Garage Floor
Garages are generally darker than the rest of the living spaces in the house. The floor is likely to be dusty, making it harder to clean; since you can’t remove all this dust by sweeping or vacuuming alone. However, if left unattended for a long time, these dust particles may stain your garage floor and reduce its appearance.
How to clean the garage floor?
You need not worry, though, as you can use homemade solutions to clean garage floors easily. Here are some quick ways about how to clean the garage floor.
1. Remove oils stains
You will find many types of soils on your garage floors ranging from oil stains to mud stains and everything else possible in between. Oil stains remain there because they are slightly oily substances that repel water or any other cleaning solution. It would help if you treated these stains with oil-dissolving solutions or degreasers to remove them.
2. Oil dissolving solution
Combine one cup of trisodium phosphate (or TSP) with water in a bucket. Make sure this mixture is not too thick, as you still want it to flow over the surface quickly. Apply the solution to the oil stain using rags and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Scrub this area with a scrub brush; then rinse away the cleaning solution using lots of freshwaters. Ensure that all residues are removed, or else they will act like magnets and attract other soils again, making your garage floor dirtier than before.
3. Use vinegar and water
Here is another way of how to clean the garage floor. Put one cup of white vinegar in a bucket and add 1 gallon of hot water to it. You can also use this cleaning solution for degreasing purposes, but ensure that the mixture is not too acidic, or else it may affect the protective coating on your garage floor. Use a mop to apply this cleaning solution and scrub using very little pressure. Once you have done the whole area, rinse it away with lots of fresh water and dry thoroughly before bringing anything back into the garage.
4. Use baking soda and dish soap
Baking soda is an excellent deodorizer; however, make sure you do not mix more than three parts of baking soda with one part dish soap. You will need to sprinkle enough baking soda on the garage floor and sweep it around using soft bristles. Once you have done this, use a mop to spread dish soap mixed with water over the cleaning solution (mix one part of dish soap with five parts of water).
Allow this mixture to settle for about 15 minutes; then scrub all the dirt away with stiff bristles. Rinse well with plain water; wipe clean; and allow your garage floor to dry completely before bringing back any items into it.
5. Use ammonia and hot water
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If you own an acrylic concrete sealer, you can use hot soapy ammonia as an alternative way to clean the garage floor quickly. Mix one part of ammonia with two pieces of water and add a few drops of dish soap. Mop this solution onto the bed and let it sit for about 30 minutes or so. Once the key is dried away, use stiff bristles to scrub away any stains and dirt out of concrete pores. Rinse well with fresh water; allow your garage surface to dry completely; then apply an acrylic sealer to prevent any future damage that may cause.
6. Use kitty litter
If you do not want to spend on store-bought deodorizers, you can use this simple trick to clean the garage floor without making too much mess in the house. Sweep enough kitty litter (or sawdust) all over your garage floor; leave it there overnight, and then sweep it out the next day. Since kitty litter contains baking soda, this method can also dissolve some types of stains on concrete floors. For stubborn oil stains, try sprinkling some graphite over the area and then sweeping away the litter after a few minutes have passed by.
7. Use wax
Here is another easy way to clean the garage floor easily without spending too much time or effort in doing so. Add two parts of paraffin wax with one piece of mineral spirits to get an excellent cleaning solution for your garage surface. Use a rag to apply the solution all over the floor; let it sit for about 15 minutes or so; then use stiff bristles or a rotary machine (if you have one) to scrub away all stains and dirt. Finally, use a wet-dry vac or mop to remove the wax mixture; then allow your garage floor to dry completely before bringing back items into it.
8. Use club soda
Here is another way to clean the garage floor without making too much mess in the house. If you spill some oil stain onto concrete and do not have any commercial cleaners at home, this method can help solve your problem quickly.
Place an open container of club soda right over the affected area; let it sit for about 15 minutes; pour out as much liquid as possible after that time has passed by; and wait for the carbon dioxide bubbles to loosen up oil residues from porous floors. Finally, wipe away any oil stains with a cloth soaked in vinegar, let your garage floor dry completely, and apply an acrylic sealer to prevent any future damage.
9. Use degreasing dish soap
Degreasing dish soap can also remove oil stains on concrete surfaces when store-bought cleaners are not available at home. Apply enough amounts of dish soap directly onto the affected area; wait for about 15 minutes before scrubbing it away using stiff bristles or a rotary machine (if you have one). You can also use a soft bristle brush or mop to wipe out the cleaning solution if it is safe to use on the surface that you have in your garage. Finally, rinse well with plain water, allow your garage floor to dry completely, and then apply an acrylic sealer to prevent future stains.
10. Use floor stripper
Here is another way to clean the garage floor without causing too much damage to the surface. You can use a commercial floor stripper (such as Jasco) for removing all sorts of tough dirt, grime, oil stains, etc. Ensure that you wear protective gear during this process (e.g., mask, gloves, goggles); then wait for 20 minutes before using stiff bristles or a rotary machine (if you have one) to scrub away dirt and oil stains that may be leftover from your concrete floors. Rinse well with plain water, allow your garage surface to dry completely, and finally apply an acrylic sealer for improved durability.
11. Use chalk
Here is yet another simple way to clean the garage floor without making too much mess in the house. Mix one part of hydrogen peroxide with two pieces of baking soda; apply this mixture all over your concrete surface; wait for 15 minutes or so until it completely dries up; then scrub away all stains and dirt using stiff bristles or a rotary machine (if you have one). Rinse well with plain water; allow your garage floor to dry before bringing back items into it; and finally, apply an acrylic sealer to prevent future damage that may cause in the future.
Which cleaner works best on a garage floor?
Regular cleaning will help maintain your garage floor clean by dislodging grime and oil with a baking soda and water solution. Use a gallon of warm water and half a cup of baking soda as an all-purpose cleanser.
Conclusion
Now you have learned some essential things about the best way to clean the garage floor. It is time that you take action and use these methods to get rid of stains, dirt, grease, and oil on your garage floors. If you do so, it will not only enhance the appearance of your garage but also prevent potential damage to your vehicle or stuff stored in there.
