Learning the most efficient method for keeping a garage floor clean is likely to rank highly among the tasks homeowners want to accomplish. Important whether you’re getting ready to paint the floor, apply an epoxy finish, or just want to start over with a clean garage floor.
There are a few various ways to clean a concrete floor, and you’ll want to choose one that works best for your garage floor job and the level of dirtiness of your floor. In order to guarantee a positive outcome, we will go over each of them as we move along. To learn how to get rid of the smell and stains caused by pet pee, see the dedicated page.
When making a mental list of things to do, cleaning the garage floor probably isn’t one of them. However, if you don’t keep up with regular cleaning and maintenance, your garage might quickly become a cluttered, filthy mess. Cleaning the garage floor of dirt, chemicals, and unsightly stains will prolong its life and ensure that it is safe for your family to walk on.
How to Clean Garage Floors
A concrete garage floor will eventually become stained with dirt and oil and grease from vehicles, lawnmowers, motorcycles, and other outside machinery.
Some messes require immediate attention, and sometimes that’s just not possible. For example, maybe you need to remove oil from your concrete garage floor, and you have no idea how long it’s been there. Concrete is not a dense, hard rock once it has dried; the porous mixture of cement, sand, and aggregate is still permeable to water vapour until it has been sealed. Because of this, rust and oil stains can seep deep into the material.
What you need is a product that can penetrate the concrete and pull the stain out of the surface so you can clean the surface. Absorbent products like cat litter, sawdust, baking soda, and the like can clean up recent spills, but they aren’t very effective at cleaning up what’s already settled below the surface.
Concrete garage floors can sometimes be cleaned using muriatic acid. Concrete’s binder, Portland cement, however, is dissolved in acid. In addition, efflorescence, a white powdery substance, forms rapidly after acid-based cleaners dissolve calcium hydroxide in the hardened concrete. Because of its weight and visibility, this substance must be removed off the floor.
Another cleaning chemical that is frequently regarded as the best way to clean a garage floor is trisodium phosphate (TSP). Due to its high alkalinity, it won’t erode the concrete beneath your feet, but if you mistakenly get it on your skin, it could irritate or even burn you. TSP has a significant impact on the environment as well. Phosphates create algal blooms, which deplete lake and stream oxygen levels and endanger aquatic life.
Concrete needs to be cleaned frequently since it attracts dirt and stains quickly.
Concrete floors, which are typical in garages and workshops, are always going to get stained. It is inevitable that the question of “How do I organise all this stuff?” will come up when presented with a flat place in which to store the car, mowers, equipment, chemicals, paint, etc.
In What Ways Can I Keep My Concrete Flooring Looking Their Best?
The answer to this reasonable question will depend on what you want to do when you finish cleaning. The steps required to get the flooring ready for an interlocking rubber tile floor are different from those required to get them ready for paint or epoxy coating. If you plan on leaving the concrete floor unfinished, you should also remove any oil or rust stains that may have formed.
The idea is that even a seemingly simple question can have unexpectedly complex consequences. You need not worry; information about concrete and its cleaning is well organised and can be broken down into a few basic categories.
Exactly What Is Meant By The Term “Concrete”?
Ingredients that go into making concrete are:
- Sand
- Aggregate
- Cemex Portland
We all know it as “rock,” the result of a chemical reaction (“hydrates”) when it is combined with water.
You Might Be Wondering, “Why does this even matter to me?”
This section should be of special interest to individuals who are wondering how to best care for this one-of-a-kind substance.
Concrete and stone can be sterilised with muriatic acid, for example. However, Portland cement, the binding material in concrete, can be dissolved by an acid. Throwing away the glue that holds all that sand and gravel together is a bad idea.
Due to the presence of calcium hydroxide, a result of concrete hydration and another potential contaminant, cleaning can be challenging (this is why concrete is an alkaline material). The white powder that appears on the surface of concrete is calcium carbonate, which is produced when calcium hydroxide reacts with carbon dioxide in the air (this is called “efflorescence”). It can build up to the point where it has to be cleaned up.
More calcium hydroxide will be removed from the finished concrete during an acidic cleaning, causing the white, powdery stain to spread quickly. If you ask me, the concept of making a stain bigger while trying to get rid of it isn’t very appealing.
While concrete at its final stage of curing can look like a solid rock, it is actually quite brittle. The porous material that forms when cement, sand, and aggregate are moistened and allowed to cure serves several applications. Since this forms a channel, rust and oil stains will be able to penetrate further into the concrete. A material that can penetrate the concrete and remove the stained region is required for stain removal.
