Garages are perfect for stowing away valuables since they provide protection from the weather. However, dust can compromise their condition if left untouched for a long time.
To this end, we have compiled some helpful advice from our professional team on how to reduce the quantity of dust in your garage and preserve your things.
Most garages serve as multipurpose spaces in modern homes. It could be a garage where old cars are kept, a workshop where wood is worked, or a garden shed where tools and lawn equipment are kept. Due to its many functions, the garage quickly becomes a breeding ground for dirt and grime. Furthermore, due to the great size of garage doors and the frequency with which they are opened and closed, lots of dirt and other external particles are blown inside.
It may appear that the dust in the garage reemerges as quickly as you can clear it away. However, you may keep the dust in your garage to a minimum between cleanings by employing a few simple strategies.
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It’s feasible to reduce dust levels and have a dust-free garage. Some methods for limiting dust are to seal off the garage’s floor and doors and frequently change the ventilation system’s air filters. One of the most effective ways to reduce the size of the garage is to adopt a regular cleaning routine.
A dirty air filter will circulate dusty air into the garage, adding to the problem. Mastering dust control in the garage is crucial for the prevention of respiratory illnesses and can help you realise your garage’s aesthetic potential.
Have you ever felt like cleaning your dirty garage floor was a fruitless endeavour? Many homes have this issue, but there are plenty of solutions for keeping the dust in your garage under control.
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What Causes Garage Dust?
The concrete garage floor is a key contributor to the airborne dust problem. Moisture, oil, and grease can penetrate poorly sealed concrete, causing it to deteriorate and generate cement dust. This dust can then become disrupted and cover any stored belongings through the simple act of walking or driving a vehicle through the garage.
Dust in the garage can be a nuisance, but finding the cause is the first step towards solving the problem. The following are some potential sources of garage dust:
Temperature
Concrete, like any other material, will experience some expansion and contraction when the temperature changes. Problems arise primarily in locations with lower average temperatures. Your concrete garage floor may be weaker than necessary since it was poured while temperatures were below freezing and did not have enough time to fully harden before freezing.
A Garage Door With Spaces
Dust can get inside your garage if the door isn’t properly sealed. Because of the cracks between the garage door and the floor or the garage door and the walls, dust can easily enter the garage.
Dust from tools
Those who keep their tools in the garage may have noticed a buildup of dust. The oil residue on the tools and the outdoor dust both contribute to the problem.
Concrete dust
The dust in your garage will be noticeable if you have a concrete floor. Dust is easily stirred up on the concrete floor and spreads to the rest of the garage. There is usually a great deal of fugitive dirt on a concrete floor.
Air Conditioning Unit
The air conditioner in your garage could be the source of the dust problem. If your air conditioner is on the older side, it may kick up dust in the garage while it’s running.
So, the question arises, what exactly causes concrete to deteriorate to the point where it begins to dust?
Although many good reasons exist, they are mainly relevant to commercial or outdoor settings. Moisture, temperature, and abrasion from direct contact are the key concerns for homeowners.
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Moisture
The concrete in your garage will deteriorate over time if motor oil or other chemicals you use there leak onto the floor. Small holes and even cracks will appear in the concrete as some regions deteriorate at a faster rate than others.
Woodworking in the garage
Dust buildup in the garage is common for those who practise woodworking there. Wood shavings are contained in various regions of the garage, but they eventually find their way into the rest of the house.
Abrasion
Everything breaks down over time when subjected to physical contact. Your garage floor loses a little of its protective coating every time you walk or drive across it, stirring up dust in the process. Floors get dirtier when they are used more.
If your garage’s bare concrete floor is the source of the problem, what can you do to prevent the spread of dust throughout the space?
Start With A Complete Cleaning
Firstly, you should clean the garage completely if it is really unclean. First, clean the highest shelves and work surfaces of any dust and debris. If you want the greatest possible clean, use this three-pronged approach: Sweep up any loose debris and dust, vacuum all surfaces, and then use a damp mop or microfiber cleaning cloth to get rid of the finest dust off the walls and floor.
