One of the challenges is getting the surface dry enough to put down a good sealer without it coming back up. Sealers make cleaning easier, but are not proper in all locations and so I’ll show you how to get what you have as clean as you can get it and keep it that way. What you may not realize is that concrete is more porous than you think and everything can stain it from mud to oil. If you do have stains, use a good concrete patio cleaner and rub it into the stain. Scrub it for a while to make sure the cleaner gets into the stain and concrete. Take a garden hose and rinse it off. But if that fails to get your stain out, then try a heavier solution of the concrete patio cleaner and let it sit. Some suggest using bleach and water, but I never had to go that route.

When you have a rust stain use this simple remedy. Take a one part vinegar to three parts of water and let that sit on the rust for a bit. Gently rub it into the stain and keep it on the stain for at least 20 minutes. When the time is up, again, take the garden hose and spray the area down. Your stain should come up with those solutions. But if they don’t, there is one other option you can try. We have discussed power or pressure washing before and this is one place you can use it. Many of the good concrete patio cleaners can be used with a pressure washer. You will need to mix your concrete patio cleaner according to the directions on the package. I go a little strong, and then use the uptake tube for the pressure washer. Start on the lowest pressure washing setting you can so that the soap solution is well dispersed onto the concrete.

Next, you’ll want to let that sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This is very hard to do if your patio is sitting in the sun. In this case, keep that low pressure spraying over the concrete every 5 minutes so it doesn’t dry out. Finally, adjust the pressure washer to the higher setting and blast those stains right off your patio, having the concrete patio cleaner soaked and done its job. You’ll find that the stains will come up and you can let that dry and if you’d like, get a good sealer for your clean, new patio surface.

Depending on how much furniture you have to clean you can make a big batch of patio furniture cleaning solution. I mix about one teaspoon of cleanser to a quart of water. Make sure your water is warm so you won’t have the solution separating. Mix it well, then find an empty spray bottle and fill it with your first batch. Before you start to use the cleaning solution, make sure your patio furniture is as clean as you can get it.

Using your newly created patio furniture cleaning solution spray down both sides of the cushions. Get a lot of the solution on so that it can soak in really well. If you really soak the cushions and the rest of the furniture now, it will be much easier to get off when you go to clean off the soap and grime later. I sprayed it on and then let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes, about the same time I let the concentrate sit on the floor to clean that patio surface. Just makes sense to let it do its job and I tell you, it comes out a lot nicer and is easier to get clean when you do it this way.

You don’t want to pressure wash the cushions unless you use the pressure washer on a very light setting. So what I’m saying is that you can even use the garden hose to clean these off once the solution has been sitting for 15 minutes or so. It’s incredible how easily the grit comes off. And then, once you’re done with that, I set the cushions up on their side and let them just drip dry. If you can find a sunny spot, good. But if not, choose the best place that gets plenty of air circulating around. Don’t let them dry completely. I have one more trick that helps keep them clean.

To make patio furniture cleaning easier I wait until the cushions are still a tad damp and then spray them with a good fabric protector. There are several good fabric protectors on the market to keep the dampness out and the dirt from penetrating deep.

Remember to buy a good brand of patio furniture cleaning solution which can be made from high quality detergent. Then pick up some fabric protector to keep your job lasting until next spring or fall. It pays to use the right solution and protector so you won’t have to work so hard on your patio cleaning each year.