March 2019 - 214 Pressure Washing

On any metal surface that even has the chance of being exposed to water, you expect rust. However, it is somewhat less expected to show up on your concrete, but it can and if the right conditions are met, it will.

Removing Rust Stains from Concrete

So how does that big orange rust stain show up on your concrete when it isn’t a metal surface? There are a few culprits. Most commonly, you will find rust stains on concrete from metal ornaments or lawn furniture. You will typically find smaller rust stains where the metal had contact with the surface. However, if you have a larger rust stain, you will want look to nearby irrigation systems. Some water has trace amount of iron inside and when iron meets water, it creates rust. Thus if your sprinkler system is overflowing onto your concrete, it is likely to blame for that ugly orange stain.

Now that you know where the rust probably came from, what can you do about it? Scrubbing concrete with a cleaner formulated for rust can help to dull the stain, but it doesn’t completely remove it. The real issue is that concrete has pores, and like with dirt, once rust gets into those pores, you need to go in and clean them. The best way to do this is with power washing. The high pressure water penetrates and cleans concrete better than any scrub brush ever could.

By contacting a skilled power washing company, they can save you several afternoons of scrubbing by cleaning that ugly stain away in just a few minutes. By pre-treating with a rust remover and then giving it the power washing treatment, that stain is gone. However, it isn’t gone for good if the cause isn’t treated.

If you have rust stains or even just dirty exteriors that need cleaned, contact us today.

Pressure washing isn’t just for sidewalks and building sides. It’s also not just a tool for one set of circumstances. Here are three times when pressure washing is the right move for making your asphalt parking lot look inviting:

Three Ways to Keep Your Asphalt Parking Lot Clean with Pressure Washing

1. Get oil stains spot cleaned.

Parking lots develop all manner of car stains. Tires leave behind rubber and road chemicals. The cars themselves can be dripping anything from oil to antifreeze under the hood. While these stains are to be expected, sometimes they build up too much and start to ruin your lot’s overall appearance. Hire a pressure washing company to remove particularly visible oil stains. Sometimes trying to absorb the material up doesn’t work, and pressure can remove the stain without caustic chemicals.

2. Clean the surface before refinishing the paint lines.

Parking lot lines fade over time, and that can make the area dangerous. Parking lots already tend to have reduced visibility, especially at night and during winter, so clear lines are essential.

But before your contractors start laying out new spaces, get the whole surface pressure washed. Not only can this help remove some of the loosened paint, it preps the surface for the new lines. Oil, organic debris, and loosened asphalt can all stop your new paint from sticking. Pressure washing the lot ahead of time makes the completed project look nicer and last longer.

3. Remove seasonal debris.

Oil stains aren’t the only stains that can make your lot look grungy. During the fall, falling leaves can stack up and start to decompose. That rot will stain the parking lot, even if it’s darkly-colored asphalt. Winter also brings its own set of stains, such as blue road salt. Schedule a seasonal pressure washing so you can get those stains removed before they really set in.

Go to 214 Pressure Washing here to schedule an appointment to clean your parking lot. We can also help keep your sidewalks, building exteriors, and more clean.