The Do's and Don'ts for Exterior Concrete

Exterior Architectural Concrete Maintenance and Do’s and Don’t’s

Do’s:
1. Wash your concrete regularly when dirty with a pressure washer
2. Use just water to clean (don’t use any detergents or chemicals)
3. Have your concrete resealed every 2-3 years depending on traffic patterns
4. Use non-corrosive snow and ice melting agents
5. Hire an experienced snow removal company
6. Use a sealer recommended by Concrete Arts (typically a solvent-based acrylic)
7. Sometimes sprinkler systems will leave white spots on your concrete (a chalky appearance will be evident). This is hard water stains. A good way to remove this would be to use a product called Xylene. This can be purchased at any hardware or home improvement store. Spray this on the affected areas with a garden sprayer and the spots should disappear.

Dont’s
1. Use salt or any chloride product to melt snow.
2. Use an ice pick to remove ice
3. Spray fertilizer or other lawn maintenance items on concrete
4. Let your sealer wear completely off
5. Use any cleaning solutions to clean unless compatible with sealer
6. Reseal it with a non-recommended product (typically home improvement centers do not carry the appropriate products). Contractor supply business such as Brock White, CMI, or Cemstone Contractor Supply can provide you with the right stuff.