Hello World! Welcome Friends! It costs an average of $2,200 to replace a garage floor. At that price, you may see an incentive to make your garage floor last as long as possible.
Luckily, with a little effort and knowledge, it’s easy to keep your garage floor in pristine condition for many years. It just takes knowing how to clean it, what products to use, and what protective coating to opt for.
Keep reading to find out how you can best maintain your garage floor for many years and save money in the long run!
Keep Clutter Out of Your Garage
While the garage seems like the perfect place to store your clutter, it makes garage floor maintenance a lot more difficult. Of course, some items are bound to end up in your garage, but they have to be moved out every time you want to clean your garage.
If cleaning your garage becomes a difficult task that involves moving heavy objects every time, you’re less likely to do it frequently. The less likely you are to do it the less often you will, and then your garage becomes more susceptible to damage and dirt.
Consider storing items in a storage container or attic instead, or organize a big clean out of the unnecessary items in your life.
Clean Up Leaks and Spills Quickly
There are lots of hazardous items that can end up spilling in your garage. A garage floor coating can help prevent those spills from immediately damaging your garage floor, but over time even those can be eroded by acidic or basic liquids.
If your car leaks oil, coolant, or gas onto your garage floor, it’s best to clean it up right away. These liquids can not only destroy the pristine look of your garage floor; they’re also considered health and safety hazards.
Use either a specialty absorbent product, cat litter, or sawdust to quickly soak up the liquid material. Let it sit for several hours, then either sweep or pick it up. A soft bristle brush can also help remove any trace amounts.
Sweep Your Floor
The easiest thing that you can do to keep your garage floor tiles in good condition is to regularly sweep the floor. You never know what materials could scratch or erode your floor over time, so it’s best to get them off the floor as quickly and frequently as possible.
Make sweeping the garage floor a part of your regular cleaning routine, and make doing a full wash a rarer occasion. Regularly sweeping will also make cleaning easier during the few times a year that you do it.
Cover Electrical Outlets Before Cleaning
Everyone knows that water and electricity don’t mix well, but sometimes when people clean their garage floors they forget that they have outlets! It’s important to cover them with something protective before you begin cleaning the garage floor with any kind of liquid cleaner. Not only is it dangerous to have them uncovered, but you could ruin the outlet and stop receiving electricity in your garage.
Covering outlets with painter’s tape is a good way to keep the spray of water out of the outlet. Just make sure that the tape covers well onto the wall to seal out any water.
Use a Protective Coating
Most garage floors are made out of porous concrete. It’s a lot easier for concrete to become cracked or otherwise damaged when you leave it uncovered or cover it with garage floor paint.
Instead, consider a protective coating. They last for years and give you more wiggle room for garage floor care mistakes. Spills can stay out longer, you’re less likely to scratch things while sweeping, and ice won’t fill and enlarge any cracks. Plus, they’re much easier to clean.
Read this article to learn more about polyaspartic coating and how it can improve the appearance and longevity of your garage floor.
Wash the Floor with a pH-Neutral Detergent
Garage floor cleaning supplies should always be a pH-neutral detergent. Before you even begin washing, make sure that you’ve swept thoroughly. Any remaining debris could scratch the floor when you go to mop or have unexpected reactions with the detergent.
Why pH-Neutral?
While polyaspartic coatings are incredibly durable, there are certain compounds that can quickly erode them. This includes many highly acidic soaps and detergents.
The right detergent will disinfect your floor, remove dirt, and keep it shiny. The wrong detergent will tear away at your floor and leave it less durable than it was before you applied your protective coating.
It’s also smart to avoid abrasive detergents and cleaning supplies. While polyaspartic coating is resistant to abrasion, it doesn’t last forever and against constant abuse. Let the polaspartic coating do its work against natural abrasives, but don’t add any unnecessary stress to its work.
How to Clean the Floor
In order to get the best results from cleaning your garage floor, you need steps to follow! This is a basic guide to cleaning your garage floor:
- Sweep up debris to prevent scratches during mopping
- Fill a bucket with water and the detergent in a ratio recommended by the manufacturer
- Use a foam mop to apply and spread the mixture over the garage floor
- Let the mixture sit for several minutes
- Rinse the mixture with a hose (remember to cover the outlets!)
- Squeegee the remaining water off of the garage floor
The steps themselves to cleaning a garage floor are quite simple. The trick to garage floor longevity is doing it regularly and with the right materials.
Make Your Garage Floor Last
By treating your garage floor with a protective coating, cleaning it regularly, quickly dealing with spills, and using the right cleaning materials your garage floor can stay beautiful and shiny for many years. Treating a garage floor right saves you money and work in the long run.
Looking for more home maintenance advice? Check out our blog for more!
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
6 Reasons to Let a Pro Handle Repairs in Your Home
Eight Budget-Friendly Bathroom Remodeling Ideas
Say Goodbye to Mold: The Advantages of Professional Remediation Services
Taking Care of Your Pet Bird: 6 Important Tips
10 Types of Accessories for Your High-Pressure Washer
Top 5 Factors to Consider When Picking a Property Management Company
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Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
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