Food coloring stains can be challenging to deal with, especially if it’s on concrete. Concrete is a porous material, making it more susceptible to stains. And if you’ve accidentally poured food coloring on any concrete surface in your home, you might be wondering how to remove it.
Luckily, there are different ways on how to get food coloring out of concrete. You don’t need special equipment, just a few common materials or ingredients most homeowners already have on hand.
Below are the different methods you can use to remove food coloring stains on any concrete surface in your home.
What Is Food Coloring?
Food coloring, also known as a color additive or artificial color, is any substance, pigment, or dye developed to impart or enhance the color of a food or beverage when added.
In general, all food colorings come from two sources or types—natural and artificial. Natural food colorings are commonly derived from a wide range of sources like plants, vegetables, fruits, minerals, and other organic materials.
Artificial food colorings are derived from synthetic or chemical substances like coal tar, petroleum, or crude oil. The first artificial food coloring was developed back in 1856, and it was made from coal tar.
All food colorings come in various forms, mainly liquids, liquid gels, powders, and pastes.
Liquid food colorings are made of synthetic dye in a water base or soluble oil, while liquid gel food colorings are made of synthetic coloring with water, glycerin, or corn syrup base. This combination creates a thick consistency compared to liquid food coloring.
Powdered food colorings are typically made of synthetic coloring crystals and other preservatives with no glycerin, water, or corn syrup base. Gel-paste food colorings, on the other hand, are also made of synthetic coloring with water, glycerin, or corn syrup base. They have a thicker consistency than liquid gel food colorings.
Moreover, food colorings are commonly used in domestic and commercial cooking, including candies, popsicles, icings, chips, ice cream, sports drinks, condiments, packaged soups, and cereals. They can also be used in non-food applications, including home craft projects, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
How Concrete Gets Stained
Concrete is porous or permeable, meaning it’s susceptible to absorbing substances, dirt, moisture, and other particles as it has small holes that allow liquid or air to pass through or get lodged inside. And since water can carry substances or matter, it increases the chances of stains or discoloration on concrete.
Common instances in which food coloring gets onto or stains concrete include accidentally spilling food coloring in your concrete countertop while you’re baking in your kitchen or when your kids are creating a home crafts project outdoors.
Food coloring stains in porous concrete can be difficult to remove and can remain permanent if not rinsed while still wet that’s why it’s best to remove the stains immediately as it easily gets absorbed into any concrete surface.
How to Get Food Coloring Out of Concrete?
Stains such as oil, grease, dirt, or food coloring can be troublesome to remove as they can leave their mark on hard porous surfaces like concrete.
As with all concrete surfaces in your house like concrete countertop, flooring, patio, driveway, or garage, the best way to avoid permanent food color staining is immediately taking action and rinsing it while it’s wet, but sometimes food coloring can become hard to remove.
Remember to sweep or mop any loose dirt off your concrete surface and wipe standing water, if there is any, before treating the food coloring stain. Make sure to prepare all necessary tools and materials before the cleaning process.
DIY Methods To Remove Food Coloring From Concrete
When removing it instantly fails, you can still achieve a stain-free concrete surface by doing the different procedures mentioned below. Here are some methods you can use to effectively remove food coloring out of concrete.
Before starting, make sure you are wearing gloves as dishwashing detergent can be irritating to the skin.
All you need to prepare is water and a dishwashing detergent for this homemade solution cleaner. You can also use a powdered detergent, but you have to make a paste by mixing it with water in a small dish.
You need to pour a tiny portion of dishwashing detergent directly onto the stain and let it sit for five to ten minutes. Make sure that you have spread the detergent evenly and that the entire stain is covered.
The stain will come off on its own, but if there is any stain mark left, you can scrub it using a firm nylon brush or even an old toothbrush. Wipe it up with a paper towel and thoroughly rinse the concrete surface to get rid of any soap residue.
Dampen the concrete area and put an adequate amount of baking soda over the stained area on the concrete. Next is to scrub it using a nylon brush and leave it for about 15 minutes. While waiting, boil a pot of water, which you will use for rinsing.
After boiling the water, you can now pour it over the stained concrete surface with the baking soda and brush it again using firm bristles to remove the stain.
You can create a vinegar solution for removing the food coloring stain on any concrete by mixing equal parts of vinegar and water and putting the solution in a bottle.
Next is to spray the solution directly onto the stained area, add a small portion of a liquid dishwashing detergent, and leave it for about 30 minutes. Then scrub the area using a nylon bristle and rinse using water. You can also try using a pressure washer for rinsing if the stain persists.
Combine the hydrogen peroxide and talcum or baby powder to form a paste and mix it until the consistency is the same as peanut butter. Next is to apply or spread the poultice paste with a thickness of about 1/4 inches onto the stained concrete area with a wooden spatula or a putty knife.
After the application, cover the area with plastic, tape the edges with masking tape, and leave for 24 to 48 hours. After 24 hours, you can use a plastic putty knife to scrape the dried poultice paste off the concrete surface.
Don’t forget to rinse off the area with water and dry it with a paper towel. You can repeat the procedure to thoroughly remove the food coloring stain until the desired result is achieved.
Moreover, make sure you are wearing safety gear, including a work glove, goggle, and mask while mixing this poultice recipe.
Make sure you are careful and wear safety gear like gloves, goggles, and mask before using this solution to prevent injuries or accidents. Muriatic acid is highly corrosive and extremely dangerous as it can cause severe burns even with only momentary exposure to skin and inhaling.
It’s best to use a thinned-down version by mixing 50/50 muriatic acid and water. It will prevent damages or etching onto the concrete surface.
Pour the solution on the affected concrete surface area and leave it for a few minutes. Next is to rinse the solution using a garden hose or a pressure washer.
Using the muriatic acid solution is preferred for difficult stains and if the other methods mentioned didn’t completely remove the stain on the concrete area.
Final Thoughts
Most stains can be removed from any concrete surface without difficulty, but there are some stubborn stains like food coloring stains that are much more challenging and need tougher procedures to attain a stain-free concrete surface.
Before you get started, it’s important to know different procedures to properly tackle a food coloring stain problem on your concrete. Follow the following tips mentioned above to ensure a hassle-free cleaning process and choose which one among the methods is suitable for you.
