Regular maintenance is vital to keep your floor coating shine and to make it last for years. The task of keeping your garage flooring coatings clean is simple than many thought. You just have to know how to do it properly and how to deal with various floor problems.
Epoxy floor coating is commonly used in garage spaces because it is durable and aesthetically pleasing. With a little know-how on how to clean your flooring coating, it may last for years. Here are some tips on how to clean and take care of your epoxy garage floor coatings.
How to Maintain Your Garage Flooring Coatings
Sweep Everyday
By keeping it clean every day, you are preventing the buildup of substances that can damage the floor. This way, you are prolonging the lifespan of your coating and keeping your garage safe all the time. A dust mop or soft indoor broom can do this job really well.
A dust mop could be used to keep the floors with an anti-slip additive clean. If your floor, however, has a strong anti-slip property, you can use a soft-bristled broom instead.
Wash the Floor Regularly
A regular cleaning ritual at least once every three months is essential especially if your garage floor is exposed to regular foot traffic and dirt. You can use a mop with hot water and a cleaning solution for the routine washing of your garage floor. Acids and soap based cleaners are not recommended as these could damage the floor and remove its shine.
If you have a heavy soiled floor, you can mix hot water and a little bit of ammonia (about 5 ounces for every gallon of hot water) to clean your floor. Sweep the floor first to remove loose dirt and then mop using the ammonia mixture.
Clean Stains Immediately
Make it a habit to clean any spilled materials on your floor as soon as you notice it. These spills may degrade the quality of your floor if not taken care of in a timely manner. You can use a paper towel or a soft cloth but if the dirt or stains are too hard to remove, you can use a stiff nylon brush and water.
Substances like rust may require a gentle scrubbing. Use a regular kitchen scrubbing pad and hot water. Don’t ever use harsh chemical agents on your floor because this will only damage your coating.
For traces of stains, you can use warm water and a CLR cleaning solution (1:1 ratio mixture). Use a scrub pad to apply the mixture directly on the stains. Let it do its work for not more than 2 minutes then rinse it off with cold clean water. The CLR cleaning solution can also handle stains that are brought by the condensation of your car’s air conditioner. Avoid using denatured alcohol as well in removing stains because this could remove the gloss of your coating.
As for tire marks, soak the affected areas with a good cleaner or a concrete degreaser. Leave it for a few minutes before gently scrubbing the marks using a brush with stiff bristle nylon.
No Vinegar or Citrus Based Cleaners and Soap
Never use vinegar or any kinds of citrus cleaners on the floor as these contain acids that will fade the gloss of the coating. Using of soap is not recommended as well as it leaves a residue on the floor. Soap will also make the floor look dull and slippery when wet.
Protect the Floor
If you are doing some projects in your garage, for instance, you are using a welding machine. Don’t forget to place a welding mat on the floor to prevent any damages.
If you have a vehicle that has been in the garage for a long time, you can put a cardboard underneath each tire to protect the floor. For your motorcycle, you can put a computer mouse pad under its kickstand. This way the kickstand will not cause any damage on the surface of the floor.