Fall is officially here, and with it comes a host of seasonal outdoor tasks like raking up leaves, washing down patio furniture, and taking care of general yard maintenance.

Concrete stains are notoriously hard to get rid of — not to mention unsightly. And if fall leaves have left dark stains on your concrete patio or driveway, you might be wondering how to remove them without damaging the stone. What’s more, the longer you leave them to pile up, the harder the stains will be to clean.

If, like me, you tend to rely on natural cleaning solutions for tough spots, I’ve recently learned that white vinegar is a no-no and should never be used on concrete.

So with that in mind, I asked the experts how to remove leaf stains on concrete without scratching it — and needing expensive repairs.

First of all, why do leaf stains appear on concrete? Since leaves are organic matter, once they sit on surfaces, they leave natural tannins or dyes.

Wet conditions during fall can cause these pigments to seep into the porous surface and bind to the concrete, leaving unsightly brown or dark discoloration.

So what’s the best way to tackle leaf stains without using harsh chemicals? Or if you don't own a pressure washer?

Concrete is porous so you’ll need to avoid highly acidic products such as white vinegar, which can penetrate the surface, causing long-term damage.

Fortunately, light surface stains can easily be removed with a specialized concrete cleaner or a mild neutral solution of dish soap and water.

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