Prep first
Before you start
- Let the mud dry, then brush or vacuum off what you can.
- Rinse what's left with cold water.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot before you use it on the stain.
Mud and clay on concrete work down into the rough surface, so a quick hose-down often leaves a shadow behind. Timing matters more than the cleaner: fresh mud lifts with a stiff brush and cold water, while red clay that has baked in may leave a color that needs a masonry cleaner. Keep the surface wet while you work, and skip unbuffered muriatic acid, which can leave new stains behind.
Scrape off the thick layer of dirt first, so the cleaner reaches the stain instead of sitting on top. Potting soil stains on concrete can look darker when wet, so judge the spot once it's dry. Red clay stains on concrete that won't lift after two tries are a sign to call a concrete cleaning pro.
Before you start
What concrete, brick & driveways can take
Safe to use3
- Water
- Hot water
- Soaking
Use with care5
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
6 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Stiff fiber brushBrushes dry mud off without grinding it in. (opens Amazon)
- Stiff bristle brushWorks the detergent into the loosened dirt. (opens Amazon)
- Mild detergent or kitchen cleanserLifts what remains after the rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Garden hose or bucket of waterRinses the spot and soaks the concrete before cleaning.
- Vacuum or scraperRemoves thick clumps before any water touches them.
- Masonry cleaner made for the stainHandles a shadow that remains after scrubbing. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Let the mud dry
Wet mud smears and sinks into the surface, so leave it alone until it has dried fully. Once it's dry, most of the dirt will lift off in pieces. Check a few spots to make sure they're dry before you move on.
Step 2 of 7
Brush off the loose dirt
Use a stiff fiber brush on the dry mud first, or a vacuum or scraper for thick clumps. Work from the outside of the spot inward so you don't spread it. Only add water once the loose dirt is gone.
Step 3 of 7
Rinse what's left
Rinse what's left with cold water to clear the fine particles that remain. Keep the water moving across the spot so the loosened dirt washes away from the stain. If you use a pressure washer, keep it at or below 400 psi, use a 25 to 50 degree fan tip, and hold it at least 12 inches from the surface.
Step 4 of 7
Test on a hidden spot
Pick a hidden corner or edge of the slab and apply your mild detergent or kitchen cleanser there. Check it once it has dried to see whether it lifts the dirt or leaves a film.
Step 5 of 7
Soak the concrete first
Wet the stained area and the concrete around it thoroughly before any cleaner goes on. Soaked concrete takes in less cleaner, so the solution stays on the dirt where you can scrub it.
Step 6 of 7
Scrub with mild detergent
Mix a mild detergent or kitchen cleanser with water and scrub the spot with a stiff bristle brush until the dirt loosens. Rinse thoroughly with clean water when you're done.
Step 7 of 7
Treat the stubborn spot
If a shadow or film is left after rinsing, use a masonry cleaner made for that stain and follow its label. For a deep stain that has stayed put, the poultice in the set-in section is the next step.
Careful. Rinse fully between products, and never mix two cleaners on the same spot; mixed products can give off hazardous fumes.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for mud on concrete, brick & driveways
Choose a masonry cleaner made for the stain you're treating, and follow its label exactly.
Dawn Ultra Dish Soap Refill Jug
These are the everyday supplies the steps above use, in the versions most people buy on Amazon.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Each scrub and rinse round should leave the mark a shade paler, even while the area still looks damp. Wait for the slab to dry completely before you judge, since damp concrete always looks darker than it really is. If the mark looks the same after two rounds, the set-in section is where to go next.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your concrete, brick & driveways
Mud, clay, dirt, and soil on concrete
Mud is wet soil, so the first job is always to let it dry and then brush. Clay is made of very fine particles, so give it a longer soak before the scrub. Dirt that's already dry skips the drying wait and goes straight to brushing.
If a shadow remains after the scrub, treat it as a stubborn spot. Scrubbing harder won't help much, so move on to the masonry cleaner.
Cleaning dirt off cement
Cement and concrete are handled the same way here, so use the same order: dry, brush, rinse, then soak and scrub. The only change is the soak time, so give the surface extra time with water before the cleaner goes on. Keep wetting it until it stops soaking up water.
If the dirt has been there a long time, skip extra scrubbing and go to the poultice in the set-in section.
Potting soil on concrete
Potting soil is loose, so the dry brushing and vacuum steps do most of the work. Scrape up any clumps first, since rinsing them only spreads them across the slab.
