.svg "bostongarage")
Adding epoxy flooring to your garage helps protect the concrete from moisture, grease, stains and other problems. Unless you keep your epoxy floor in good condition, though, the concrete underneath it will suffer.
Follow these three tips to extend the life of your epoxy flooring. They will help you save money and enjoy the numerous benefits that epoxy floors offer.
Keep Your Epoxy Flooring Clean
At least once per week, you should use a dust mop or soft-bristle push broom to remove dirt and other debris that could scratch your epoxy flooring. If you let grime accumulate, then you may have a hard time cleaning the floor. A quick clean once a week saves you time and effort.
If your epoxy flooring has saw cuts or construction joints, you should clean them at least once per month. Your vacuum’s hose attachment will suck dirt out of the joints easily. In return for your effort, you get a more attractive floor that won’t suffer damage from hard items that can get stuck in grooves.
It’s important to clean any spills as soon as they happen. Even though epoxy floors are extremely durable, they can get damaged by grease, oil or water. The damage won’t happen immediately, but you should still clean the mess before you forget about it. If left for too long, even water can start to degrade your epoxy floor.
Only Use Safe Cleaning Products on Your Epoxy Floor
You’ll get the best results when you use safe cleaning products on your epoxy floor. Many people prefer cleaning their epoxy floors with a half cup of ammonia diluted in a gallon of water. You can also use an ammonia-based cleaner like Windex, but make sure you use a mixture of one part Windex to three parts water.
If you want to use a commercial product to clean your floors, make sure you choose an option that doesn’t contain any acids, including vinegar and citrus. Citrus may leave a pleasant scent in your garage, but the acid will eat away at your epoxy.
You should also avoid using soap and dish-washing liquid on your epoxy floors. Although these products won’t damage the epoxy, they will leave an unattractive film.
Repair Damage as Soon as Possible
Even if you take good care of your floor, it’s possible that the epoxy could get damaged. You can usually repair small amounts of damage, such as minor cracks in high-traffic areas.
The sooner you have the affected area repaired, the easier it is to minimize the damage. If left alone, cracks, stains and scratches will spread to other parts of your floor. Once that happens, you’ll have to make a difficult decision between having your floor repaired or replaced.
Use Walk-Off Mats to Protect Your Epoxy Flooring
Walk-off mats will protect your epoxy floor from water, ice, snow and dirt. Place a mat at each entry so people can wipe their feet before stepping on your floor. A basic welcome mat will do the job.
For high-traffic areas, you may want to put a long walk-off mat on the floor. A mat will protect your epoxy from hard objects that can get stuck in your shoe’s tread. You don’t want a rock or nail to damage your floor.
Contact Boston Garage to learn more about the benefits of adding an epoxy floor to your garage. Boston Garage can also help you with cabinets, overhead storage solutions and wall organizers that will make your garage a more attractive, useful space.
