Will Vinegar Damage Concrete? Cleaning concrete with vinegar will not damage it! However, saturating concrete for an extended period will damage the cement that binds concrete together. Over time, vinegar erodes the concrete itself, so be careful.
Cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a good option if you are looking for a natural cleaner. While cleaning concrete with bleach or detergent can be effective, it can also be toxic to plants.
Never use vinegar on any kind of paver, brick, flagstone or concrete; it WILL damage the surface.
Vinegar or baking soda: These natural cleaners work well to clean cement patios with stubborn charcoal or rust spots. Mix equal parts vinegar and water, scrub the patio with the mixture, then give it a good rinse. If stains don't dissolve, try undiluted vinegar.
Opt for the Most Basic Route: Soap and Water
Cleaning a concrete driveway does not have to be fancy. The easiest is the trusty soap and water mixture. Use dish soap and add it to a large bucket full of water. Then, get your stiff scrub brush, making sure it is not made of metal.
Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while. Use a detergent such as Dawn or Ajax dishwashing liquid mixed with water to brighten a concrete patio that hasn't been cleaned in a while.
Distilled white vinegar is also effective at removing oil from concrete. You'll just need to mix it equally with soap and water, then sprinkle the stain with sawdust before you apply the vinegar mix. Once the oil has gone you can rinse the vinegar off. It should take no more than thirty minutes.
You should only use distilled white vinegar or cleaning vinegar to clean concrete. For general purposes, you can clean concrete with a mixture of part distilled white vinegar to part water.
If you need to get rid of rust from concrete, your best bet is to use some WD-40 Multi-Use Product, and some elbow grease. WD-40 is specially formulated to be a penetrant, so when you spray it on a rusted surface, it gets to work right away by getting under the rust.
According to Reutinger, the weed kill recipe calls for mixing together: 1 cup of salt. 1 tablespoon of dish soap. 1 gallon of vinegar.
"Avoid repeat applications on concrete, since this product, as all other acids may result in etching of cement. In case Harris 30% Vinegar comes into contact, rinse the sprayed or treated surfaces with water." Harris 30% Vinegar may not be used with other household cleaners.
For example, vinegar can etch or discolor concrete surfaces that contain a high concentration of lime. You must do a preliminary test on a tiny, unnoticeable area before utilizing vinegar to clean the concrete surfaces in your home.
Vinegar Solution
Spraying a vinegar solution (1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water) onto the surface, saturating it fully, should kill most strains of mold. Vinegar spray can be followed by power washing or manual hand scrubbing to remove the dead mold.
Cleaning vinegar can be used undiluted or mixed with water, depending on the job. For tough stains on fabric furniture or clothes, use it alone on a sponge or rag to wipe away the spot.
Pressure washing is one of the fastest, most effective ways to get your concrete white again. Concrete can change color over time due to pollen, algae, or dirt buildup, but a good pressure wash can easily remove dirt and stains and make your concrete look new again.
Although mixing vinegar and baking soda is not considered dangerous, you should still avoid mixing these in a container. Vinegar is acidic and basic soda is basic, so the by-products are sodium acetate, carbon dioxide, and water that are not toxic.
It can leave metal bits on the concrete that may stain and rust the areas. Bleach can be harmful to plants. Remove flower beds and potted plants before doing the process. Grass on the edge of the concrete pavement may be damaged by the bleach.
Concrete surfaces can be coated, stained or acid treated. These techniques restore color and make old concrete look new again. The treatments are best applied after physical repairs are made.
Apply a Sealcoat
The sealcoat provides much-needed protection against moisture penetration, which can prevent cracks that would form when water freezes and thaws. Concrete driveways should be sealed a few months after they are first paved, and resealed every two years after that.
Cleansing — For mild discoloration, repeatedly flushing the hardened concrete surface with hot water, then scrubbing with a stiff brush, can reduce or remove discolored blotches. Acid treatment — If the discoloration is more severe, a mild acid solution of 1-3% muriatic acid to water can help remove the discoloration.