How to Clean a Cement Bench (9 Methods!) + More!

Cement benches can be subject to constant exposure to outside conditions which can make them dull, dirty, and rusty. Stains and mold on these benches are not uncommon sights either. This is why you need to clean them regularly.

Just like cleaning cement curbings, cleaning cement benches is easy with the right materials and methods, which I’ll be showing you. Before cleaning your cement bench, you have to first prepare the bench for cleaning.

Let’s get right into it!

How to Clean a Cement Bench (9 Methods!) + More!

Preparation

1- Remove pillows and cushions (if any) from your cement benches before cleaning. Remove other items you might have used to decorate them.

2- Sweep the cement bench to get rid of grass, leaves, dirt, and dust.

Now let’s dive into the actual cleaning.

Method 1: Cleaning Cement Bench with Soap & Warm Water

Regular cleaning is needed to maintain your cement benches. This should be done at least once a week during warm weather and twice a month during winters.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Bucket
2- Detergent
3- Water
4- Bowl
5- Sponge
6- Cloth/ towel
7- Garden hose

STEPS

STEP 1- Fill a bucket with warm water.

STEP 2- Add some soap to the water in the bucket. Use a mild detergent and avoid solvents.

STEP 3- Use a small bowl to evenly distribute the warm soapy water on the cement bench. Make sure the soapy water touches every inch of the cement bench making sure not to use the whole water in the bucket.

STEP 4- Dip an abrasive sponge into the remaining water of the bucket and scrub the cement bench. Ensure you scrub every part and, more thoroughly, the dirt and grease stains.

STEP 5- Rinse the bench with water thoroughly. You can use a water hose for doing this.

STEP 6- Dry the bench with a cloth or towel.

That was EASY!

Let’s see another method.

Method 2: Cleaning Cement Bench with Soda

Sodas like coke are very effective in getting rid of grease, wine stains, blood stains, etc. from cement benches.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Soda
2- Sponge
3- Water
4- Towel/Mop
5- Liquid soap

STEPS

STEP 1- Pour soda directly over the stubborn grease, wine, or blood stains on your cement bench.

STEP 2- Scrub the stain spots with a nylon brush. The acid in your soda will loosen the stains, which will be scrubbed away with the brush.

STEP 3- Let the soda sit over the stains for 20-30 minutes.

STEP 4- Clean the dried coke with soapy water and the brush.

STEP 5- Dry your bench with a towel or mop.

Now you can buy another can of Coke to drink 😉

Let me show you another way.

Method 3: Cleaning Cement Bench with Stain Remover and Detergent

This is helpful when you want to remove oil/grease stains from your cement bench and you have tried cleaning with soap with no solid results. Cement/concrete stain removers are easily available for a few bucks in stores and online.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Stain remover
2- Powder detergent
3- Cloth
4- Sponge

STEPS

STEP 1- Spray the stain remover directly over stains on the cement bench.

STEP 2- Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. The time may vary depending upon the stain remover you are going with. Always go with the manufacturer’s instructions.

STEP 3- Apply some powder detergent to the stains and wait for another 5 minutes.

STEP 4- Scrub the stains gently with a wet towel and rinse the bench with water thoroughly.

STEP 5- Dry the bench with a towel.

Now, let’s see how we can clean using Bleach.

Method 4: Cleaning Cement Bench with Bleach

If you have mold growing over cement surfaces, bleach is an excellent thing to be used for removing it.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Oxygenated bleach
2- Water
3- Sponge
4- Towel
5- Bucket
6- Safety gear (Glasses, rubber gloves, Mask)
7- Small container
8- Soft brush

STEPS

STEP 1- Wear your safety gear and pour 1 gallon of hot water into a bucket and add 2 cups of oxygenated bleach.

STEP 2- Apply the solution to your cement bench by pouring it all over the bench. Use a container to avoid wastage.

STEP 3- Allow it to sit for one hour.

STEP 4- Rinse the bench thoroughly with water while scrubbing with a soft brush. Never use a wire brush over cement as it will leave noticeable streaks.

STEP 5- Dry it off with a towel.

Method 5: Cleaning Cement Bench with Bar Keeper’s Friend

Bar Keeper’s Friend is a popular cleaning product that contains oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is efficient in dissolving rust and getting rid of stubborn stains that have defied all other cleaners.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Bar Keeper’s Friend
2- Brush
3- Water
4- Stiff brush

STEPS

STEP 1- Apply Bar Keeper’s Friend to rust stains. Let it cover the stains completely (ideally 1 inch extra).

STEP 2- Scrub the stains with a stiff wet brush after a few seconds.

STEP 3- Rinse the bench and repeat the process until the stains are gone.

Method 6: Cleaning Cement Bench with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mildly abrasive scouring agent that dissolves dirt and gets rid of stains as well as mildew and moss.

Option A: Cleaning with Baking Soda and Water

Moisture from oil, wine, etc. can get under into the bench and underneath the surface. A simple Baking soda and water can absorb this.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Baking Soda
2- Broom / brush
3- Water

STEPS

STEP 1- Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the stains.

STEP 2- Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the powder to absorb the moisture.

STEP 3- Sweep and dispose of the powder and rinse the bench with water.

STEP 4- Let the cement bench air dry.

Option B: Cleaning with Baking Soda & Detergent

YOU’LL NEED

1- Water
2- Baking soda
3- Liquid dish detergent
4- Spray bottle
5- Soft brush

STEPS

STEP 1- Get 1 gallon of water and add 1/2 cup of baking soda to it.

