We Tested the Best Concrete Cleaners and Our Results Were Extraordinary
Don’t put up with a cruddy driveway or a moldy foundation when one of these quality cleaners may be able to get it looking like new.
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Whether you’re pressure-washing the patio or cleaning up an oil leak on the driveway, water alone won’t do the job; you need a good concrete cleaner. Choosing the right product for the task can quickly get complicated. It matters whether or not the concrete is sealed, the kind of substance you are removing, and whether you need to clean other materials with the same product, among other things. To find out more about different types of concrete cleaners, and the best use cases for them, we tested four different products on an unsealed driveway and sealed concrete garage floor with oil stains, algae, mildew, and soot from fireworks.
Our favorite product, Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Cleaner, was formulated specifically for use with a pressure washer soap siphon. It also included instructions on mixing for use in a spray bottle. In our side-by-side comparison, Simple Green cleaned as well or better than the others in the same amount of time. The product is safe for use on a wide range of surfaces, and it was the only product we tested that also features the EPA’s Safer Choice certification.
Differences in stain types, concrete surface finishes, and environments call for a variety of cleaning options. If your project requires an enzyme-based concrete stain remover, a rust remover, a product that can be used in food preparation zones, or one that’s suitable for other specific needs, keep reading. In this guide we will showcase the best concrete cleaners for any project.
| Compatible Stains | Cleaner Type | Liquid & Dry | Working Time | |
| Sika grout | ||||
| Sika Pink Waterproof Additive | ||||
| Sika Water Bar | ||||
| Sikadur Combiflex | ||||
| Sika swell |
Our Top Picks
If you have stubborn concrete stains, there is no need to pay for professional cleaning services. In our tests, these concrete cleaning products proved affordable, effective, and easy to use.
best overall
Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor Cleaner
What We Like
What We Don’t Like
Product Specs
Simple Green Oxy Solve outdoor concrete cleaner works as a pretreatment to weaken concrete stains before pressure-washing. It also works in the pressure washer’s cleaning solution reservoir for one-step cleaning. For spot-cleaning, you can simply mix it with water in a spray bottle. This cleaner employs the power of eco-friendly alcohol-based solvent and peroxide to deep-clean dirt, grime, mold, mildew, moss, and algae stains.
This biodegradable concrete cleaner for pressure-washing meets the criteria of the EPA’s Safer Choice Program, and it’s safe for use around pets, landscape plants, and wildlife. It is suitable for concrete and other materials including wood, composite, vinyl, metal, fabric, plastic, wicker, stone, brick, and asphalt. Use it on driveways, foundations, siding, and other surfaces.