Are you worried about getting oil stains on your garage floor? This is a common concern for many homeowners, with oil causing unsightly staining and discoloration. It can bring down the look of your garage and become darker over time. Unfortunately, the oil will become a permanent feature of your garage if you are not careful.
There are some situations where you cannot avoid dropping this residue on the ground. For example, it can leak from your vehicle, or you can simply have an accident and spill some. But, there are a few things you can do to protect your garage floor from oil stains. It is about being proactive and prepared. So, here are five ways to protect your garage floor and that can save you a lot of headaches in the future.
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Clean Up Accidents Immediately
The first important way to protect your garage floor is to clean up any accidents straight away. You might think that you can come back to it later or that it is not a big deal. But, if you have a concrete garage floor, a stain can appear very quickly. You need to act quickly if you spill something like oil. After all, who wants a big and unsightly black stain?
Therefore, always ensure that you have rags nearby to clean up any oil. If it has just been spilt, some people swear by using cat litter and baking soda. This is a way to absorb the oil. Others like to use dish soap to clean up the oil. Research various ways you can do this before you start tinkering with your car. For example, you can head to Garage Giant and read their blog about how automotive fluid causes garage floor stains and what you can do about it.
Install Floor Tiles
You might be in a situation where you already have oil stains on the garage floors. They might have been there when you moved into the house. Alternatively, you never cleaned up the spillage at the time, and it has left a stain you cannot get rid of. Know that all hope is not lost. A good way to protect your garage floor from further stains and hide the current ones is to install floor tiles. This can be a cost-effective way of getting a new floor in the garage.
Floor tiles are something that you are able to do by yourself. They are easy to install and cost-effective for large spaces. You can easily lay them down on your floor and cover any stains you already have. Plus, most of them are easy to clean, which means that if you spill oil again in the future, it will not be directly on the concrete and you can wipe it away quickly from the tile.
Tidy Away Tools
There are a number of ways that oil can get onto the floor of your garage. Yes, it can leak out directly from your vehicle. But, you might also be guilty of leaving tools lying around that can be covered in oil. They can leak from the tools onto the floor. Unfortunately, this can leave stains that you will discover later on when you are tidying up the tools. But, this time, it might be too late, and they have left an unsightly stain underneath them.
Therefore, try to get into the habit of tidying away tools straight away. Do not leave them lying around where they can leave a mess. In particular, you should clean the tools before tidying them so that they are not going to leave stains in drawers or wherever you are going to put them. Not only will this protect your floor, but it will also ensure that boxes, cabinets or other spaces are kept clean.
Lay Down Plastic Sheets
Are you somebody that likes to tinder with your vehicle and fix things by yourself? Think about it; you probably wear old clothing or overalls for working on your vehicle. So, you should do the same thing when it comes to your garage floor. Some preparation work can be all you need to protect the flooring and make sure that you do not have any stains later on. It will not take long, and you will be glad you did.
So, one thing you can do if you know you will be working on your vehicle is to lay down plastic sheets. You can do this beside your car where you think there could be spills. This is going to ensure that if you do spill something, it is not going to drop straight onto the floor. It will be captured by the plastic sheet. Then, you can throw this away or reuse it later on.
Apply a Sealer
The bad thing about concrete is that it is porous flooring. This means that substances can be absorbed, which includes oil. Indeed, this is as bad as it sounds, and it means that oil can stain and be permanent. But, there is something you can do to your flooring if you do not want to change it entirely. You can apply a sealer to concrete. There are products you can buy in DIY stores and online that you can use.
Applying a sealer on the floor will mean that oil or other substances cannot get to the concrete. Indeed, it seals the ground so that nothing can be absorbed. A sealant makes it easier to clean up spills and protects the concrete. So, you can enjoy peace of mind and know that you are protecting the garage if you are working on a project or your vehicle.
