For general cleaning and disinfecting, the bleach and water solution should contact the surface for 6 minutes. For mold and mildew stains, allow the bleach solution to contact the surface for 10 minutes.
Bleach is commonly used to whiten concrete and is very effective at doing so if the initial stain is removed beforehand. Bleaching stained concrete white prepares it for any additional coloring treatments that you may wish to apply in the future.
Bleach solution doesn't damage concrete, but it isn't something you want in your eyes or on your skin or clothing. You could wind up with spots of white or odd colors because bleach affects fabric dye colors unevenly.
But that's not all; chlorine bleach can also be used for cleaning the concrete driveway. Of course, you should dilute it with equal parts of water or a 1:1 ratio. With the mixture ready, spray it on the driveway, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, use a stiff brush before rinsing with clean water.
As a gentler cleaner, bleach can't harm concrete's durable material. Aside from being an effective cleaner and stain remover, it also acts as a disinfectant to the concrete surface.
After disinfection with bleach solutions, surfaces should be rinsed and dried. Bleach can be irritating to skin and mucous membranes, so any residue should be removed prior to returning animals to the environment.
Let the solution sit: Allow the bleach solution to sit on the patio for 10-15 minutes. This will give it time to break down any dirt and grime. Rinse the patio: Use the garden hose or pressure washer to rinse off the bleach solution, starting at the opposite end from where you applied it.
Bleach gets into all the dirty cracks and helps to improve the appearance of your patio slabs dramatically. It can help you get rid of moss, algae and weeds.
In fact, vinegar removes mold from concrete better than bleach. Bleach will only remove the top layer of mold, causing the mold to return.
However, this doesn't mean that combining the two will create a super-cleaner — in fact, it actually puts your health at serious risk. Mixing vinegar and bleach together releases a poisonous chlorine gas, which can be fatal if inhaled at high enough concentrations.
Cleaning concrete with muriatic acid can be a highly effective solution if used correctly, providing ultra-bright white concrete and removal of many types of stains. In one application, you can remove rust stains, oil stains, algae, and paint splatter with a quick chemical application followed by pressure washing.
It's important to follow the label instructions to make sure the product is used safely and performs as promised. If you'd like to disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces, allow the bleach solution to contact the surface for at least 6 minutes. Then, rinse and air dry.
For best results, vacuum or sweep the floor before mopping to remove excess dirt and other particles. Mop or wipe with a cloth soaked in a disinfecting solution of 8 oz of Clorox® Bleach or Clorox® Scented Bleach in 1 gallon of water. To disinfect, leave the solution in contact with the surface for at least 5 minutes.
Bleach should be washed out as soon as your desired level of lift is achieved, and should never be left in for longer than 45 minutes at the most to prevent damage to the hair, and should be checked frequently throughout the bleaching process.
Pour ⅓ cup of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach into 1 gallon of water in a plastic bucket or container. Apply bleach solution using a brush or broom on horizontal surfaces, and a sponge or mop on vertical surfaces. Heavily soiled surfaces may require additional scrubbing. Wait 6 minutes for disinfecting.
Leaving bleach on a surface for an extended period of time can alter the color, so don't soak something in bleach overnight unless you're trying to alter the color of something (like bleaching your laundry). In addition, Johnson says there's no added sanitization benefit to leaving bleach on a surface for 8+ hours.
Mistake No. 6: Leaving the bleach on too long
After 45 minutes, the bleach will stop lifting up your hair color and will start cooking your strands. This may leave your hair super dry, brittle, or worse, cause hair fallout.
When bleach is left to air dry on floors and is not rinsed away, it can leave behind bleach crystals after the bleach evaporates. Sodium hypochlorite will break down into salt and water when left to do so. Since undiluted bleach is mostly water to begin with, once the floor dries, salt crystals will be left behind.
Don't use bleach straight out of the bottle
Household bleach is no more effective in disinfecting at higher concentrations than at those recommended by the manufacturer, according to Laumbach. “You should dilute it to prevent irritation of skin, eyes and the respiratory tract.
Editor's Note: Once the bleach starts to dry, it stops processing your hair, and your strands won't get any lighter from that point on.
However, when chlorine is present in a water-based solution, it can permeate through concrete and reach the steel bars giving the concrete structural support. The chlorides corrode the metal framework, endangering the skeleton of your concrete floor.
Mixing water and bleach on concrete can cause a chemical reaction that can damage the surface of the concrete. Bleach is a strong oxidizing agent and can react with the minerals in the concrete, causing discoloration, staining, and etching.