Things You Will Need
Exposure to soil, water drainage and air-borne dust particles causes retaining walls to appear dingy. Regularly cleaning cinder block retaining walls maintains their appearance and improves a landscape’s overall appeal. Basic cleaning solutions can effectively clean cinder block retaining walls.
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Attach a spray nozzle to the end of a garden hose. Spray the cinder blocks with water from the garden hose to rinse off loose dirt, dust and other debris. Wash from the top of the wall downward.
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Inspect the wall for remaining stains and stubborn grime buildup. If more cleaning is needed, fill a 3-gallon plastic bucket with 2 gallons of warm water. Add 2 tbsp. of mild liquid dish soap to the water. Thoroughly mix the solution.
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Lay plastic tarps at the base of the wall. Thoroughly cover the ground with the tarps to protect vegetation from runoff.
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Scrub the cinder blocks with the soapy water, using a nylon scrub brush. Clean from the top of the wall down. Immediately rinse the soapy cinder blocks with water from the garden hose.
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Rinse the entire retaining wall with water from the garden hose to remove any remaining grime and soap.
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Allow the wall to air-dry. Repeat the cleaning process if necessary.