Leaf stains on concrete?

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1

Need to get leaf stains off of a concrete patio. Any suggestions as far as chemicals/soaps go?

2

You have any pics? Not sure about leaf stains. THe only stains I have had a problem with are acorn stains. You use SH?

3

I am new to power washing. I am not sure what SH is.

4

Bleach. You can get 12.5% SH from some pool supply stores. Be careful with it. It can be dangerous stuff. Search the forum and you can find out all kinds of stuff. What type of pressure washer do you have?

5

SH - Sodium Hypochlorite. Active ingredient in Bleach. Clorox in the store-@6% SH, Liquid Pool Shock-@10-15% SH.

And yes, it will be good fro the leaf stains as they are an organic stain. Sodium Hypochlorite will be good for most any Organic based stains.

[B]Chemistry[/B]
Types of cleaning chemicals

• Soap
• Surfactant
• Abrasive
• Oxidizer
• Base (alkaline, caustic)
• Acid

[B]Soap[/B]: Is formed by reacting vegetable oil or animal fats with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

Most cleaning agents today are not actually soaps but detergents.

[B]Surfactants[/B]: Dissolve grease and wet surfaces.

They are usually organic compounds that have a hydrophobic end and a hydrophilic end. This allows them to bind to organic compounds on one end and water on the other pulling them into a solution. They lower the surface tension of water to increase surface to surface interaction.

[B]Abrasive[/B]: Scouring.

Abrasives are used to add grit for scrubbing and scouring.

Common abrasives include sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium silicate.

[B]Oxidizers[/B]: Bleach, disinfect and breakdown organic chemicals.
An oxidizer is a chemical that gives up oxygen to another chemical.
Common oxidizers include peroxides and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

[B]Base[/B]: Used to break down organic compounds.

Unlike organic solvents which dissolve organic compounds, bases will destroy organic compounds.

Most common base used in cleaning is caustic soda, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), or potassium hydroxide.

[B]Acids[/B]: Used for de-scaling or removing of inorganic compounds.

Acids work by giving up their hydrogen atoms (reducing) or giving up their oxygen’s (oxidizer) and forming salts.
Common acids used are acetic acid (vinegar) and hydrochloric acid (muratic).

6

Nice post!