How Often Should You Clean or Restore Concrete?

Concrete is one of the most beautiful and versatile materials to use around your home or business. As walkways, concrete can be stamped and individualized. Concrete driveways and parking lots are strong and durable, and retaining walls made from concrete add stunning detail in a garden while also holding back the earth and protecting a building.

With all the good uses there are for concrete, why wouldn’t you keep it looking its best and lasting as long as possible? The best way to do that is to clean and restore it regularly.

While there isn’t necessarily a clear cut schedule to follow for cleaning your concrete, the team at Clean ‘N Seal offers these tips on how to know how often you should have your concrete cleaned.

Note the Obvious

Sometimes it's apparent when your concrete needs some attention. If you notice any of these signs of excessive wear and tear, it’s time to call a professional concrete restoration company to clean your concrete.

• Large or deep-set stains
• Haze or discoloration covering concrete
• Cracks, sloping, or crumbling bits
• Growth from weeds, algae, mold, or mildew

Once you’ve had your concrete restored from the obvious problems, then keep the following factors in mind for finding the frequency of maintaining it.

Consider the Weather

Pay attention to rough weather. Depending on the weather, cleaning once or twice a year might be best for your concrete.

• Minnesota tends to have harsh winters with cold, ice, and snow, which is tough on concrete. Then there is all the salt and other chemicals you use to melt the ice, which also takes a toll on concrete.
• Cleaning in the spring after a hard winter is a good choice to remove all the salt, dirt, and debris of winter.
• Minnesota also has hot, humid summers, which create the perfect conditions for algae, mold, and mildew growth.
• Pressure washing your concrete in the fall rids it of any growth from the summer and preps it for winter.

Know Your Traffic

Commercial parking lots and sidewalks see a great deal of traffic yearly, seasonally, even weekly. All those vehicles and foot traffic tracks dirt, debris, and stains on concrete over time.

For commercial concrete that sees a lot of use, cleaning twice a year or each season can keep it beautiful and well-maintained for years.

On residential properties, your driveways, walkways, and patios may not see much regular traffic and not need frequent maintenance. Once a year might be all that concrete needs to maintain its pristine look and performance.

Seal Your Concrete

Concrete with no protecting sealant develops stains, cracks, and organism growth sooner and more often than sealed concrete. Not sealing your concrete initially may seem like a way to save money, but in the long run, it usually means spending more to clean and restore your concrete more frequently, even multiple times per year.

Sealed concrete provides more protection over time and often reduces the frequency of cleaning. It also protects against cracks, growing things, wear and tear, and the weather, meaning you might be able to go once a year or even once every couple of years between professional cleanings.

The Takeaway

Sealing your concrete provides the most protection and allows you to go longer between cleanings, and if the weather hasn’t been too extreme and your traffic load has been fairly light, you’re likely able to clean your concrete once every couple of years.

Even with sealed concrete, extreme weather conditions and high traffic volumes may encourage you to clean your concrete exteriors at least once a year.

Unsealed concrete is the most challenging to keep clean and well-maintained for long periods of time, so you’re looking at cleaning it a few times a year.

Clean & Restore Your Concrete With Clean ‘N Seal

Get started on the best routine for your concrete maintenance! Our free on-site assessment will set you up with the right plan to restore your concrete exteriors and our team guarantees our regular maintenance will keep your concrete surfaces beautiful for years to come!

Call us today at 952.393.9588 or message us online to learn more about our restoration process. And check out some of our other cleaning services, like paver restoration, house washing, pool deck cleaning, and more!