A short answer is emulsification. Now, let’s dive into a long explanation.
I will start with how most cleaners remove stains from concrete. This information will come handy when I will return to Resist Mist later in the blog.
How do most cleaners remove stains from concrete?
Nearly every stain remover your find in your supermarket or online clear stains through one of these four techniques:
1. It dissolves the stains
2. It emulsifies the stains
3. It breaks the stains apart
4. It hides the stains
Cleaners that hide your stains
I will start with number 4 because hiding is the easiest way to get rid of those eyesores on your concrete deck or paver. Bleach works in this way. It hides the stains.
Bleach undergoes a chemical reaction with stain molecules and oxidizes them. The process of oxidation makes stains lose their own colors and become faded. Your stain does not really go anywhere but loses some of their ugliness and becomes more tolerable. If using bleach, however, use caution as bleach may cause damage or discoloration to some cement or pavers.
Cleaners that break apart stain molecules
Enzymatic cleaners are the antithesis of bleach. Instead of hiding, they break apart stain molecules and make them lose their color.
The molecular structure of the chemicals a stain decides which electromagnetic radiation frequencies will be absorbed and which will be reflected. Enzymatic cleaners destroy this structure. As a result, the internal organization of molecules in the stain goes haywire. So the stains cannot reflect the light on frequencies that make them ugly. Problem solved.
The only downside of enzymatic cleaners is their cost. The good ones are expensive, don’t always work and are hard to find. The cheap ones are easily found but you will have to buy 3 or 4 to find a good one
Cleaners that dissolve the stains
Some cleaners act as solvents for the substances in stains. The stains dissolve themselves in the cleaner to produce a solution, which is then rinsed away.
A big downside of such cleaners is that you have to choose the right one. If there is an oil stain on your concrete deck, you will need a solvent that can dissolve oils. But if there is a water-based stain, you need a hydrophilic (water-loving) solvent. Chemists call it the “Like dissolves like” principle.
Cleaners that emulsify stains
Resist Mist falls into this category. It brings you the best of solvents and enzymatic cleaners.
When a Resist Mist solution is applied on a stain, the hydrophobic (water-hating) parts insert themselves deep into the stain but the hydrophilic part stays in the water. It happens all over the surface of a stain, giving rise of thousands (or millions) of little anchors. So when you rinse the surface to mop the Resist Mist solution, the stains vanish as you rinse the cleaner. We call this our Lift and Rinse Technology and it is turning the cleaning world upside down.
It is safe, inexpensive and effective. The soaps you use on your body are essentially emulsifiers. Resist Mist is like soap for your concrete deck. And because it is so powerful and high end, a little goes a long way making it truly inexpensive. Most customers find they can clean their entire garage, patio or driveway for than $35.
That’s all, folks!
Return to our blog for more science, and visit our online store to buy Resist Mist to remove stains from your concrete deck.