Because they permeate the surface and increase the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles, deicing salts should never be put on concrete, which speeds up the popping and spalling. (Interesting nerd trivia: because of its porous structure, the surface “spalls” when it freezes and thaws.)
In light of this, it’s important to remember that concrete is a unique substance that requires specific attention while attempting to clean or remove stains without damaging the surface.
Clearing Out The Garage and Washing It Down
Before doing anything else, sweep the garage floor clean of any large objects and move anything that isn’t tied down. Some people, despite the obviousness of the warning, will still choose to ignore it and risk having their belongings ruined by water.
To protect the garage’s painted drywall and low electrical outlets from water damage and stains, tape a couple cheap plastic drop cloths to the walls within three feet of each.
A deck brush, some concentrated concrete degreaser, a high-pressure nozzle for your garden hose, and some plain old-fashioned elbow grease are all you need to get the garage floor clean on the cheap. If you don’t have any degreaser on hand, you can use either Tide laundry detergent or TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) to clean the concrete.
To clean, mix your chosen cleaner with a large pail of hot or warm water. The recommended concentration of Tide is 1/3 cup per 1 gallon of water. Follow the directions on the TSP or degreaser bottle when applying it. It’s best to tackle the floor cleaning in bite-sized chunks.
Begin cleaning a section with your deck brush and a pail of warm, soapy water. If the floor is extremely dirty, you should let the solution soak for a few minutes after scrubbing it in before continuing. After 5-10 minutes, add additional solution and scrub again. After a thorough cleaning with your high-pressure nozzle, you can proceed to the next stage.
The scrubbing solution shouldn’t be allowed to dry before being rinsed away. This is because, while the concrete is still wet, the contaminants in its pores are emulsified and drawn out in the solution. It’s much simpler to clean with the high-pressure nozzle because of this. It’s possible that a thorough washing can remove these contaminants, but drying it out beforehand is also a good idea.
Once the floor has dried, even tough stains like grease and oil can be spot cleaned with ease.
Tools for Washing Down the Garage
Because of its porous nature, concrete quickly becomes a magnet for dirt and grime if it isn’t cleaned regularly or at all. Even the dirtiest garage floors can be made presentable by using the specialised equipment available today.
In the beginning, you can use a pressure washer. Saving time by using a pressure washer to clean concrete is a real possibility. In order to maximise their efficiency, most dishwashers allow you to add a degreaser to the water. Read this article to find out why a pressure washer is the best tool for cleaning your garage floor.
Many local hardware stores and tool and equipment rental shops offer them for rent at reasonable rates. You need a washer with at least 3000 PSI and 3 gallons per minute of water flow to accomplish the task properly.
Cleaning concrete with a power washer requires pre-soaking the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes in the cleaning solution. As was noted above, it is helpful to break down your task into more manageable parts. After the area has been properly wetted, you can begin power-washing the grime and debris away.
Using 15-degree yellow fan tips is optimal for removing grime from dirty streets. When dealing with particularly stubborn stains or spots, you can switch to the turbo tip for more cleaning strength. If you’re working with a high-quality pressure washer, you shouldn’t leave the nozzle in one place for too long and you should keep moving it about. The concrete can be etched by the abrasive water action if suitable safeguards are not taken.
Equipment number two is a floor buffer (or floor maintainer) with a nylon scrubbing head for concrete. There is also the option to rent one of them at a cheap cost. Since concrete cleaning calls for specialised tools, it’s crucial to let the rental company know in advance that you’ll be needing them. A store like Home Depot should carry them.
Garage concrete can be cleaned using a floor buffer in the same way that decks can be cleaned with a deck brush. Substitute the floor buffer for the deck brush. Just take your time and let the buffing machine do its thing. You may need to add a little water to the solution so that it remains wet and foamy as you scrub.
It has been suggested that using a floor buffer to scrub certain concrete floors will help them become noticeably lighter in colour.
Getting Rid of Grease and Oil Stains on a Concrete Garage Floor
Oil and grease spills are inevitable in a garage. Fluids could spill from vehicles and other outdoor power items like lawnmowers. When working with tools, oil spills are another potential hazard. It’s important to clean up oil spills as soon as possible to prevent accidents like slipping on fresh oil, tracking it inside the house, or leaving a permanent mark.
Recent oil or grease spills can be easily cleaned up with the help of cat litter or sawdust due to their absorbent characteristics. After a day, it’s time to clean up the litter or sawdust and throw it away.
