Many people think cement and concrete are the same material, but they're not. Cement, composed mainly of lime, silica and a small amount of gypsum, is actually a component of concrete. Generally, the only time you really use pure cement in a home is in nonsanded grout. As a result, if you are trying to clean stains from cement, you are probably trying to clean stains from concrete.
Water Pressure Cleaning
If you want to clean stains on cement by yourself, you have to use a spray nozzle pressure washer. You can buy or rent pressure washers at most home improvement stores. To clean concrete cement stains, you need a pressure washer with at least a 1,000 psi rating if it is electric and a 2,000 psi rating if it is gas.
Before you begin to spray the concrete with the pressure washer, scrub out stains with a stiff brush and a concrete cement cleaning product. Then, turn the pressure washer on and begin cleaning the concrete with smooth, even strokes of water. Once the concrete cement is dry, check the stains. If they remain, pressure wash the entire area again.
Sometimes, a pressure washer isn't strong enough to remove stains deep in the concrete cement. For these types of stubborn stains, you might want to consider using acid.
Acid Cleaning
Muriatic acid is the most common acid used to clean concrete. This acid is dangerous, so always follow all the manufacturer's safety precautions before beginning. It is important to note that, if you are cleaning concrete cement stains with acid, you will have to reseal the concrete once you finish. Cleaning with acid makes the concrete more porous than it already was, and if you fail to reseal it after using an acid product, it will become damaged very quickly. Muriatic acids differ, so when choosing this method of cleaning, follow the instructions specific to the type and brand you purchase.
You can clean concrete cement stains with acid by using a stiff brush, which will give you more control over the chemical. To begin cleaning, simply apply the acid to the concrete cement with the stiff brush. Allow the acid to dry and sweep away the dusty material. Then apply a concrete sealing product to protect your newly cleaned, stain-free concrete cement.
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