Concrete has always been a popular building material, but unfortunately, it has never been resistant to degradation and damage. Proper maintenance and cleaning of this material extends its lifespan and maintains its appearance.
There is a wide variety of concrete cleaners available in the market, and having good knowledge about them can save you time and money on your concrete cleaning project.
These cleaners are designed to remove dirt, stains, and contamination from the concrete. But since the material is quite porous and holds dust well, it can get very challenging to clean. It will take time and knowledge to figure out which product works best to clean a particular type of contamination.
Without further ado, let’s get straight into understanding different types of concrete cleaners.
pH-Neutral Cleaners
Neutral cleaners are mild cleaners that are used on interior sealed or polished concrete that does not have embedded dirt. They can also be used on exterior or interior concrete that is not sealed but requires only mild cleaning, and the dirt particles have not yet penetrated deeply through the pores.
Make sure to dilute the cleaner, as per the cleaning need, before using it. Pour the solution over the concrete, followed by light scrubbing. Mop the surface afterward and rinse with water. If dirt remains, try repeating the process.
Acidic Cleaners
These cleaners are designed to clean contamination that dissolves in acid. Acidic cleaners are particularly useful for removing concrete efflorescence, which is a chemical process where metallic salt migrates to porous surfaces like concrete and form a white powdery coating. It looks unappealing and does not wash away with water or mild cleaners and therefore has to be dissolved in acidic solutions. Efflorescence can occur because of high soil alkalinity, high salt content in the concrete, or exposure to hard water.
The active ingredient in these cleaners is, of course, acid. They come in both concentrated and ready-to-use formulations and are applied directly to the affected parts, followed by light to medium scrubbing. Stubborn stains will need further treatment. After cleaning, it is essential to neutralize the area by rinsing with water. To protect your concrete from future contamination of salt, consider sealing or polishing the concrete.
Alkaline Cleaners
Alkaline cleaners are also called concrete degreasers because they are used to remove grease, oil and other organic or hydrocarbon stains from the concrete. Oil and lubricant leakage and spillage is a big problem in industries that leaves aggressive stains on their concrete. The high alkalinity is these cleaners emulsifies and breaks down the structure of these stains and helps in their easy removal.
Alkaline cleaners are also used to neutralize the concrete after treating it with acid or acid cleansers.
These cleaners come in concentrates and are diluted depending upon the aggressiveness of the stains. For older and stubborn stains, use the full strength of detergent, whereas for newer stains that have not penetrated enough in the pores, use diluted detergents.
It is important to note that after applying the cleaner to greasy stains, let it sit there for a while, so it can break the oil particles. After that, do the scrubbing and lift or wipe the residues out of the concrete. Use clean water to rinse the surface.
These are different types of concrete cleaners. Apart from these, there are antibacterial and specialty cleaners, for example, rust remover, available as well. If you need industrial-grade cleaning products for removing grime, dirt, and contamination from concrete floors, get in touch with Sunrise Industrial Cleaners, an Edmonton based company specializing in industrial cleaning products. To get a free quote, contact us now or visit our website.
