Basement – a place where you put everything you need and do not need. A place that gets so crowded at one point, that you dread about cleaning it. We have all been there. Finding time to clean and organize your basement is always a struggle. Especially when you know that you will have to do it all over again a year from now. But still, it needs to be done. Because of that, in this article, we are talking about something that you usually forget – your basement floor. Chances are it is concrete, so here is the best way to clean concrete basement floor.
We assume it is concrete since people usually use the basement as a storage space or a workshop. And you do not need any fancy flooring if that is the case. So concrete does the job perfectly. But you will need to clean your concrete flooring from time to time since a lot of dirt, dust and even mold can accumulate there. A canister vacuum can help, but there is a bit more to cleaning concrete. We know it is a daunting task, but by following these steps, you will be as efficient as possible.
Cleaning Out the Basement
Before even thinking about cleaning the basement floor, you first need to get clear the floor. The best way to do this is to take everything, and we mean literally everything out of your basement. It maybe seems excessive, but if you are cleaning your basement, do it the right way. After you take everything out, you will be left with an empty room and floor so you can get on to cleaning.
While you are at it, here is a tip for basement cleaning. Try to make sense out of the mess that it is there. Now that you have everything out, organize it. Throw out what you do not need or use. If you are holding on to some useless stuff, be brave and put it into the garbage. Everything that is left, organize in boxes and label it. You will be able to find these things easier in the future. Get some hangers and shelves and put them in the basement to organize tools and other things that do not go into boxes. Why should you do this? And how does it relate to cleaning?
Simple, if you keep your basement organized, from now on you will be dreading cleaning it less. When everything has its place, you can easily take it out for cleaning, and return it when you are done.
Vacuuming the Concrete Basement Floor
Now that your stuff is out, let’s clean these floors. Chances are there will be a lot of dust, dirt, spider web and maybe even some dead insects lying around. A commercial vacuum is perfect for this. And you will surely need a powerful machine to thoroughly clean this mess. But there are other vacuum types you can use if you do not have these. You probably own an upright vacuum, and it should have enough power to get rid of all the accumulated dirt.
In any case, make sure you are patient and detailed. Go from corner to corner, use the hose or a crevice tool to reach inaccessible spaces. Do not skip anything, or it will be waiting for you the next time you start cleaning. If you have a large basement with a small number of power outlets, you may consider a cordless vacuum. But we would leave this option for smaller cleaning jobs, and not the big floor cleanup we are talking about here. If you want to maintain your basement floor, a cordless vacuum type or a corded stick vacuum will help you a lot.
Concrete Basement Floor Cleaners
The first step is to disinfect the whole floor. With a mix of one gallon of water and a cup of bleach, you can do this in no time. Take a string mop and go over the entire floor with this mixture. Let it dry and repeat the process. Do not allow the water to get too dirty, so if your floors are covered in dirt, you may need to make the mixture several times. By repeating this step you will get rid of mold and mildew. If there are any stains, there should be gone as well.
After this is done, you should mix a gallon of extremely hot water and detergent. Again, wipe the entire floor and make sure that the water does not get too dirty. After this, the final step is to mop the floor with clean warm water and let that dry completely.
Removing Stains from Concrete Basement Floor
If there are some stubborn stains on the floor that do not want to go away, here is what you can do. Use a mixture of bleach and water to make a concoction and put it directly on the stain. Use a brush to scrub the stain and hopefully remove it.
If there are any rust stains, use vinegar, lemon juice or apple cider to deal with them. By putting them directly on the stain, and leaving them for 10 minutes, you will be able to scrub the rust way. Make sure you clean the spot with detergent and water afterward.
If removing stains does not work, you can try to paint the floor and conceal them. Using a light color will ensure that the chips cannot be easily spotted. But you will have to use a darker color if the stains are dark.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your basement organized will make the entire floor cleaning process much less daunting. There are some simple steps you should follow to ensure clean and spotless concrete. We know that you do not have time to clean your basement every week but try not to leave it dirty for a year. Cleaning it more often will prevent staining and cut cleaning time.