How to clean a garage floor

Are you guilty of overlooking the one area of your home that sees a lot of foot traffic and wear and tear? Your garage may be home to your cars and bicycles, but it’s also a catch-all for items that don’t fit inside. This leads to dust and debris build-up on the floor. 

Luckily, restoring your garage floor to its former glory is possible. This article will guide you through the step-by-step process of cleaning your concrete garage floor. 

First, what are the best garage floor cleaner products? 

You can choose from many variations of products and homemade solutions! Removing stains, such as oil and grease, can be challenging. Here are some common cleaners that can help make the process more efficient:
 

Lemon juice or vinegar 

These kitchen ingredients have natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties that can remove grease, grime, and other stains from a garage floor.

Detergent 

If detergent can clean your clothes, it can surely clean other parts of your household as well.

Kitty litter 

This might sound like a surprising cleaning material, but cat litter actually works! It soaks up liquid and gets rid of unpleasant smells.
  

Commercial grease or oil removers 

If you are not in the mood to experiment with natural materials in your home, you can choose to buy products that are specifically made to clean concrete floors. 

Step-by-step: How to clean a garage floor

1. Prepare your garage

Before anything else, leave your cars and bicycles outside. Clean the garage and take out boxes, tools, and other knickknacks. This can also be your chance to throw out and recycle things you no longer use. The more floor space you see, the better.

2. Make sure electric outlets and drywall are protected 

You wouldn’t want them to get wet while you’re cleaning the floors! Cover electric outlets with a plastic sheet or tarp, or buy electric socket covers from your nearest hardware store. Consider protecting yourself as well by wearing cleaning gloves, especially if you plan to use strong cleaning chemicals.
 

3. Time to sweep! 

This is essential to remove dust, leaves, and other debris. This will also help reveal any stains, cracks, and bumps on your garage floor.

4. Wash and mop the garage floor 

There are different ways to wash your floor: You can use a bucket of water and soap, a garden hose, a spin, steam, or normal mop, or even a pressure washer.
 

5. Use a putty knife to remove unwanted dirt

Chances are high that your floor will have stubborn dirt that won’t come off. This is where a putty knife comes in handy.

6. Tackle stubborn stains 

Cleaning stains from concrete can be difficult, so it’s important to wash the floor first. There are different cleaning solutions and products you can use to achieve this. As mentioned earlier, you can use lemon juice, vinegar, detergent, cat litter, or commercial grease and oil removers. 

As an extra step, consider disinfecting your garage and home floors.

If you have a specific problem with removing oil and grease from your garage, scroll down to our FAQ section.
 

7. Put back your stuff inside the garage 

Now that your floor is as good as new, it’s time to reorganise! 

Tips to keep your garage floor clean for longer 

1. Avoid leaving metal objects on the floor too long, as they may leave rust spots. 

2. Purchase a garage mat so it’ll be easier to contain mud, snow, and oil coming from your vehicle.  

3. Consider sealing or painting your garage floor – this will make it easier to clean in the future. 

4. If oil drips on the floor, try to clean it up as soon as possible. 

5. Sweep regularly to avoid dirt build-up.  

Hiring a professional cleaner 

Some cleaning tasks may be more challenging than others. If your floors haven’t been cleaned in a while or you have some huge furniture to move around, it’s best to hire a floor cleaning service.

A professional would have the specialised equipment and skills to handle all the heavy lifting and high-pressure washing. They also have the proper know-how to use dangerous chemicals for cleaning.

Do you need help cleaning your garage floors and other areas of your house? Put up a task now!