Heavy Duty Stains from the tropics.... PLEASE HELP!

[panaserv]

Hi All!

We´re a new powerwashing company based in Panama City, Republic of Panama. We have a 3500 Psi, 5.5 gpm hot water skid, 24" surface cleaner. The thing is, flat concrete surfaces here in most locations are severely stained with heavy grease and diesel (it is very popular here for cars) and we have tried a heavy duty boat deck type degreaser and muriatic acid with mixed results, either ending in an gradual clearing up of the stain, but no removing it totally, and/or permanently staining the concrete orange.

In your experience, what would be the way (procedure) to go with this type of grime? Do you start by cleaning normally and then going over the heavy stains or viceversa. Is it reasonable to expect a complete cleansing?

We appreciate your input very very much. If anyone has any home brews and concoctions, special chemicals or procedures, please post or pm. Thank you very kindly

Alejandro

[One Tough Pressure]

A sodium hydroxide based cleaner would do a great job on this, but complete removal is unlikely. With regular cleaning and extended dwell times, it can be cleaned to where the stain is just a very slight shadow.
The muriatic is not the best as it etches the concrete and roughens it up making it prone to staining faster and deeper.
Formula 949 by Zep Superior Solutions : : : is a good product as well as the Super Flash which is Sodium Metasilicate with Butyl.

[John Orr]

Kitty litter. Grind it into the old oil stains - until it turns into a powder. This will pull a lot of oil from the pores of the concrete.

As to the "permanent" stains from the muriatic acid, SureKleen Ferrous Stain remover will remove the stain.