse before the solution sets into the concrete, and then move onto the next section. Repeat this process until the whole patio has been cleaned off to your standards.
For tougher stains, you can add vinegar or baking soda to the solution to strengthen it. If that doesn’t work, you can rent a power washer to remove those deep rooted stains and clean off your concrete patio to look as good as new!
Does summer have you inspired to start a new project?
Whether you want to create a new patio to host for the summer, or pour a new driveway to hold all your visitors’ cars, Elston Materials has you covered for all of your concrete needs. Click here to see our products and see why we pride ourselves on being the #1 rated source for masonry construction supplies in Chicago.
