Cleaning Stamped Concrete With Xylene

Many oil based decking enamels and varnishes can be thinned or cleaned up with xylene which also works well as a solvent when used with compounds that are applied to metals to keep them from rusting.

Cleaning stamped concrete with xylene.

To clear up whitened cracked and hazy looking concrete sealer sometimes it s better to try and re melt the existing acrylic solvent based sealer with an application of xylene xylol. After sweeping the floor dip a rope or foam mop into a bucket of warm water. If concrete was dyed or stained using xylene can damage or change the color of the concrete pressure wash the surface and allow concrete to completely dry. Here are the steps for cleaning stamped concrete.

Because it is made from petroleum xylene is especially good at cleaning up oil based products like paint wood stain and other synthetic products without damaging the surfaces they are on. The first step in cleaning a stamped concrete surface is removing loose dirt and grime from the surface. Maintaining the stamped concrete by keeping it clean and re sealing when needed 2 3 years will keep the concrete looking as new as possible. Sweep and wash the surface occasionally to avoid dirt buildup using a push broom garden hose and a mild detergent.

If you aren t sure what your stamped concrete is currently sealed with you want to run a quick xylene xylol test. Routine cleaning of stamped concrete is simple. Start by removing any visible peeling and flaking and use a solvent based stripper such as xylene to remove the previous sealer. Keeping the roller wet with xylene xylol roll over the area until it gets tacky.

Over time the high pressure breaks down the sealer and reduces the protection the shine and expected life of the sealer. The cleaner will release the dirt that gets trapped in the valleys and crevices of the stamped concrete. Use a broom to remove loose debris from the concrete. In the case of the 5 year old stamped patio my recommendation would be to try a solvent bath with xylene or use one of the new solvent bath products on the market.

Mike day everything about concrete 2 241 821 views 27 12 restoring stamped concrete with original solid color stain translucent color enhancer duration. Rinse well with a garden hose on high pressure. Step 1 sweep the surface. If the excess antiquing release was thoroughly removed before the original seal coat was applied the best way to fix sealer problems is to fill a pail with xylene and use a natural bristle brush on a broom handle to scrub the xylene onto the surface.

Find an area where the sealer is still visible and mark off a 1 ft x 1 ft area. Use a clean 3 8 inch nap roller and back roll across the area a few times to work out the problem area. Thoroughly mop the floor. Never use a pressure washer to clean your stamped concrete.

If the surface gets sticky tacky leave it to dry for 24 hours. For regular cleaning of stamped concrete surfaces a weekly wet mopping is usually sufficient. Always use a gentle cleaner when washing stamped concrete. Spray a thin coat across the surface and let it liquefy the sealer.