Pressure wash can cure stained concrete

Q. Our concrete stoop and steps are badly stained after many years of use. How can we get them clean?

A. The stains are probably just ground-in dirt and mildew, unless you spilled something like auto-engine oil on the concrete.

I have found that the best and fastest way to clean most stains from outdoor concrete is to pressure-wash it. I have a concrete walk alongside my house that gets grimy every winter, and I pressure-wash it every spring.

I don’t use any cleaner in the washer, just cold water from an outdoor faucet. The powerful blast of water just wipes off the grime and mildew like magic.

I realize that not everyone owns a pressure washer, but if you have outdoor masonry surfaces (concrete, bricks, flagstones and so forth), a pressure washer is an excellent investment.

You can buy an adequate electric pressure washer with built-in shock protection at most home centers for less than $200. You can also rent heavy-duty pressure washers at most tool-rental agencies for about $60 a day.

I recommend owning, because the washer is useful for many jobs besides cleaning concrete, including washing cars, siding, outdoor furniture and more. A couple of cautions if you buy: Make sure you can return the washer within a reasonable time if it doesn’t work properly, and read and follow the directions carefully.

If a pressure washer doesn’t seem right for you, you can buy concrete cleaners at most home centers. You can also use a good household detergent such as Mr. Clean or make a cleaner by mixing two tablespoons of TSP with a gallon of warm water. TSP (or a phosphate-free substitute) is a heavy-duty cleaner sold at most paint stores.

Wet down the concrete, then scrub with a scrub brush attached to an extension handle. If oil or grease stains are involved, use a degreaser such as Oil Eater to help remove them.

Q. We are redecorating our kitchen on a limited budget and would like to refinish the older appliances, which are harvest-gold colored and in very good condition. This includes refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and so forth. Can you help?

A. If you can live with the appliances as they are, I strongly urge you to do so.

Some appliances can be painted, usually using special epoxy appliance paint, but getting a good finish is a very tricky job. Also, most appliance paints specify that they should not be used on stoves, because of the heat.

Kits with appliance paint, usually in spray cans, are sold at most home centers and on the Internet. You can also check with bathtub-refinishing companies in your area; some of these also do appliance refinishing.

But my advice is to stay with the harvest gold for now and save for new appliances. Keep in mind that many new appliances use much less electricity than older models, and can pay for themselves in time.

You can also get rebates on some energy-efficient appliances; visit www.energystar.gov and click on Rebate Finder for details.

Q. I have green mold on sections of the north side of my asphalt-shingle roof. Will it damage the shingles and how can I get rid of it?

A. Some experts say the mold or fungus that develops on some roofs can cause premature loss of the mineral granules that protect asphalt shingles.

Thick layers of moss can also work their way under shingles and promote leaks and other damage. However, a few fungus stains are largely a cosmetic problem.

Readers regularly want to know how to get rid of roof fungus. The answer is that special cleaners are available to kill and erase it. Most of the cleaners contain bleach, and a solution of one quart chlorine bleach to three quarts of water is sometimes used.

You can find a popular cleaner and a great deal of information on roof fungus at www.shingleshield.com. Other cleaners are sold at home centers or on the Internet.

Keep in mind that working on a roof, especially a wet one, is very dangerous and that it is often best to have a contractor do the cleaning.

To help keep fungus from forming, zinc strips can be installed at the ridge of the roof; rain reacts with the zinc and washes over the roof to form a protective shield. The zinc, in strips or rolls, is also available on the Internet.