Removing patio rust spots

Question: I have orange/rust colored spots/circles on the cement on my patio. Can you tell me what causes these spots and how can they be removed? What is the best way to clean the cement patio?

Answer: What you have sounds like rust spots on the concrete. They could be caused by iron furniture or other iron items rusting and staining the concrete. Some fertilizers contain iron and can stain concrete. The most likely cause is stones in the concrete that contain iron.

There are many ways to get rust off concrete, but you should start with the least aggressive, and if that doesn’t work, move up to more aggressive solutions.

Start with TSP. Mix 1 ounce of tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) in a gallon of hot water. This chemical can be found at hardware and paint stores. Wet the concrete and use a scrub brush to apply the solution. Scrub vigorously and let the solution soak into the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well. Carefully follow the instructions on the package.

A slightly more aggressive cleaner is a product called Iron Out. It is a rust stain remover. Mix one cup of the compound in one gallon of warm water. Wet the surface with clear water and then apply the Iron Out solution with a brush or a sponge. Keep the stain saturated until the stains are gone. Carefully follow the instructions on the package. We had good results removing stains on the tennis courts a few years ago using this product.

If the above two methods don’t work, you will need to step up to a pressure washer and muriatic acid. This is a caustic acid, so you must wear safety goggles, long pants, rubber gloves, and rubber boots. Apply the acid as directed by the manufacturer, leave it to soak for a few seconds, and follow with a pressure washer set at 2,500-3,000 psi. Sprinkle baking soda over the cleaned area to neutralize the acid and wash again.

More on CO detectors from a reader:

I would like to make the following comments on your recent article on changing smoke alarms. We live in one of the Club homes in N.30. About a year after we moved in, the smoke/CO (carbon monoxide) detector went off one evening. We called the fire department, and they came out and checked everything out. We had just finished using our gas oven when the detector went off. The fire department checked the stove thoroughly for any sign of gas leak or smoke source and there was no problem found. After that, almost every time we used our oven, the detector would go off. Several of our neighbors were experiencing the same problem. All of the smoke and smoke/CO detectors in our house and our neighbors were First Alert detectors.

I finally called BRK Electronics (the manufacturing company for First Alert detectors). I explained the problems we were experiencing, and they immediately stated that the problem was due to the close proximity of the gas oven to the nearest detector. They recommended that the smoke/CO detectors be replaced with photoelectric type instead of the ionization type, which we had and are the most commonly used.

I replaced the two smoke/CO combination detectors with the recommended photoelectric type and have not had a problem since.

CO detectors get cumulatively used up as they are exposed to carbon monoxide. One source says their useful life is only two years. Another source says their useful life is seven years. If your unit gives frequent false alarms, it is time to replace your CO detector.

• If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home, submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com

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