Once the loose soil is gone, follow the rest of the steps as written. If a stain stays after the scrub, test the masonry cleaner on a hidden area before using it on the spot.
Dirt and clay on unsealed concrete
Unsealed concrete takes in water and cleaner faster, so the soak matters even more here. Keep wetting the spot until the surface stops drinking it in, and only then add your detergent. Work the scrub in small circles so the detergent doesn't soak in unevenly.
If the stain still shows after rinsing, it has soaked in, so use the poultice in the set-in section instead of scrubbing again.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Old mud that has been sitting for weeks needs more than a scrub. Start with a 30-minute presoak in a mild detergent solution, then brush and rinse. Older accumulated stains need stronger methods, and each one carries more risk of damage, so test on a hidden spot first.
Mud that has dried into the surface won't lift with water alone. Mix talc, whiting, fuller's earth, diatomaceous earth or clay with the right solvent into a paste at least 1/8 inch thick. Cover it with plastic for 24 hours, let it dry, then scrape or brush it off.
If a shadow is still there after one poultice, repeat the process as needed. Proprietary stain-specific cleaners are preferred over homemade mixes, so use a ready-made product before you mix your own.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mud on concrete, brick & driveways?
Most household remedies don't suit concrete or this stain, so a mild detergent or kitchen cleanser mixed with water is the better fit. The steps stick to a mild detergent or kitchen cleanser mixed with water, rather than stronger products.
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What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't rub wet mud in
Rubbing mud while it's wet pushes the fine particles into the surface, where they're much harder to lift. Let it dry, then brush it off instead.
Don't use hot water on the stain
Hot water can set protein-type stains, and mud is often grouped with them. Keep every rinse and soak cold, including the water you use in the scrub.
Don't scrub with a wire brush
Metal bristles dig into the mortar lines and can shed tiny rust flecks that show up as new marks. A stiff nylon or fiber brush with plenty of water does the job without that risk.
Don't power wash past 400 psi
Above that pressure, the spray wears away mortar and can damage the brick face. Use a 25 to 50 degree fan tip and keep it at least a foot from the surface, and leave old or historic stone out of the pressure washer entirely.
Don't use muriatic acid to speed things up
Unbuffered muriatic acid can burn the surface, leave new stains, and eat into the mortar between the bricks. Work with a mild detergent first, and reach for a cleaner made for that particular stain only when the detergent fails.
When to call a professional
Bring in a masonry restoration pro if the concrete or brick is historic, or if a sealer or water repellent is blocking your cleaner. If you can't name the stain, hold off on stronger chemicals, since they can leave a harder mark, and send a small sample to a testing lab instead. Tell them it's red clay or mud, how long it has been there, and which cleaners you've already tried.
Questions
Can I use the same steps for red clay?
Yes, the same order works: let it dry, brush, rinse with cold water, then soak and scrub with a mild detergent. If a color shadow stays, move on to the masonry cleaner for the spot that's left.
What's the best red clay stain remover for concrete?
Look for a masonry cleaner made for the stain you're treating, rather than an all-purpose cleaner. Use it only on the spot that remains after scrubbing, and rinse thoroughly before anything else.
What if I can't tell what the stain is?
Don't guess with stronger chemicals. Brush off what you can and rinse with cold water, then send a small sample to a testing lab if you still aren't sure what it is.
Can a stain that has been there for months come out?
Often only partly, since older stains have sunk deeper. Start with the poultice in the set-in section, and expect that several rounds may be needed.
Why is there a shadow after I've cleaned it?
Usually the fine particles have sunk into the surface, not the dirt sitting on top. Let it dry, then spot-treat that area with the masonry cleaner or poultice instead of scrubbing harder.
Can I pressure wash a mud stain off my driveway?
Yes, but only at low strength. Keep the pressure at 400 psi or less, use a 25 to 50 degree fan tip, hold it at least 12 inches off the surface, and wet the area first. Historic stone and grave markers should not be power washed at all.
Why do I need to wet concrete before I clean it?
Wetting it first stops the dry surface from drinking up the cleaner and the loosened soil, which is what leaves a darker shadow behind. Keep the area damp through the scrub and until the final rinse so everything lifts off the surface.
Can I use bleach on a concrete stain?
Household bleach is only meant for moss, algae and similar organic growth on concrete, not for mud or clay. Never combine it with ammonia, since the mix releases a toxic gas, and leave it off natural stone entirely.
Mud on other materials
Other stains on concrete, brick & driveways
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.