Paving Slabs - cement stains

[User]

 

[slowmotion]

You could try Cif scouring cream and a stiff scrubbing brush. I can't make any promises, but I've had good results on stained paving slabs with it. Anyway, it's not that expensive so there's no great loss if it doesn't work.

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[Levo-Lon]

There buff mix saxon and the dark area is weathered.
They have a high stone content so should clean up.
The new clean looking part will weather too in a few months, if you do nothing.

That said slomos idea may work.
You could try neat bleach too as its more dirt and staining that makes these go darker.

So try a bit of mildly diluted domestos " there are other bleaches available "
Apply with a brush or watering can., Leave it for a good 20 mins at least.
Hopefully that will brighten the dark area.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Obviously be aware of any wash off regarding lawn and plants?

 

[raleighnut]

I'm of the 'Do nowt,they'll weather down' school but once you've laid em give em a good stiff brushing with a mix of sand and cement and they'll be more even, I lifted and re-laid a patio and after I'd brushed the 'grouting' in they came up like new.

 

[Drago]

Paint them with yoghurt. In a few weeks rinse it off and the clean bits will be starting to look as mucky and weathered as the rest.

 

[Slick]

Not sure if you still get it but chlorous would bring them up like new.

 

[keithmac]

I'd letnit weather in as you've already tried brick acid.

You can buy wire cup attachments for hand held grinders but could do more harm than good..

 

[Slick]

[QUOTE 5270547, member: 9609"](don't know how that varies from Cholrus?) but I had used Hydrochloric Acid which is a wonderful stone cleaner (very scary stuff) but it didn't remove the distinctve change in shade, I guess 20 years burried in cement may have altered it in a deep down sort of way.

Anyhows as Drago says it will soon get dirty and that will hide it, like many things I was probably just more interested if it was possible - you know, over thinking things.[/QUOTE]
Yeah fair enough, probably best, but I've seen chlorous turning a lot worse than that almost white. It may depend where you get it though, mine was from a creamery back in the day.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

This may seem counterintuitive but mix up a very liquid mix. There is a word for it, but it’s too rude for here. Then paint this mix onto the slab. Leave to go off. Maybe leave for a day or more and wash it off. It comes off easily but the cement stains the surface. You may have to blend the existing stain a little. Experiment.

So really what you are doing is disguising the stain with another stain. Eventually as you know the weather and lichen will play it’s part in colouring them.

 

[Levo-Lon]

The thing with textured Saxon paving is it weathers very quickly.
So that new look will go quite soon.

Cement acid ,even the Powerful stuff I used to get won't work on ingrained or weathered marks.

 

[postman]

You could get some kleenex tissues from that woman off the Amazon reviews.

 

[postman]

I hope you kept the stain in line when putting them down.that would look very good.

 

[Levo-Lon]

[QUOTE 5270676, member: 9609"]aye, this was the conclusion I come to, esp after using a powered wire brush, it was just too deep to alter.

But with the "Recycled" thought in my head I am more than happy with the look (and the clear moral superiority that brings )[/QUOTE]

And beautifully cut and laid.
I'd be very pleased if I'd done them.

 

[Brains]

Paint them with yoghurt. In a few weeks rinse it off and the clean bits will be starting to look as mucky and weathered as the rest.

I was going to suggest this method as well, It does a good job producing the 'weathered' look
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