Concrete picks up more than dirt. Over the years it collects surface grime, mineral deposits, leaf and rust staining, and a dull film that water blasting alone doesn't shift.
An acid wash goes further. We apply a controlled acid solution that eats into that top layer of build-up and lifts it off, taking the staining with it and leaving the surface slightly roughened, or etched. That etching matters, because it opens up the concrete so the sealer can soak in and grip properly instead of sitting on top.
Then we neutralise the acid, wash everything down thoroughly, let the slab dry, and apply a quality sealer. The result is concrete that looks noticeably cleaner and fresher, sheds spills instead of soaking them up, and is far easier to keep clean from that point on.
It's the least invasive thing we do. No grinding, no dust, no machinery across your floor.
Years of surface build-up, spills and traffic marks that washing alone won't shift.
The brown and black marks left behind where leaves, moss and mould have sat.
Staining from steel furniture, tools, pot plants and vehicles.
The chalky white deposit that comes up through concrete as it dries out. An acid wash lifts it off the surface.
Slabs that have simply weathered and lost their colour and life.
Old sealer that has worn unevenly and left the floor looking blotchy.
One honest limit: an acid wash cleans and etches the surface. It does not remove deep oil staining that has soaked into the slab, it will not flatten or repair anything, and it does not change the colour of your concrete. If your floor needs more than a clean, grinding is the answer and we'll say so.
The most common job. Years of tyre marks, oil spotting and weathering cleaned back and sealed.
Entertaining areas brought back to life before summer, and protected against the next round of spills.
Moss, leaf staining and general grime lifted, with a sealer that makes future cleaning easier.
A budget friendly alternative to grinding for a garage that's structurally fine and just looks tired.
Shop frontages, entranceways and courtyards that need to look presentable without closing for a week.
Acid wash and seal is the right call when your concrete is structurally sound and simply looks tired, when the budget matters, when you want it done quickly with minimal disruption, or when the floor is outdoors and just needs protecting.
Grinding is the better answer when the floor is uneven, when there's old glue, paint or coatings to come off, when you want the stone in the concrete exposed, or when you want a finish rather than a clean up.
The simplest way to think about it: an acid wash makes your existing concrete look its best. Grinding gives you a different floor. Jay will tell you honestly which one your slab needs, including when the cheaper option is the right one.
The clean is only half the job. Without a sealer, bare concrete starts collecting the same grime again from the first rainfall.
We use quality sealers matched to where your concrete is and what it puts up with. Outdoors, that means a sealer built to handle sunlight without breaking down. Driveways get something that copes with tyres and oil. You can also choose how it looks, from a natural finish that barely changes the appearance to a wet look that deepens the colour of the concrete.
Sealers are a protective layer, so they wear over time and need recoating every few years. We'll give you a realistic timeframe for your slab, and recoating is straightforward when the time comes.
Five steps, usually across two visits, because the slab has to dry properly before the sealer goes on. Here's how it works.
Move cars, furniture and pot plants off the concrete if you can. We mask and protect surrounding gardens, paintwork and drainage before anything goes on the slab, so established planting beside a driveway is no problem.
The wash on one day, the seal on another, because the slab has to be properly dry in between. Both visits are short. Sealing needs dry weather, so we plan around the forecast rather than promising a single date.
Foot traffic and vehicles need to wait until the sealer has cured, and pets and children should stay off the area until then too. We'll give you exact timings at handover, not vague advice.
It's the most affordable service we offer, and the price comes down to the size of the area, how much staining there is and which sealer you choose. The free assessment gets you a fixed price.
Yes, handled properly. We protect and mask surrounding areas before we start, neutralise the acid completely once it has done its job, and rinse the whole area down. Keep pets and children off the area while we're working and until the sealer has cured, and we'll tell you exactly when that is.
Water blasting removes loose dirt from the surface. An acid wash lifts off the layer of build-up and staining that water blasting leaves behind, and it etches the concrete so the sealer can bond properly. Water blasting on its own also leaves the concrete bare, so it starts getting dirty again straight away.
The clean itself is permanent in the sense that what came off doesn't come back. What wears is the sealer, which usually needs recoating every few years depending on traffic and sun exposure. We'll give you a realistic timeframe at handover.
Sometimes, partly. Surface oil usually lifts. Oil that has soaked deep into the slab often leaves a shadow, and no amount of cleaning brings that fully back. Jay will tell you honestly what to expect from your particular stains before you commit.
Yes, but it needs a dry enough window for the slab to dry before sealing. We plan the job around the forecast rather than promising a single day, and we'd rather move a sealing day than seal a damp slab.
No obligation and no call centre. Jay will look at your concrete, tell you honestly what a clean and seal will achieve, and give you a fixed price.
