How To Clean Garage Floors
The floor is the biggest platform of your home. You can find more than 500 hundred species of bacteria on your floors!
Most people clean their home floors regularly. Whether it’s mopping, vacuuming, or something else, you likely do it at least once or twice a week. However, you may need to pay more attention to how to clean garage floors when cleaning your home.
If you check your garage floor, you can see all sorts of dirt, stains, and spills. Cars leak fluids and oil, rusted tools in the corner, and leaves and dirt can make their way.
At some point, you’ll have to get it cleared and cleaned up, but what’s the most suitable way? Here’s how to clean garage floors and bring them back to the new condition they were before.
Why Clean Your Garage Floor?
You might be asking why you need to learn garage floor cleaning. Though, you only use the room to keep your tools, car, and seasonal things you need once a year. Regardless, chemicals can find their way into your garage floors and may damage the floor in time.
Others are fire hazards, and cleaning garage floors will look better. Routine garage floor upkeep will help lessen damage from wear and tear and make it last longer.
Moreover, if you have projects in your garage, your shoes will not bring dirt and oil into your inside floor. Finally, if you do any upgrades to the floor, like painting and sealing, a good cleaning is part of the process.
Before Starting
Before cleaning garage floors, remove things that are not permanent from the garage. Pull out the bikes and cars, throw away used rags and trash, and keep the boxes and tools elsewhere for a while. Start cleaning in the morning because your stuff might be outside overnight if you do it in the late afternoon.
You’ll be using water and cleaning supplies, so you wouldn’t want to ruin any of your belongings. Shelved objects may stay put as long as they won’t get damped from sprays or be in the way. Next, you’ll have to put a sheet or tarp over your outlets and drywall and sweep dirt and debris out with a broom.
Cleaners to Use
Degreasing products, detergent, and grease-cutting dish soap work well for garage floors. Likewise, you can use a concrete cleaner to clean your garage floors. However, avoid using harsh products, like trisodium phosphate, as they harm the environment.
How to Remove Oil Stains
Oil stains are the most common concern with garage floors, as that’s what we use to maintain our cars. Unfortunately, they’re not only disagreeable to see but also slippery and a fall hazard. To remove a stain from oil in your garage floor, first sweep the space and then spread some cat litter on the stain spot.
Let it soak up the oil taint overnight, toss away the litter and then scrub clean the remaining stain. You can use a grease-cleaning solution or some grease-cutting dish detergent. Pour the cleaning liquid onto the area, and wait for a while before scrubbing it clean.
How to Remove Paint Stains
Most people store paint in their garage and paint drips and stains sometimes happen. So how to extract paint stains from your garage floors depends on the type of paint. First, remove water-based paint by scraping it and then scouring it with detergent and water.
Oil-based paints require using a solvent such as a paint stripper or turpentine. Ask your local shop what they can recommend, and ensure to follow the product’s instructions.
Cleaning a Garage Floor Mat
A garage floor mat maintains the floor cleaner; however, it takes all the dirt, mud, oil, and snow. You can sweep, mop, or spray off with a hose and then squeegee dry a vinyl or rubber mat.
A fabric mat is a bit more challenging to clean, but you can shake it off, sweep it, and then spray it with a hose. Scrub tough oil spots with a degreasing agent or dish soap, don’t use a steam machine or a vacuum since they can ruin the floor mat.
Removing Rust Stains
Inspect your garage floor for any rust stains and clean them. Scrape away the solid pieces to show the stained floor. Check your pantry, as you may need anything acidic to liquefy rust stains.
Pour some lemon juice or white vinegar onto the rust stain and leave it for fifteen minutes. Next, use a hard-bristled brush and elbow grease to scrub the stain and flush it with cool water. You can also buy a rust-removing agent but be aware that it’s hazardous, so follow the directions carefully.
Pressure Wash your Garage Floor
After sweeping, clearing out, and cleaning any oily or rusted spots, you can now clean garage floors with a pressure washer. Use any cleaning product, a degreaser, or a mild detergent, and apply with a spray bottle.
Spray on water and soap with low pressure, then flush with high pressure from the back and push it outdoors. A pressure washer is the best option over a garden hose as it uses less water and won’t ruin the garage floor.
Safety Precautions for Pressure Washing your Garage Floor
After covering your drywall and outlets, you must be careful about self-protection if pressure washing. The spray is too high-powered and may harm people, animals, and plants.
Make sure there are no pets or kids around as you work, and wear boots or tough boots along with eye protection. Use a rigid tarp over any plants near your garage, and put any potted ones outside. Finally, if using a gas-powered tool, be wary of carbon monoxide and ensure to keep your garage door open.
How about the coatings for your floor? Consider checking these out for more helpful information!
Learn How to Clean Garage Floors
After cleaning and washing your garage floors, you can either mop them with dry towels or let them air dry. Then, as you put everything back inside, ensure you don’t put any broken, dirty, or rarely-used stuff back in. By maintaining the cleanliness of your garage floor, you’ll save a good deal of elbow grease in time.
Sweeping your garage floor once a week helps stop debris and dirt accumulation. If you spill something, mop it up instantly to avoid floor stains. Then, use the pressure washer or mop as often as needed to maintain the floor clean.
Knowing how to clean garage floors is a lifetime skill that you will be thankful for. Learn more lifestyle and home tips with the rest of our guides!
