What will happen if I just use bleach and water to clean the concrete before I stain it?
Question:I already purchased the cleaning and etching solution but the chemicals are acid based and I would prefer not to use it.
Answers:
You will probably end up wasting al the money you spent on the stain if you don't prep the concrete properly. Bleach will not do the same job as the acid, partially because it is a base (the opposite pH of an acid) and it is just not a strong enough cleaner anyway for this type of thing.
Without the right prep, the stain will not absorb correctly and will probably end up blotchy and, once it is ruined, you can't undo the staining.
Use the chemicals and wear all the protective gear recommended in the instructions. Follow the instructions and you will be fine.
Good Luck.
Most people would prefer not to use the cleaning and etching solutions, but they are necessary. That is why people use them. If they weren't necessary, people would stop buying them, and sooner or later the company would stop making them, right?
What will happen depends upon the kind of stain and the condition of the concrete. Some possibilities -- uneven or blotchy finish, discoloration of the finish over a period of time, peeling or failing finish, mineral stains through the finish, I'm certain I have left some out.
Use the products you purchased. Follow directions and be careful. People do it all the time.
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