Do not ignore any signs of powdery efflorescence on the concrete walls or floor of the base. Make sure there isn’t any concrete shedding at the moment. If so, make sure the concrete is properly sealed.
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The Concrete Slab Should Be Sealed
A garage’s concrete floor is an unexpectedly dirty place. If concrete isn’t properly sealed, it will deteriorate over time as water and pollutants like oil and grease seep in. Like witnessing an organism devour itself, the concrete eventually breaks down into a powdery residue of rock and Portland cement. As people tread through it, pull items behind them, or drive vehicles over it, it becomes airborne and spreads over the area.
To keep water out of the garage, a good sealant should be applied to the concrete floor and walls. This has the added benefit of preventing future spills or oil leaks from discolouring your concrete. You need a sealant that goes deep into the concrete, rather than one that sits on top. Concrete’s biggest enemies are water and stains, both of which can be halted by using a good penetrating gel sealer. They will help protect your floor by sealing any tiny cracks in the concrete, which will in turn increase the floor’s longevity.
Replace Or Repair The Door Seals
When the seals on a garage door are damaged or nonexistent, a lot of dust and debris can be blown inside. Be sure the seals on the main garage door and any secondary exit doors are in good working order. Loose ones must be re-secured and ripped or cracked seals must be replaced.
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Replace The HVAC Filter
Does your home’s garage have central air conditioning and heating? The filter probably needs to be changed. Filters in your HVAC system can clean the air and get rid of allergens and dust. The filter loses effectiveness as soon as it becomes blocked. This will lead to a dirtier-than-necessary garage and an increased workload for your HVAC system, both of which will drive up your bills and maintenance demands.
Install A Filtration System For The Air
Instead of using unfiltered indoor climate control, woodworkers should consider installing air filtration or dust containment systems in their garages. These devices are intended solely for air purification and have no effect on ambient temperatures. Several models use electrostatic filtration to remove pollen and other allergens from the air. Particularly helpful is a filter or containment system in a garage that doubles as a workplace.
Clean Gardening Tools And Lawn Equipment
It’s important to clean your lawnmower and other gardening tools after each use and then store them away in the garage. Grass clippings and garden dirt from equipment are a surprising source of dust and filth in a garage. Clean outdoor toys thoroughly before storing them away.
Do Not Sweep, Vacuum
Garages, even after a thorough cleaning and the implementation of reasonable steps to reduce and manage dust, still require regular maintenance cleaning. Shop vacuums with a good internal filter are preferable to brooms for preventing the spread of dust and filth. A brush might simply disperse the tiny, submicroscopic particles that make up garage dust. To keep the shop vac’s filter working efficiently, it must be cleaned or replaced regularly.
Use Sealed Containers For Storage
Garages are great places to keep bags of drywall compound, cement, fertiliser, salt for the sidewalk and playground, and potting soil. Dust can accumulate in the garage from any dry objects that are not stored in an orderly method. Get some cheap plastic storage bins to keep things neat. Airtight storage containers will prevent rodents from gaining access to your valuables.
Check Your Air Conditioning Unit
The garage’s air conditioner and vents are major contributors to the problem. The dust in your garage could move to other areas if your vent is unclean. Keep the dust out of your air conditioner by giving it a once over. If you don’t want dust and debris to spread throughout your garage, clean your air conditioner.
As an alternative to routinely dusting the AC, you can change the filters. Filter replacement is recommended at regular intervals due to the significant amount of dust that can be captured by filters. If you have vents in your home, adding a filtration system will assist keep the air clean by catching dust before it can spread. In order to lessen the amount of dust in the garage at a low cost, it is recommended to replace the filters on a regular basis.
Seal Dust Entry Points
The dust in your garage originates outside. If you want to prevent dust from entering your garage, sealing off any potential access points is a good idea. Learn the source of the dust in your garage by inspecting it. Dust enters your garage primarily through the garage door. Look for hiding places in the ceiling and floor of the garage. Openings can be patched up with seals.
