Cleaning concrete steps is an essential routine maintenance task for every homeowner — it helps keep up appearances and make your home’s exterior look as beautiful as the interior.
Your concrete staircase has to face the extreme Utah elements, and it takes a toll. Since concrete is a porous material, moisture penetrates and contributes to mold growth when the surface can’t dry out quickly.
What can you do to get rid of the moldy black spores that are ruining the look of your concrete steps? Try these three steps to tackle this problem.
1. Bleach Kills Mold
Some concrete stains are impossible to eradicate, such as motor oil. But you don’t have to live with mildew on your front steps.
The top substance for killing mold in all its forms is bleach. Bleach will also lighten the look of the concrete and remove some of the less serious stains that are impacting your curb appeal.
Make sure you sweep your steps before you start cleaning, getting rid of as much dirt and grime as possible. Next, put on rubber gloves and mix three parts bleach with four parts water. Spread the solution all over the steps with a sponge or mop. You may want to wear a mask to avoid breathing in the strong fumes.
2. Use Elbow Grease
Next, grab a sturdy scrubbing brush and work the bleach into the concrete. Cleaning concrete steps effectively involves a little bit of elbow grease. Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed the surface, let the bleach solution sit for at least 10 minutes.
3. Follow Up with Power-Washing
You can rinse the solution away with a standard garden hose, or you could really work on those mildew stains with a heavy-duty power washer. Power-washing concrete is effective and helps erase years of built-up grime. It’s one of the fastest ways to improve the look of exterior concrete. You can rent a power washer at your local home improvement store.
Improve Your Curb Appeal
Cleaning concrete steps with bleaching, scrubbing and power-washing brightens your home’s exterior surfaces and drastically improves your curb appeal. It makes you smile when you walk up a clean staircase and lounge on an unblemished patio. But what about when the steps, walkway or pool deck start to sink?
Concrete lifting is also good for appearances. When your staircase, patio or driveway is cracking, shifting and sinking, depend on Lift-Up Concrete to help even out the surface affordably and quickly. Neither you or your concrete has to settle — our team is here to help!