Cleaning Garage Floor

[The Tackman]

I have used the search function to no avail so I have to ask. What is the best way to clean my garage floor? I've spilled transmission fluid, oil and antifreeze. Thanks in advance.

 

[offroadrolls]

I used to know a guy that swore by saw dust and mineral spirits. He'd just sweep the soggy saw dust from one end to the other.
I use powdered Tide laundry detergent, water and a stiff bristle push broom to scrub. Then rinse it down with the hose. For small spots I grind cat litter in with my boot. That'll get rid of anything.

 

[The Tackman]

Thanks...I will try the Tide trick

 

[RPM]

Cat litter works great

 

[dmw56]

Check out garagejournal.com they will have the answer.

 

[sgtpontiac]

I use oil dry or cat litter and let it sit....

if it's bad, I've used a highly diluted muriatic acid and etched the bad areas...lots of ventilation there....then used tide or other good laundry detergent to finish wash after rinsing away the acid....I've seen guys use the acid straight out of the bottle but you better have scba equipment as that crap will kill ya.....

 

[imthegrt1]

saw dust works great as if u live next to a lumber yard you can get it free.....

 

[donsrods]

We occasionally use Dawn Dish Detergent and a stiff push broom to scrub down the concrete on our shop floor. The dirt and oil just run off. We let it soak for a while and then hose it clean.

I am also going to put some Awesum Cleaner (Dollar Store) in with it next time because I just used it to clean the Caddy engine I removed and it did a great job for only a buck. But I had to wear a paint respirator because the fumes will choke you. Not sure what is in it, but it really works.


Don

 

[imthegrt1]

^don you right forgot all about good old dawn dish soap seem only the green kind work good...
also good old mean green from dollar store never go wrong there

 

[BillM]

You guys are going to think I'm a real "hick" for suggesting this....but what I find works great....ashes out of the wood stove.

Spilled a bunch one day cleaning out the wood stove and after sweeping up my mess I realized that the floor was cleaner than I'd ever seen it.

 

[440Clark]

Floor dry, oil dry or whatever the particular brand calls it, works great. Kitty litter too. The trick I've found is grinding it into the floor with a brick. I guess it breaks it down into small enough particles to get into the pores of the concrete.

 

[endicott_jb]

The shops that I've worked in that didn't have painted floors seamed to not be very clean in the first place so the dust sorta settled thick. We just always swept the dust over it and its like it was never there lol.

 

[Old Iron]

I took a 2"x12"x16" put a broom handle on it at an angle, put about 10 lb of lead on top and use it to push back n forth over the oil dry. Don't have to wait that way

 

[Neverdone]

Grind in Kitty Litter. Takes out anything.

 

[Sniper]

I've used the kitty litter/floor dry method a lot over the years. Works pretty good for the most part on a recent spill. A spill that has sat longer and has had a chance to set into the concrete (trans fluid is the worst) are the ones that can come back to haunt you. The first time you get conditions that allow the floor to sweat, it will lift some of the oil residue out of the concrete pores and it's as slippery as ice. Use TSP on the stubborn spot and it will lift it out. Most paint stores and hardware stores sell it. (Tri Sodium Phosphate) is what TSP it stands for. You see it sold in folded up cartons like 1/2 pint and 1 pint milk cartons. Ventilation, rubber gloves and common sense are called for when using this stuff...but it does work well.