Floors are among the surfaces that need regular cleaning, if not daily. Ignoring garages even for a day can be nearly impossible due to the dirt-attracting activities. Cleaning garage floors can be challenging, but epoxy flooring makes work easier.
An epoxy concrete flooring is an ideal option for garages. However, the flooring system is more effective with proper cleaning and maintenance. Following the best steps and tips, you can be assured of a longer life span with this floor. Remember to call for professional inspection and maintenance occasionally for more impressive results.
Before you get started, gathering the supplies needed to clean the epoxy garage floor is crucial. These include a vacuum cleaner, towel, protective gear, micro fibre mob, water, bucket, dish soap, or any other epoxy-friendly floor agent, and a soft brush. A dust mop or broom, dustpan, and dust bin would also help sweep, collect, and keep dirt particles and other waste.
If you have this flooring system, here is a guide to cleaning it effortlessly.
1. Prepare the Area
The first step of cleaning the epoxy garage floor is preparing the area. You shouldn’t just start cleaning without adequate preparation, which involves cleaning the supplies and putting them in their correct spot. These might include parking your car outside, clearing the seats, putting the garage tools in their boxes, and collecting any items on the floor.
2. Sweep the Surfaces
The second step of cleaning the epoxy garage floor after you’ve gathered all the necessary supplies is sweeping the surfaces. This step helps eliminate dust and other dirt particles like paper, metal chips, mud, grass, leaves, dead insects, and general clutter.
Sweeping involves a broom, dustpan, and bin, although you may vacuum at your preference. That prepares you for the next step.
3. Mix Soap and Water
Step two of cleaning the epoxy garage floor is mixing soap and water. In a medium-sized bucket, put clean water half-full before adding your preferred floor agent or dish soap. Stir the mixture with your gloved hands or hand brush until it blends well.
You can also use warm water on the epoxy garage floor as it helps to loosen grease and oil stains that would be stubborn with cold water.
4. Pour the Mixture on the Surfaces and Let It Soak
The next step is pouring the mixture on the surfaces and letting it soak for five to seven minutes. It helps to loosen the stains and other forms of dirt, making the cleaning less tiring and stressful. You can also use a microfiber mob or towel to apply water on the surfaces since direct pouring might direct it to unwanted areas.
5. Scrub and Mob
After the floor has soaked satisfactorily, you can scrub the surfaces. A healthy scrub on an epoxy garage floor involves a broom or soft bristle brush accompanied by soapy water. Scrub the floor towards the drainage area while pouring more water on it or spots that appear pretty stubborn.
Ensure not to apply excessive pressure during scrubbing to avoid messing with the appearance or longevity. A microfiber mop is used to mop the floor to remove excess water.
6. Rinse and Examine
The last step of cleaning the epoxy garage floor is rinsing, which involves running non or less-soapy water on the surfaces until all the soap is removed. As you rinse, you should examine any areas requiring re-cleaning and act accordingly.
If there are none, you can dry the floor with a towel. Leaving water to accumulate on an epoxy floor can create stains or attract dirt when you try to use it again. After drying, it’s advisable to let the floor rest before it resumes its duties.
7. Maintain the Epoxy Garage Floor
Hopefully, you’ve understood the process of cleaning the epoxy garage floor. However, various tips help to ensure a safe maintenance and cleaning procedure to enhance the floor’s durability while keeping you safe. They include:
Avoid heavy equipment
You should avoid using heavy equipment on the epoxy garage floors, like dragging items with sharp corners, as it may damage the surfaces.
Use seal or wax
You can seal or wax the epoxy floors to enhance their appearance and make them easy to clean. Ensure to use high-quality wax and sealant products and adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the application.
Add floor mats
Add floor mats in high-traffic areas, such as the servicing and repair bay, to minimize the rate of wear and tear. These mats also catch stains and moisture that would directly impact the floor.
Avoid harsh cleaning solutions
Avoid harsh cleaning agents on epoxy garage floors as they may corrode and damage the surfaces. These include acidic and alkaline agents, regardless of how stubborn some stains may be.
Other practices for properly maintaining epoxy garage floors include not using abrasive tools or scrubbers when cleaning, cleaning spills as soon as they happen to avoid stains, and repairing cracks and chips that could harbour dirt.