Concrete floors are one of the best options for the basement and are cost-effective at the same time.
Usually, these basement spaces are used as storage space. Here, we can store day-to-day items like kitchenware, suitcases, sports, electronic items, and other outdoor items.
The maintenance in the basement would be much less when compared to maintaining the other rooms in our houses.
Thus, we must maintain the basement floors at least once a month. However, with a few simple steps, we can make your concrete floors look like new in no time.
In this article, we will provide useful tips on cleaning concrete in a basement room efficiently and safely without a pressure washer.
Ways to Clean the Concrete Basement Floors
1. Remove the Dust
These concrete floors are porous; hence, they will absorb the dirt and grease from foods, oils, and other debris. To start with, first, we need to clean the floors by sweeping, vacuum cleaning, or dust mopping the floor. Doing these helps prevent scratches from dirt and grits. This procedure also helps us to get rid of the loose dirt present on the basement floors.
2. Eliminate the Mold
As they are basement floors, they tend to develop mold, which is a mildew that develops in wet, damp areas. Hence, before removing the mold, it needs to be killed. First, we must open the windows and let some fresh air in.
We can use any mold killers that are available in the market. Apply these mold killers over the surface and leave it for some time to work. Now, scrub the surface with a hard brush. We can even rinse it and let it dry. We can now remove the dead remains of the mold using a vacuum cleaner.
3. Get Rid of Efflorescence
Efflorescence is a salt deposit that is present in a brick, concrete, or any other building. This is formed by the presence of undissolved solid substances and the leakage of water in the concrete surface. We can easily remove this efflorescence with the help of a nylon brush, a wet rug, or a wet mop.
4. Eradicate the Oil and Grease Stains
These stains can be formed especially from the leakage of oils from the vehicle. This can be removed by applying a thick paste of baking soda and water to it. This mixture needs some time to work with loosening the grease stains from the floor.
Hence, we need to wait for some time. After absorbing it well, we can dust it off with a saucepan and a broom. After removing the stains, we can rinse the floors with a mop and let them dry. We can use a laundry detergent instead of baking soda.
5. Remove the Food Stains
The food stains are formed when we store food items in the basement for a while. These food stains could be removed from the basement floors by mixing the baking soda with liquid detergent. Now, spray the mixture over the food-stained surface.
It needs some curing time to work over the stains; hence, leave it for some time. After a while, with the help of a brush, we can remove the food stains, then rinse the floor with water and let it dry.
6. Eliminate the Rust Stains
There are times when rust is formed from the metal objects that come in contact with the concrete surface. To eradicate the rust stains from the concrete floor, pour some undiluted white vinegar on it and give it some time to rest.
Now, we can rub the stains with a hard brush and rinse them off with water. Hopefully, the stains will have gone by now; if not, we can repeat the process to remove the stubborn rust stains.
7. Wash the Entire Floor
After checking and cleaning the tough stains and molds on the basement concrete floor, it is always best to wash the floor thoroughly. As we have already eradicated the stains with the help of materials, as mentioned earlier, we can rinse off the floor thoroughly with the help of a floor cleaner or laundry detergent. We can use a hose spray or simply mopping the entire floor to help clean the floor. Now, the basement floor is all set to use once again without any dirt in it.
8. Apply Sealant
The sealant for a concrete floor is a clear film coating the top layer of the concrete floor and provides the best physical barrier for the surface. The sealant helps ingress things like moisture, dirt, and debris. This also acts as floor resistance from the stains that could happen in the future.
Use a paintbrush or a paint roller to apply it to a cleaned surface of the concrete floor. We can start applying the sealant from the middle of the floor and spreading it to the edges. The sealant needs to be sealed once again every 2 – 3 years.
Conclusion
Hence, the concrete basement floors need to be maintained thoroughly.
Though we cannot maintain the basement floors every day, we can clean and maintain them often. Here, we have encountered various ways to remove the dirt from the concrete floors.
Priorly, we need to eliminate things like dust, mold, rust, efflorescence, grease, and food stains.
After eradicating all these stains, we can give an entire floor a safe wash. Finally, we can apply any sealant to prevent the floors from getting stained in the future.
Hope this article will help you to clean the concrete floors without the pressure washer.