Once you’re done sweeping, pour some dry laundry detergent or dish soap over the stain. Keep your hands off of it for 45 minutes. Then, wet the concrete and scrub it with a nylon-bristled brush. Ten to fifteen minutes should pass between applying soap and scrubbing again. After washing, rinse the area with a power jet wand to dilute the soapy water and flush it out of the garage.
Spots that have been there for a while are the most challenging to remove. De-greasing products are available at hardware and home improvement stores, or you can just clean the area several times. Nevertheless, the discoloration may require more than one application of the solution and scrubbing to remove.
Rust Stains on Concrete: How to Get Rid of Them
Rust stains are a giveaway anywhere, including on a concrete garage floor. Screwdrivers, hammers, and nails will rust and leave unsightly stains on the garage floor if they are kept there for too long, especially if they get damp. Rust can appear on metal objects like wheel hubs, garden tools, and metal containers.
After the stain has set for about 10 minutes, you can remove it by squeezing lemon juice onto it or pouring white vinegar over it. Use a nylon bristle brush to scrub the area, and then rinse it thoroughly with water. Some rust stains might be difficult to remove, therefore you may need to use this method more than once.
A thick paste can also be made by using a laundry detergent that contains baking soda. The rust stain can be removed by using a mixture of water and detergent and leaving it to soak for an hour. A dry paste is no good, so make sure to maintain it moist at all times. When you’re done, use a nylon-bristled brush to scrub and a garden hose to rinse.
The Easiest Way to Strip Garage Floor Concrete of Paint
Paint stains are infamously challenging to eliminate. However, if you stick to some rather straightforward steps, you can successfully get rid of them. Using a putty knife, remove any loose paint, and then sweep the area around the stain.
TSP requires a solution to be created by adding the chemical to water per the instructions on the packaging and then being worn constantly. After putting the solution on the stain, scrub it into the remaining paint. You may quickly wash it in the sink. The concrete should be given another cleaning if any paint remains after the first.
If you have some particularly tough paint stains, you may want to consider using a commercial paint stripper. For best results, let the concrete lie with the solution for several hours before scraping or scrubbing. Use gloves and make sure there is enough of airflow in the garage.
Remedy for Cleaning Concrete at Home
The filth and grease on your garage floor can be easily removed with a mixture of baking soda and water. An excellent all-purpose cleaner is half a cup of baking soda dissolved in a gallon of warm water.
A paste made from baking soda and a few drops of liquid soap can also be used to erase small stains.
Warm, soapy water used on a regular basis will keep your floors looking wonderful and help clean rid of any small messes that may occur. Use a gallon of warm water and a third of a cup of powdered laundry detergent to scrub with a nylon-bristled brush. After mopping the garage floor, you should always give it a last rinse with the power jet wand. This is a perfect use for the power jet wand, which produces a powerful spray.
Because of its dual use, accidents frequently occur in the garage. Put in some extra effort to remove any stubborn stains, and clean up any fresh spills as soon as they happen. If you take it slow and do a bit at a time, maintaining a concrete garage floor is a breeze.
Keep Your Garage Floor Cleaner, Longer
A little bit of preventative maintenance here and there can make your cleaning last much longer. Avoid placing any metal objects directly on the concrete, since this can cause unsightly rust spots to form, and use cat litter to quickly absorb any oil spills. Parking your car on the street can attract dust and leaves, so it’s a good idea to lay down a mat and regularly clear the area.
Sealing Your Garage Floor
Assuming your garage floor is spotless at this point, you may wish to protect it by sealing or painting it. This will make the surface more resistant to stains and easier to clean in the future, especially against oil and grime. Concrete floor sealer comes in a wide variety of colours, and you can even add flakes of different shapes and sizes for a personalised look.
After brushing on the coating, you’ll wait two days before walking on it and seven days before driving on it. Your garage floor will appear like new and be much easier to maintain going forwards.
After washing the garage floor, you can either let it to dry on its own or quickly dry it with a mop and towels. As you bring your belongings back inside, use this opportunity to give them a thorough once-over and throw out or repair any objects that are unclean, broken, or rarely used. You may save yourself a lot of time and effort in the long run if you keep your garage neat and tidy at all times.
Conclusion
There are a few various ways to clean a concrete floor, and you’ll want to choose one that works best for your job. Concrete is not a dense, hard rock once it has dried; rust and oil stains can seep deep into the material. Concrete floors, which are typical in garages and workshops, are always going to get stained. Concrete needs to be cleaned frequently since it attracts dirt and stains quickly. If you plan on leaving the concrete floor unfinished, you should also remove any oil or rust stains that may have formed.
