The 10 Best Concrete Cleaners
This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in November of 2018. If you're tired of seeing old rust and oil stains in your driveway — or you've just received a formal complaint from your HOA — these concrete cleaners can restore your surfaces to their former glory. Some require a little bit of scrubbing, while others can simply be hosed or swept off after a set amount of time. Just be sure to read the instructions, as a few need to be diluted prior to use. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Terminator-HSD
2. Singerman Laboratories Rust Remover
3. Simple Green Oxy Solve Driveway
Editor's Notes
October 16, 2020:
Maintaining property often feels like an endless amount of work, which is why it is always good when you can find a product that makes your life a little bit easier. Luckily, all of the concrete cleaners on this list can do just that. Depending on the formula you choose, it will eliminate tough stains like those caused by oil or rust, and many require little, if any, scrubbing.
Unfortunately, few of the formulas we found are effective on both of the above-mentioned stain types, so you'll need to make sure to choose the one that is right for the issue you have. When it comes to petroleum-based stains, we have Terminator-HSD, Zep Professional Heavy-Duty Powdered, ACT CC-2.5lb, and CAF Eximo. While we won't say these are completely ineffective against rust, this is simply not what they are designed for, and the reason is that they often utilize microbes to break down hydrocarbon chains within petroleum. That being said, ACT CC-2.5lb is also touted as being able to remove stains caused by gum, animal waste, and mold.
For rust, we have Singerman Laboratories Rust Remover, American Hydro Systems Rid O' Rust, Eco-Etch Pro, and Rust-Oleum 301242 Clean & Etch. It must be noted that these latter two options should only be used if preparing a surface to apply a concrete sealer since they will open up its pores, and if you don't apply a sealant afterwards, the surface will be prone to picking up new stains quickly, which will absorb deep into it and be hard to remove later.
Simple Green Oxy Solve Driveway is a bit of an all-purpose option that can help with both rust and oil, but it is not as effective as the dedicated solutions for either of them. That being said, if you prefer to just purchase a single product, it is versatile enough to work reasonably well for most applications, but you should expect to do a lot of scrubbing if you aren't going to be using it in a pressure cleaner.
November 02, 2018:
Awarded Simple Green Crystal the top spot due to its versatility and ease of use. It narrowly edged out ACT Industrial, which works in a variety of extreme climates and is safe for use around animals.
Special Honors
Clift Industries BioRem-2000 An industrial strength formula, Clift Industries Bio-Rem2000 can quickly dissolve tough, oily stains on virtually any water-safe surface. It is non-corrosive, has a neutral pH, and releases very little odor, so you can use it in areas where other people may be working, and it can be used for manual scrubbing and mopping or with a pressure washer and other machinery. unoclean.com
4. Eco-Etch Pro
5. Zep Professional Heavy-Duty Powdered
6. Rust-Oleum 301242 Clean & Etch
7. ACT CC-2.5lb
8. American Hydro Systems Rid O' Rust
9. CAF Eximo
10. Black Diamond Stone Wash
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.