by B. Leslie Baird

Created on: March 12, 2010   Last Updated: April 10, 2010

Concrete is a wonderfully durable product for patios and walkways. It is also has low maintenance requirements, with a little care and maintenance your concrete patio and walkway should last a long time. You also have the option of painting concrete if you desire a color change and you can use special coating to add slip resistance to the finish.

General care:

Keep your concrete patio areas and walkways as clean as possible. For general cleaning, plain water and a push broom can be used to give your concrete a thorough scrubbing. You can use a pressure washer but do not aim it too close to the concrete. The pressure can loosen areas that are pitted or otherwise damaged.

For light cleaning, to remove minor stains and dirt, a mixture of laundry detergent or dish soap with water is your best choice. For deep cleaning you can use a light bleach mixture or Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP). A bleach mixture is a good choice for removing mold and mildew stains. When using these products you must fully rinse your patio and walkways after use. You also need to protect any lawn or garden areas from the run-off which can damage them.

If you have oil stains you should first use kitty litter or another absorbent product to soak up as much of the oil as possible. Specialty cleaning products are available to use on oil, gas or other hard to remove stains on concrete. Follow the instructions for the product carefully and you should be able to completely remove the stains.

Damage control:

Anytime you see cracks or larger areas on damaged concrete fix it as soon as possible. The more quickly you can repair any damage the better off you will be. Exposed concrete areas will continue to crack and degrade without repair. Consider using a concrete sealer to prevent new damage and staining. Remove weeds and grass that pop up in-between sections. If weeds are allowed to grow too large pulling them can break away portions of the concrete when they are removed. For larger weeds use a weed killing spray first to reduce the damage.

Things to avoid:

Try not to use ice melting products that contain salt. If your concrete has not been finished properly the salt can cause serious damage. There are products made specially for use on concrete. If you have sealed your concrete this will not be an issue. If you have patio furniture with metal feet, coat the metal with a rust inhibitor. Rust stains on concrete can be removed but it is easier to avoid the damage in the first place. Try not to place large trees around your patio or walkways. Tree roots can grow up under the concrete and severely damage it. Walnut trees can also cause damage from dropping nuts that can leave black stains on the concrete surface.

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