Concrete is a unique substance that requires specific attention while attempting to clean or remove stains. Because of its porous structure, the surface “spalls” when it freezes and thaws. Deicing salts should never be put on concrete, which speeds up the popping and spalling. Even the dirtiest garage floors can be made presentable by specialised cleaning equipment. Pre-soaking concrete with a power washer requires pre-soak the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes in the cleaning solution.
Most dishwashers allow you to add a degreaser to the water for maximum efficiency. Using 15-degree yellow fan tips is optimal for removing grime from dirty streets. When dealing with particularly stubborn stains or spots, you can switch to the turbo tip. Since concrete cleaning calls for specialised tools, it’s crucial to let the rental company know in advance that you’ll be needing them. Rust stains are a giveaway anywhere, including on a concrete garage floor.
Rust can appear on metal objects like wheel hubs, garden tools, and metal containers. De-greasing products are available at hardware and home improvement stores. Some rust stains might be difficult to remove, so you may need to scrub more than once. An excellent all-purpose cleaner is half a cup of baking soda dissolved in a gallon of warm water. Warm, soapy water used on a regular basis will keep your floors looking wonderful.
After mopping the garage floor, you should always give it a last rinse with the power jet wand. You may wish to protect your garage floor by sealing or painting it. This will make the surface more resistant to stains and easier to clean in the future. Car parking on the street can attract dust and leaves, so it’s a good idea to keep the area spotless.
Content Summary
- Learning the most efficient method for keeping a garage floor clean is likely to rank highly among the tasks homeowners want to accomplish.
- There are a few various ways to clean a concrete floor, and you’ll want to choose one that works best for your garage floor job and the level of dirtiness of your floor.
- To learn how to get rid of the smell and stains caused by pet pee, see the dedicated page.
- When making a mental list of things to do, cleaning the garage floor probably isn’t one of them.
- However, if you don’t keep up with regular cleaning and maintenance, your garage might quickly become a cluttered, filthy mess.
- Cleaning the garage floor of dirt, chemicals, and unsightly stains will prolong its life and ensure that it is safe for your family to walk on.
- What you need is a product that can penetrate the concrete and pull the stain out of the surface so you can clean the surface.
- Concrete garage floors can sometimes be cleaned using muriatic acid.
- Another cleaning chemical that is frequently regarded as the best way to clean a garage floor is trisodium phosphate (TSP).
- Concrete needs to be cleaned frequently since it attracts dirt and stains quickly.
- If you plan on leaving the concrete floor unfinished, you should also remove any oil or rust stains that may have formed.
- You need not worry; information about concrete and its cleaning is well organised and can be broken down into a few basic categories.
- The white powder that appears on the surface of concrete is calcium carbonate, which is produced when calcium hydroxide reacts with carbon dioxide in the air (this is called “efflorescence”).
- It can build up to the point where it has to be cleaned up.
- A material that can penetrate the concrete and remove the stained region is required for stain removal.
- Clearing Out The Garage and Washing It DownBefore doing anything else, sweep the garage floor clean of any large objects and move anything that isn’t tied down.
- To protect the garage’s painted drywall and low electrical outlets from water damage and stains, tape a couple cheap plastic drop cloths to the walls within three feet of each.
- A deck brush, some concentrated concrete degreaser, a high-pressure nozzle for your garden hose, and some plain old-fashioned elbow grease are all you need to get the garage floor clean on the cheap.
- To clean, mix your chosen cleaner with a large pail of hot or warm water.
- It’s best to tackle the floor cleaning in bite-sized chunks.
- Begin cleaning a section with your deck brush and a pail of warm, soapy water.
- After a thorough cleaning with your high-pressure nozzle, you can proceed to the next stage.
- It’s much simpler to clean with the high-pressure nozzle because of this.
- In the beginning, you can use a pressure washer.
- Saving time by using a pressure washer to clean concrete is a real possibility.
- Read this article to find out why a pressure washer is the best tool for cleaning your garage floor.
- Cleaning concrete with a power washer requires pre-soaking the concrete for 10 to 15 minutes in the cleaning solution.
- Using 15-degree yellow fan tips is optimal for removing grime from dirty streets.
- When dealing with particularly stubborn stains or spots, you can switch to the turbo tip for more cleaning strength.
