Easiest way to clean exterior concrete steps down to basement

Anna
by Anna
Steps are stained with algae, mold and mildew stains as are the surrounding brick walls. We're doing a major cleaning now, and would like to know the easiest way to get them clean and to maintain them.
  2 answers
  • Anna, the easiest method is to use a power washer. You can rent these at most Home Depots or your local rental center. You must however not keep the wand to close to the cement and you need to move it around fairly quickly. You will understand this if you go this route. The power of the water will remove the stains and mildew pretty quickly. But if you go to slow with the want, it will begin to eat at the cement surface. Another method is to use the old boat cleaning method. A stiff brush, some soap and lots of elbow grease. They sell cleaning chemicals that you can find at most of the larger home centers and hardware stores. Wet the stairs down then apply the cleaning chemicals scrub, rinse and repeat. But the fastest way is to power wash. Why you got the rental you can make quick work of the siding on the house, the driveway and any sidewalks or hard surfaces that are dirty also. The power washer has a soap applying system built in so its pretty easy to do.
  • Candace Candace on Aug 12, 2014
    Clean with bleach