STEP 2- Add some liquid dish detergent.

STEP 3- Pour it into a spray bottle and spray the bench thoroughly giving enough attention to stained spots.

STEP 4- Allow the solution to sit for 30 minutes.

STEP 5- Scrub with a wet soft brush and rinse with water thoroughly.

Many people have cement sinks in their homes. Cement sinks can be cleaned using these materials as well.

Option C: Cleaning with Baking Soda & Vinegar

YOU’LL NEED

1- White vinegar
2- Baking soda
3- Dish detergent
4- Spray bottle
5- Soft brush
6- Towel/Cloth

STEPS

STEP 1- Pour equal parts of white vinegar and baking soda into a spray bottle.

STEP 2- Add some dish detergent.

STEP 3- Spray the bench with the solution and let it sit for 30 minutes.

STEP 4- Scrub the bench with the brush and rinse with water.

STEP 5- Dry the bench with a towel or cloth.

Method 7: Cleaning Cement Bench with Steam Cleaner

Steam cleaner is effective in getting rid of dirt, grime, grease, and mold from the surface and even from the crevices of your cement or concrete benches. The steam cleaner turns water to steam which penetrates the porous surface of the cement bench working out the oil, disinfecting, and powering away stains. This method is one of the most eco-friendly and safest ones as it does not involve the use of any chemical products.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Steam cleaner
2- Steam mop/Vacuum/Cloth

STEPS

STEP 1- Set up your steam cleaner and use high-pressure steam to steam your cement bench. Give attention to the crevices (if any) on your cement bench.

STEP 2- The steam cleaner will loosen the dirt from the cement bench. You should get rid of the loosened dirt with a steam mop, vacuum, or cloth.

Method 8: Cleaning Cement Bench with Pressure Washer

A pressure washer cleans a cement bench by forcing large amounts of water through pressure jets to wash the dirt off of its surface. A pressure washer is effective in removing mold from concrete/cement as well.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Pressure washer
2- Degreaser (Optional)
2- Cloth/Towel

STEPS

STEP 1- Clear away any loose dirt or debris from the surface of your bench.

STEP 2- Apply a degreaser to the cement bench, which will be pressured away later on. This step is for benches that have grease stains over them.

STEP 3- Set up your pressure washer as per the user manual and fire it up. Start from the top of the bench and work your way down.

STEP 4- After using a pressure washer to clean your cement bench, dry it off with a cloth or towel.

Not everybody has a pressure washer at home. So I have yet another method for you!

Method 9: Cleaning Cement Bench with Mineral Spirits

Mineral spirits removes dirt, grime, and stains from cement benches. It especially works in getting rid of tar and paint stains. Just by any chance, if you have caulk residue over the bench, mineral spirits will clean it away. It also leaves behind no residue.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Mineral spirits
2- Absorbent (Talc/cornmeal/Starch/etc)
3- Broom
4- Water
5- Spray bottle

STEPS

STEP 1- Spray your cement bench with mineral spirits, saturating every area.

STEP 2- Cover the bench with an absorbent of your choice. It could be talc, cornmeal or starch, Fuller’s earth, etc.

STEP 3- Allow it to sit overnight and then sweep away the next morning.

STEP 4- Rinse the bench with water and then dry off with a towel or cloth.

How to Remove Fresh Grease and Oil Stains from a Cement Bench?

Getting liquid stains off your cement bench can be tough but the methods explained above work well in getting rid of them. In case you tried these methods and they didn’t work on your cement bench, however, you should try this.

YOU’LL NEED

1- Corn star/clay cat litter
2- Broom/brush
3- Bucket
4- Hot water
5- Liquid soap
6- Water

STEPS

STEP 1- Spread a generous amount of corn starch or clay cat litter over the concrete/ cement bench. If you’re going to use clay cat litter, make sure you grind it first.

STEP 2- Whichever of the above items you choose, allow it to sit on the greasy mess for 24 hours. The absorbent powder will pull the greasy mess out of the cement.

STEP 3- The powder will have soaked up much of the oil by now. Sweep the powder away after 24 hours and throw it away.

STEP 4- Get a bucket of hot water with some liquid soap added to it.

STEP 5- Pour the solution over the bench, letting it completely soak the bench. Start to scrub the bench with a soft-bristled brush. This will dissolve the remaining grease in the cement.

STEP 6- Rinse the bench with water and allow it to dry.

Cement Bench Care & Maintenance

You definitely need to be using the following tips to prevent the possibility of you having to replace your cement bench in near future.

1- Clean your cement / concrete benches regularly, at least once a week.

2- Spills should be immediately cleaned up so they won’t be absorbed by the cement bench as it is quite porous in nature.

3- Avoid using caustic acids to clean your cement bench, because these can change its structure and also etch the surface.

4- Never expose the cement bench to harsh chemicals which may destroy or leave stains on the surface or even crack the bench. Always read the label of the product to determine its suitability for cement benches.

5- Do not use metal brushes on the cement benches as the iron/metal fibers can leave residue in the cement/concrete (as it is porous), which will rust later on.

6- Always remove leaves and other debris during the fall season and after storms. These wet leaves will retain moisture in them and will cause mold and mildew on your cement benches.

Conclusion

Cement benches are durable and need low maintenance. However, just like most other surfaces which are exposed to outdoor conditions, they need cleaning.

Whether they are normal stains or grease stains or mold & mildew that you need to clean, the methods shown are tried and tested and REALLY WORK. So you should get to work now.

Cheers!