DIY Miracle Concrete Patio Cleaner

This post for DIY Patio Cleaner contains affiliate links. I make a small portion when these links are used, at no additional cost to you.

Need an easy concrete patio cleaner to get your outdoor space in shape? This DIY patio cleaner will have your porch looking like new in no time...with items you probably already have on hand. We've now been using this homemade cleaner recipe for several years and swear by it. 

We've seriously had the worst patio for a while now. We have water "issues" in our backyard. Even having a French Drain installed hasn't done much to alleviate them. There is always mud. And it is constantly tracked onto the porch by dogs and kids. We have finally found our favorite DIY patio cleaner that really does the trick. Check it out below.

DIY Patio Cleaner

We realized we needed a patio cleaner of some sort, when at the end of the winter, the patio ended up looking like this:

Niiiiiiice.
Can you see the dogs' path? It's bad, y'all. I've even burnt up a motor in a power washer still unable to clean it. After researching some different methods online, I came up with this particular patio cleaner recipe that resulted in the above spot looking like this:

I'll go ahead and preface this by saying, this is by no means a "green" cleaning solution. I normally try to stick to natural cleaners in my home, so this was definitely out of my comfort zone. But, I was desperate, y'all. The family was coming over for Easter and something HAD to be done!

This outdoor cleaner works on all kinds of dirt, stains, grime, algae, mildew, and moss. It's like patio magic.

UPDATE (2022): This post is now 10 years old and I still use this homemade cleaner. We're in a new home now and have a lot of trees over our sidewalks and patio areas. They tend to drop a lot of moss and we often have very green concrete. This solution has worked well for that, too. I also used it on a nasty grease stain in our driveway...worked wonderfully.

How to Make DIY Patio Cleaner

Supplies:

• 2 parts baking soda
• 1 part bleach
• rubber gloves (I use these dishwashing gloves that I buy here on Amazon.)
• bucket for mixing
• gong-style scrub brush (I tried several brushes, but this style worked best. Find one HERE on Amazon.)
• optional: old drop cloths or towels to protect grass or vegetation

Directions:

• Since I mentioned above that this isn't a very "green" solution, you can protect plants, wildlife, and vegetation from runoff by laying your old dropcloths or towels over them. 
• Wearing your rubber gloves (since we're working with chemicals), combine your bleach and baking soda in the bucket. I often use a long-handled spoon to mix it well.
• The patio cleaner will be thick, similar to a paste.
• I just dip my brush into the mixture and scrub the concrete. 
• Rinse everything with your garden hose when you're done.
• Allow to dry before walking on the surface.
• Below, I shared a photo after I began the process.

My husband and I were pretty amazed. And it goes fast. It didn't take me too long at all. Of course, the next day, the dog tracked on prints AGAIN. But, since I had just cleaned it, it easily hosed right off. I'd say doing this a couple of times a year will keep the patio super clean. It also worked where my potted plants had leaked onto the patio and formed rings. Our patio now looks new!

Just be sure to rinse really well after using the patio cleaner. Let dry completely before walking on it again.

CAUTION: I'd only use this patio cleaner on a concrete surface. Don't try it on a composite deck, or any deck, for that matter.

More Patio Cleaners & Ideas:

• While we love this patio cleaner, we eventually changed the color of our entire patio area. See how we etched and then painted this patio.
• Hunker has a recipe for concrete cleaner that's a bit more scientific, but also good.
• My Homemade Residue Remover is also a good one to try on stubborn gunk. It works well on windows and glass. 
• This DIY Outdoor Furniture Cleaner from An Uncomplicated Life Blog is perfect to give your patio furniture a little cleaning before the spring and summer seasons.
• Refresh your terra cotta for the outdoor season with this Natural Homemade Flower Pot Cleaning Spray from The Homespun Hydrangea.

I guess sometimes, I really should be mopping the floor.