First off, remove any extra clutter that you can. This may be a good time for that trip to the dump! As with storing old clothes, if you haven’t used it in a few years, you’re never going to use it again. I found my old broken mower in the back of the garage. Why did I keep it? Well, I had planned on fixing it up and selling it but never got around to it. Now that it has sat with no oil in it for a few years, it’s not going to be easy to fix. Make sure that when you dispose of old equipment or empty oil cans that you take them to a proper disposal facility. Just a few drops of oil can cause serious environmental problems.
If you have any oil spills in your garage, even old ones, I have found a great trick to cleaning them up easily. Go and get yourself some non-clumping cat litter. Any brand will do. Cover the oil spill or stain completely with the cat litter. Let it sit for a few minutes and then work it in to the oil with a stiff-bristled brush. The dust in the cat litter will absorb all of the oil. Repeat if necessary.
If any of your tools for equipment has left rust stains in your garage get some CLR Cleaner. Wear gloves and work the CLR into the rust stain. The rust will come off with minimal scrubbing. I found a ton of rust stains under my old patio furniture. Make sure that you remove the source of your rust stains. A little elbow grease with a wire brush and a little spray paint will keep your rust problems away.
Be sure to collect all of your shop rags and cloths. You can use our stain removal guide to get them sparkling clean.
Once you have scrubbed your garage floor and have it looking great it is time to seal the floor. Any good concrete sealer will usually do a good job; just make sure to follow the instructions. Sealing your concrete garage floor will keep it from cracking and will make it easier to clean next year!
