A few years ago, I may or may not have stained our back steps while working on a post about making your own firestarters using egg cartons, dryer lint, and melted wax. (Okay, so I definitely did stain the step. But in my defense, I figured it would be relatively easy to pour the melted wax into an egg carton without making a mess. This did not turn out to be the case.) The greasy wax left behind an unsightly stain on the concrete steps, and to put it briefly, my husband was not pleased.
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Related: How To Make Your Own Firestarters
Even though I don’t really understand why something like a concrete stain would drive him crazy, I DO understand getting irrationally upset over little things once in a while. ;-) There are a hundred little habits of his that drive me up the wall, and sometimes I get a little more annoyed by them than I should. But that’s just part of being married for as long as we have, and we’ve found that trying to solve the problem usually helps smooth things over. So for my husband’s sake, I resolved to find a way to eliminate that stain for good and restore our clean concrete.
After a lot of digging around online, I finally came across a tip that sounded promising. Someone claimed that Drano (yes, the stuff you use to unclog drains) can help clean concrete. I was willing to give it a try, and let me tell you, it worked so much better than I could have imagined! The greasy, waxy stain virtually disappeared, as did the other small greasy stains I tried it on. Here’s how it works, so you can use this miracle concrete cleaner too!
How To Clean Concrete Stains
You’ll need:
- Drain cleaner*
- Stiff scrub brush
- Paper towels
- Hose
*Note: I used Drano Max Gel, but I’m sure other similar cleaners would work well too!
Directions:
Start by squeezing or pouring drain cleaner onto the stain to cover it. Let the cleaner sit on the stain for a few minutes to help it sink it.
Then take a stiff scrub brush and give the stain a good scrub (be sure to use a nylon brush as a metal brush can damage concrete). Use that elbow grease! :-)
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Once the stain has lifted, use paper towels to mop up as much of the cleaner and stain as possible. (You may want to use gloves for this part to make sure you’re not making too much contact with the drain cleaner.) Dispose of the paper towels.
Finally, take your garden hose and rinse the area thoroughly with plenty of water. There won’t be very much cleaner remaining, but you’ll still want to dilute any remaining cleaner as much as possible so it doesn’t hurt the environment.
I think the pictures capture just how effectively this method works! If you have tough concrete stains that you haven’t be able to remove, I definitely recommend giving this method a try. And who knows, it could just save your marriage too! ;-)
All time should have clean all place. This idea is very healthy. I like this tip. Some time should clean concrete stains. Your cleaning information really amazing.
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will liquid plumber hurt flowers next to concrete?
Yes, but it’s not too messy – it shouldn’t get into your flower beds as long as you’re careful :-)
Drano is extremely caustic (basic)! You must neutralize it with something acidic like vinegar. Use caution-heavy gloves and protective glasses are essential.
Thanks for the tip Jillee, I will pass it along.
Um, yeah….Drano, no. It’s scary to think what damage that stuff could do to the environment. But, something that I discovered years ago that works like a charm on like, greasy car oil spots on the driveway, garage, etc. is this stuff called Goo Gone. It comes in a liquid. Its thin enough that it can be sprayed directly on the stain. A little scrubbing, some paper towel blotting and rinse. Depending on the porosity of the concrete or the substance of the stain , there might need to be a couple of applications over a couple of days, but… Read more »
OMG , THANK YOU ! ! ! ! I too have stained the garage with my “projects” ;( I will try this out today!
Please use safety glasses. Getting drain cleaner (sodium hydroxide) in your eye will most likely result in blindness. While you’re at it, read and follow all the safety precautions for the product. For all you chemiphobic people who have commented, the chemical in drain cleaner or lye can be derived easily from common ashes, and like ashes from a forest fire, is easily neutralized by the soil and environment. It also reacts with atmospheric carbon dioxide to form washing soda (sodium carbonate). The real danger with such common chemicals is they are available cheaply and very concentrated, and can be… Read more »
Safety glasses and eye protection!!
This stuff is toxic. – not friendly for the environment! I wouldn’t use it on the driveway or even in my drains.
Another thing Drano or any kind of drain un-clogger is good for is getting your white porcelain sink back to it’s bright white color and eliminating stains. I have old white porcelain sinks in my kitchen and they scratch and stain very easily. I pour Drano gel over the entire thing and let it soak just a few minutes, when I rinse it away my sinks are as white as can be. No stain marks or scratches!
Amazing!
I’m with Anna, not good for the environment. I have rescued 4 feral cats that have made my front porch their home and would never use anything outside to make them sick. When I have a concrete stain my master mechanic son told me to use kitty litter. I sprinkle it on and let it sit for a little bit and then kind of rub it in with my shoe. It has always cleaned my concrete very nicely. Kitty litter is is next to the best thing to use with outdoor cats.