Many oil based decking enamels and varnishes can be thinned or cleaned up with xylene which also works well as a solvent when used with compounds that are applied to metals to keep them from rusting.
Cleaning stamped concrete with xylene.
Here are the steps for cleaning stamped concrete.
The cleaner will release the dirt that gets trapped in the valleys and crevices of the stamped concrete.
Mike day everything about concrete 2 241 821 views 27 12 restoring stamped concrete with original solid color stain translucent color enhancer duration.
For regular cleaning of stamped concrete surfaces a weekly wet mopping is usually sufficient.
Keeping the roller wet with xylene xylol roll over the area until it gets tacky.
Sweep and wash the surface occasionally to avoid dirt buildup using a push broom garden hose and a mild detergent.
Find an area where the sealer is still visible and mark off a 1 ft x 1 ft area.
Step 1 sweep the surface.
Use a broom to remove loose debris from the concrete.
Spray a thin coat across the surface and let it liquefy the sealer.
To clear up whitened cracked and hazy looking concrete sealer sometimes it s better to try and re melt the existing acrylic solvent based sealer with an application of xylene xylol.
Can xylene be used on stamped concrete.
If it is an outdoor surface you can use a leaf blower for extra assistance step 2 wet mop the surface.
The first step in cleaning a stamped concrete surface is removing loose dirt and grime from the surface.
Over time the high pressure breaks down the sealer and reduces the protection the shine and expected life of the sealer.
If you aren t sure what your stamped concrete is currently sealed with you want to run a quick xylene xylol test.
Start by removing any visible peeling and flaking and use a solvent based stripper such as xylene to remove the previous sealer.
Routine cleaning of stamped concrete is simple.
Maintaining the stamped concrete by keeping it clean and re sealing when needed 2 3 years will keep the concrete looking as new as possible.
Use a clean 3 8 inch nap roller and back roll across the area a few times to work out the problem area.
If concrete was dyed or stained using xylene can damage or change the color of the concrete pressure wash the surface and allow concrete to completely dry.
Because it is made from petroleum xylene is especially good at cleaning up oil based products like paint wood stain and other synthetic products without damaging the surfaces they are on.
If the excess antiquing release was thoroughly removed before the original seal coat was applied the best way to fix sealer problems is to fill a pail with xylene and use a natural bristle brush on a broom handle to scrub the xylene onto the surface.
Rinse well with a garden hose on high pressure.
Xylene can be applied in three ways all of which depend on the antiquing and or cleaning method used when the concrete was stamped.
After sweeping the floor dip a rope or foam mop into a bucket of warm water.
In the case of the 5 year old stamped patio my recommendation would be to try a solvent bath with xylene or use one of the new solvent bath products on the market.
Always use a gentle cleaner when washing stamped concrete.
