Tips for cleaning garage floors

 

My husband and I recently spend a weekend cleaning out our (very full garage), and we had NO idea how bad our garage floors had gotten! Once we removed all the junk out of our garage we were left with a very dusty, splashed with what I think was leftover oil from the lawn mower, and in dire need of some care. So after some research and elbow grease, I am happy to report that my garage now looks like a real garage, and not a dump! I wanted to share some of the tips for cleaning garage floors that we learning along the way! 

Here are some of the tips for cleaning garage floors that worked best for me:

• First, remove everything off the floor! I know this sounds simple, but we first tried cleaning the garage floor in sections, and all that did was move the dirt around. So I recommend removing everything off the floor first, it will save you from more of a headache later.
• Sweep it up! Before worrying about any stains or other problems on your garage floor, give it a really good once over with a broom. You will be amazed how much dust (and other yucky stuff) can accumulate on a concrete floor. Make sure you get the corners really well, especially around your garage door frame where dirt from the outside could have made it’s way in.
• Fight the grease! Concrete is a very porous surface and really sucks up stains. So chance are if you park your car in your garage, or do any projects, you probably have some stains on your floor. Luckily, if you grab a great all purpose cleaner and aren’t afraid of a little scrubbing, you can get grease and oil stains up pretty easily!
• Grab a bag of Cat Litter! No, not for your cat, for your garage! If you are having some trouble getting up any grease or oil, spread a coating of cat litter over the stain, it is great at soaking up the excess grease!
• Break out the garden hose! Once you have your garage emptied, swept, and degreased, it’s time to bring in the big guns, your garden hose.  Starting from the back of your garage, up to the front, give it a really good spray down. This will get up any of the loose dirt your broom might have missed. Keep the garage door open and let the floor air dry.
• Tide isn’t just for laundry anymore! If you really want to get your garage floor clean and looking like new, a mix of 1/3 cup of tide laundry detergent and 1 gallon of water works wonders! Pour it into a bucket and grab a sponge.
• Consider a barrier! If you don’t want to go through this process every time you clean your garage consider putting down a barrier. You can use a sealer, or do what we did, which was using lined carpet squares. We grabbed them from lowes and they are awesome. Rubber backed, and stain resistant, worth the investment if you spend a lot of time in your garage. (I wouldn’t reccomend them if you park your car in your garage though!)

So those are my tips for cleaning garage floors! Do you have any great tips? Share them below in the comment section!