Pressure Washing Away Mold on Concrete

Mold is a homeowner’s nightmare. It spreads quickly and can deliver a lot of damage in a short time. Fortunately, pressure washing is a powerful tool for eliminating dirt, pollen, and other grime, and it is equally capable of removing mold on concrete. If you have mold on concrete on your property, pressure washing is the single best way to kick it to the curb.

The Dangers of Mold

Mold is a kind of fungal growth that thrives in dark, damp places. Especially in the warm and humid air of a summer around Boston, mold stands as a threat to property’s appearance and structural condition.

Mold is commonly understood to pose many hazards to human health. In addition to forming in ugly black or green splotches, mold can irritate the eyes, throat, and nose; incite asthma attacks, and exacerbate allergies. It can also damage structural elements of a property. On wood, mold can lead to rot, eventually eating the material away completely. 

Mold on concrete is also a recipe for disaster. Despite the durability of concrete, the material is porous, and water can slip into all its nooks and crannies. These areas serve as cozy cafes for mold growth, and the fungus can quickly take root, growing and spreading as it eats away at the concrete. This further increases concrete’s porosity and perpetuates a snowball effect for damage.

Mold on concrete surfaces is typically found near leaky pipes or downspouts. It can also grow in any shady parts of a driveway or patio since these generally take a prolonged time to dry after a rainstorm or heavy dew. Check steps and other areas on the north side of a property especially since that side of the house receives the least amount of sunlight, acting as the ideal breeding ground for mold.

Can Pressure Washing Remove Mold on Concrete?

Fortunately for homeowners, pressure washing is a powerful weapon in the fight against mold, mildew, and other fungal and biological interlopers. The service combines high pressured water and antimicrobial cleaning agents to blast away anything—including mold—that threatens your concrete.

The most effective pressure washing jobs for getting rid of mold use a combination of detergents and bleach. Bleach is well understood to kill mold, and the sudsing power of detergents allows for comprehensive coverage. Choosing the right chemicals to include (in the correct concentrations) is critical to avoid damaging the concrete, but a professional pressure washing team has the right expertise to know what to put in the cleaning cocktail. Common inclusions consist of baking soda, vinegar, and concrete cleaners made of concentrated alkaline soap in addition to the detergents and bleach.

Your pressure washing team will avoid the use of any corrosive chemicals in order to protect your concrete. This means eschewing concrete cleaners that contain acid, since acid runs the risk of eating away at the cement’s top layer or any sealer that has been previously applied.

Once the perfect combination of cleaning chemicals has been selected, a professional pressure washing team will apply them and the water with the correct settings for your concrete. This ensures that the high-powered blast of water does not damage the material. After the detergents have had time to work, they are rinsed off with a wide angle nozzle.

If you have your concrete cleaned on a regular basis, you can prevent mold from taking hold in the first place. This is a powerful step toward preventing concrete degradation on your property and avoiding the growth of mold on concrete surfaces.

Keep Your Concrete Looking Like New

Pressure washing—especially administered by the professionals—is the best way to remove mold on concrete. No other method is as thorough or works as quickly. Concrete has to endure all kinds of weather conditions, so it is important to make regularly cleaning your driveways and patios a priority in order to keep such surfaces looking fresh and clean.

Leaving the pressure washing of your concrete to the professionals is a sure way to save yourself time and elbow grease while still getting rid of any mold on your property’s exterior. It is also the best way to keep yourself and your concrete safe during the process. The professionals have all the safety equipment and gear necessary to make such jobs go off without a hitch. 

Pressure washing isn’t just good for removing mold on concrete. It can also blast away larger things that detract from your concrete’s appearance, things like dirt and weeds. Pressure washing can be used on other surfaces as well to make sure that your property has a sparkling finish from top to bottom.