Rubber strips, which can be found at any local hardware or hardware store, can be used to completely seal the gap in your purchase. There is a range of sizes for the rubber strips, so measure your garage door to make sure you get the proper one. After properly weather-stripping your garage door, you’ll find that much less dust is drawn inside.
Clean Tools Before Storing Them
Having clean tools before bringing them into the garage is one approach to reduce the amount of dust in the space. The garage is a common place for people to keep their tools, and these tools are often a source of grime and dust. If you use a lawnmower to cut the grass in your yard, you should clean it before putting it away in the garage. Bringing filthy tools into the garage spreads the dust from those tools to the rest of the space.
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Dustproof Garage Storage Solutions
If you want to cut down on the amount of dust in your garage, investing in some dust-proof storage solutions is a good idea. Make sure to use dust-proof containers for anything you don’t want contaminated by dust. You can choose from several dust-proof storage alternatives, all of which are suitable for a wide range of items. You should adopt the following dust-proof storage options:
Sealed Containers
Sealing containers can effectively prevent dust from escaping. It’s important to use airtight containers to keep dust away from things you wish to preserve. Clothes and other items are best stored in plastic containers that can be sealed. After a good seal has been applied, the container will be dust-proof. They are especially handy for storing tiny tools, as they prevent both dust and corrosion. Should your garage ever flood, you may rest assured that your stored items will be safe in plastic containers.
Cloth Covers
Cloth vehicle and bike covers are an easy way to reduce dust in the garage. Things you don’t use frequently can benefit from being stored in cloth covers. You may keep the dust off your car by using a cloth cover if you are not going to use it for a few weeks. Fabric storage sacks are handy for protecting garage equipment and bikes from the elements. To keep your belongings dust-free, simply take off the fabric covers and wash them on a regular basis.
Dustproof your Garage Driveway
The dust in your garage could be caused by the driveway. The dust from your driveway will settle in your garage, making it look dirty. Eliminating the dust in the garage driveway is an essential first step in making it dustproof. Stone or concrete can be used to contain the dust.
Keeping the driveway clean will also help keep the garage dust-free. Avoid having dust into your garage by keeping your driveway tidy. Stone driveways are low maintenance since dust can be washed away with a simple spray of water.
Use Cleaver Dust Cleaning Methods
Cleaning up the dust in the garage in ingenious ways can help alleviate the problem. If you use some ingenuity in your cleaning routine, you won’t have to worry about spreading dust about the garage when you’re scrubbing the floors. You can choose to vacuum the garage instead than sweep it, for instance.
When you sweep the garage, all the dust gets distributed to other areas. Instead of using a dusting cloth, you can wipe the dust away with a damp towel if you’re cleaning the garage. You may save time and effort in the long run by employing ingenious cleaning strategies in your garage.
The key to a dust-free garage is mastering the art of tool storage. In addition, you should close off any possible entryways in the garage.
Pressure Wash or Mop the Floor
The dust and filth on your garage floor can be removed by sweeping and vacuuming, but a pressure wash will provide a more thorough cleaning.
You can get the job done with a mop and some Simple Green if you don’t have access to a pressure washer, but you’ll have to put in a little more effort.
Before mopping, make sure the area has been completely swept and vacuumed. Don’t do that, and you’ll just be spreading the mud about.
Having to constantly wipe down surfaces is a major hassle due to dust. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to entirely eliminate it. The amount of dust in your garage will decrease noticeably after you have had the floor and all the windows and doors sealed.
Even though your garage is now covered in dust, that doesn’t have to remain the case forever.
In conclusion, garages often serve as living spaces, storage, and gyms, but dust can easily accumulate if the door isn’t sealed. Motor oil and antifreeze can damage concrete. Sealing the floor and walls helps prevent water and oil infiltration, while dust-containment systems assist woodworkers. A shop vacuum with a good filter is more effective than a broom for cleaning. Properly storing dry items and using sealed containers helps keep dust away. Covering bikes and tools with cloths, using fabric storage sacks, and maintaining clean driveways can further reduce garage dust.
