Roofing tar is used on flat roofs before installing shingles to make the roof waterproof. Sometimes it gets on other objects like concrete, fabric, etc. when installing. And as tar is a sticky substance, it is one of the toughest jobs to remove tar from any object. The removal of tar becomes more difficult as time goes on.
To remove roofing tar from concrete, you can start by trying to scrape off the tar using a floor or plastic scraper. If this doesn’t work, then try mineral spirit to remove the tar. If both the former methods fail, then you have to use muriatic acid.
I guess you don’t have any experience on removing roofing tar. That’s why you are a bit confused about how to remove roofing tar from concrete.
Don’t worry. In this article, we have included different methods of removing roofing tar from concrete.
How To Remove Roofing Tar From Concrete:
Here we have described every possible way of removing roofing tar from concrete. We have included tar removal methods using floor scraper, mineral spirits and muriatic acid. So, make sure to read every method carefully.
Use scraper:
First, you have to start with the simplest method. For this, you need a floor scraper to remove the tar. Try to remove as much tar as possible. If the tar starts to get off the concrete, then you are really lucky.
You can also use a sandblaster or a power washer, if applicable. Thus you can remove tar from a large area in no time. You can easily rent sandblasters and power washers from local home improvement stores.
Use water and mineral spirits:
If the aforesaid method doesn’t work, then you need to go for a complex one. For this, you need a scouring pad and water.
Scrub the tar affected area using the scouring pad and water in order to remove the tar. This requires a lot of time and hardwork.
If this approach fails to remove the tar, then perform the same approach using mineral spirit instead of water. In this case, drop a little amount of mineral spirit on the affected areas only.
Let the spirit stay there for a few moments. Then scrub the areas with nylon brush. If everything goes well, the tar will start to loosen.
Now, remove the tar using a floor scraper. Then rinse the remaining tar dissolved in spirit with fresh water.
Use muriatic acid:
If all the approaches stated above failed to remove the roofing tar from concrete, then you have no choice but to use muriatic acid. It is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride.
Hydrogen chloride is a strong acid. That’s why you need to be extra careful when working with this.
You must wear safety goggles, thick rubber gloves, and protective clothing for the protection of your skin and eyes. You need to ensure proper ventilation of the area too.
Muriatic acid is available in the local home improvement stores. Go through the label of the bottle of the muriatic acid to double check the safety measures.
Now you need to dilute the muriatic acid solution into the required level. Look at the label for the ratio of water and acid. In order to dilute the dense acid solution, you must add acid solution to the water.
Now use the diluted acid solution to cover the tar. Wait for a few moments to let the acid do its job.After that, start scrubbing using a brush that has stiff bristles. You may need to apply a few drops of the acid solution.
After scrubbing for a few times, the tar will start to get off the concrete. Then use a plastic scraper to scrape off the tar.
Wipe off the plastic scraper and scrub brush. For this, you can use a disposable cleaning rag or a towel which can be thrown away when the work is done.
You may need to do this particular step several times to remove the tar completely. Then you need to rinse the working area with fresh water. Always remember to follow the rules for disposal of acid when cleaning.
Verdict:
I guess, now you have learned everything about removing roofing tar from concrete. And all your confusion on how to remove roofing tar from concrete is gone.
As in some methods you have to use heavy duty chemicals, always remember to take safety measures before starting the job. I hope you will apply these methods at the removal of roofing tar from concrete.
Best of Luck!
