Removing A Stain From Cement

I had a holder handmade in Africa which I used to put a plant in and set it on the cement in front of the fireplace. It was too full of water and ran onto the cement and the color bled onto the cement. I tried to clean it off with oxi-clean but it left a stain. Is there something I can use to clean cement?

Rosem from Tinley Park, IL

Answers:

Removing A Stain From Cement

Hi Rosem. Spray on oven cleaner, put foil over it for several hours, rinse well with vinegar and water. That works on oil and latex paints. I learned this from the TV show "Queen of Clean".

My husband spilled oil on a newer sidewalk and it removed all of the stain. And our neighbor used cascade dish washer detergent and removed a paint stain. Good luck! (04/18/2008)

By patti r

Removing A Stain From Cement

If it were me, I'd try bleach. That may be too harsh, but that's what I'd try if nothing else works. One of my other favorite cleaners are those spray-on bathroom disinfectant cleaners. Not the ones in the "Pump" spray bottles, but the kind in the aerosol cans like "Scrubbing Bubbles". I buy the kind they sell at the dollar stores and use these all the time. Just spray on and leave the foam for 10 to 15 minutes to do its thing, then scrub it a bit with a scrub-brush, then wipe or rinse off.

If you try the Oven Cleaner (previous post) and the above cleaners, and these don't work, they have a dye remover you can buy at most Fabric stores. (04/20/2008)

By Cyinda