- If you’re working with a high-quality pressure washer, you shouldn’t leave the nozzle in one place for too long and you should keep moving it about.
- Equipment number two is a floor buffer (or floor maintainer) with a nylon scrubbing head for concrete.
- Garage concrete can be cleaned using a floor buffer in the same way that decks can be cleaned with a deck brush.
- Substitute the floor buffer for the deck brush.
- Getting Rid of Grease and Oil Stains on a Concrete Garage FloorOil and grease spills are inevitable in a garage.
- When working with tools, oil spills are another potential hazard.
- It’s important to clean up oil spills as soon as possible to prevent accidents like slipping on fresh oil, tracking it inside the house, or leaving a permanent mark.
- Recent oil or grease spills can be easily cleaned up with the help of cat litter or sawdust due to their absorbent characteristics.
- After a day, it’s time to clean up the litter or sawdust and throw it away.
- Then, wet the concrete and scrub it with a nylon-bristled brush.
- Spots that have been there for a while are the most challenging to remove.
- De-greasing products are available at hardware and home improvement stores, or you can just clean the area several times.
- Rust Stains on Concrete: How to Get Rid of ThemRust stains are a giveaway anywhere, including on a concrete garage floor.
- Use a nylon bristle brush to scrub the area, and then rinse it thoroughly with water.
- Some rust stains might be difficult to remove, therefore you may need to use this method more than once.
- The rust stain can be removed by using a mixture of water and detergent and leaving it to soak for an hour.
- The Easiest Way to Strip Garage Floor Concrete of PaintPaint stains are infamously challenging to eliminate.
- However, if you stick to some rather straightforward steps, you can successfully get rid of them.
- Using a putty knife, remove any loose paint, and then sweep the area around the stain.
- After putting the solution on the stain, scrub it into the remaining paint.
- If you have some particularly tough paint stains, you may want to consider using a commercial paint stripper.
- The filth and grease on your garage floor can be easily removed with a mixture of baking soda and water.
- An excellent all-purpose cleaner is half a cup of baking soda dissolved in a gallon of warm water.
- Use a gallon of warm water and a third of a cup of powdered laundry detergent to scrub with a nylon-bristled brush.
- After mopping the garage floor, you should always give it a last rinse with the power jet wand.
- This is a perfect use for the power jet wand, which produces a powerful spray.
- Avoid placing any metal objects directly on the concrete, since this can cause unsightly rust spots to form, and use cat litter to quickly absorb any oil spills.
- Parking your car on the street can attract dust and leaves, so it’s a good idea to lay down a mat and regularly clear the area.
- Sealing Your Garage FloorAssuming your garage floor is spotless at this point, you may wish to protect it by sealing or painting it.
- This will make the surface more resistant to stains and easier to clean in the future, especially against oil and grime.
- After washing the garage floor, you can either let it to dry on its own or quickly dry it with a mop and towels.
- As you bring your belongings back inside, use this opportunity to give them a thorough once-over and throw out or repair any objects that are unclean, broken, or rarely used.
- You may save yourself a lot of time and effort in the long run if you keep your garage neat and tidy at all times.
FAQs About Garage Floor
What Material Is Ideal For A Garage Floor?
Garages benefit most from polished concrete floors. Hard and long-lasting, concrete floors are a popular choice. Their effectiveness is unaffected by stress. If you’re on a tight budget, you can still have the floor of your dreams because concrete floors are less expensive and more widely available.
How Can You Best Prevent Damage To Your Garage Floor?
Rubber or PVC mats are the most convenient option for covering a garage floor. Mats, like garage floor tiles, require no prep work before installation and can be placed directly over concrete floors that have been stained or cracked.
The Answer To That Question Is “Yes,” A Garage Floor Can Get Wet.
Your garage floor may be leaking for a few different reasons. Condensation, also known as a “sweating garage floor,” is the most typical cause of this problem. When air that is moderately warm and damp comes into touch with a very chilly concrete slab, the air will cool because of the concrete’s cooler temperature.
When Is It Ideal To Instal A Garage Floor?
The most reliable stiff garage floor tiles are made entirely of PVC. They are often thicker than a quarter of an inch and can withstand the harsh conditions of a garage as well as the chemicals, oils, and greases commonly found there. They can hold cars and car jacks without bending or breaking.
Can A Garage Floor Be Tiled?
Putting in tile, especially ceramic tile, can increase the resale value of your home significantly. Due to its many advantages, garage tiling is considered by many homeowners to be an excellent investment.