The best way to clean a concrete basement floor will depend on whether it is sealed or unsealed. And the treatments you should use on a dirty concrete basement floor depend on the type of stain you’re dealing with. Let’s look at the best ways to clean a dirty concrete basement floor.
Unsealed Concrete Floors
Unsealed concrete floors aren’t as prone to physical damage like sealed ones, but they are more prone to absorbing liquids and getting stained as a result. This means you need to clean up spills as soon as possible so the chemicals don’t seep into the concrete, and old stains could be lightened by not removed. You can draw out the existing stains by sprinkling cat litter or sawdust on them before sweeping those substances and all other dirt off the floor. You can vacuum the floor to get all debris up before you try to scrub the stained areas.
The next step is to sprinkle dish soap on the stain if it is still damp, moisten it a little with a wash cloth if it is dry. Let the detergent soak into the stained area for up to an hour. If the concrete is particularly filthy like with deep oil stains, supplement the detergent with a quarter cup of ammonia. Never, ever add bleach to this mixture.
Pour boiling water over the detergent you put on the stained areas. Immediately start scrubbing the area with a scrub brush to remove a lot of the staining agent out of the floor.
Do not use a metal brush for this task, since the metal fibers can get wedged in the concrete and rust. Note, if you already have rust stains, they can be treated with lemon juice, apple cider or white vinegar. Let whichever substance you select sit on the rust stain for a few minutes before scrubbing to remove it.
The next step after you’ve applied all stain removers is to mop all areas you’ve treated with clean water. It may take multiple passes to remove everything.
The next step is to mix hot water with washing soda, also called sodium carbonate, which should not be confused with baking soda, though you can find frugal living sites that tell you how to convert baking soda into washing soda. This is often sold separately as a detergent booster. Put two ounces of washing soda into a gallon of water before mopping the entire floor. This removes all traces of the dish soap while removing all other debris from the floor.
Rinse the mop, and then wash the floor with clean water to remove the washing soda mix. After the floor has been cleaned of all soda and detergent, the next step is to dry it. After all, you don’t want the moisture from the mop water seeping into the floor. It is your choice whether you use a wet/dry vacuum or towels.
If you want to simplify the process of cleaning the concrete floor, you can seal it after cleaning the floor in this way.
Sealed Concrete Floors
Sealed concrete basement floors are much simpler to clean than unsealed floors, since the sealant prevents spilled substances from seeping into it. Sweeping and mopping is often sufficient to clean a sealed concrete floor. Power washing is an option if you have adequate ventilation and drainage as well as steps to ensure that the floor dries fast enough to prevent mold and mildew from forming. And take care that the power washer doesn’t eat through the sealant and start eating into the concrete.
You can use commercial floor cleaners on a sealed floor, or you can mop it with bleach water as long as the room is properly ventilated. Then clean the floor with clean water.
Removing Mold and Mildew
The dark, dank, mildewed basement is a stereotype you don’t have to live with. The first step to working in a mold and mildew infested basement is to circulate the air. Then you can mix several ounces of bleach with water. Spray the affected areas before scrubbing with a nylon brush.
Sprinkle bleaching powder on the affect areas and the floor before letting it sit for a full day. It can sit for two days if you want as long as the basement isn’t too damp. Then sweep or vacuum up the powder. It will soak up the odors while killing a lot of mold and mildew.
Never use ammonia based stain treatments while doing this, since that can create toxic chloramine vapor. Hydrazene and hydrochloric acid can also result.
Efflorescence
Some basements suffering from mold and mildew also have efflorescence, the soluble salts that seep into the basement with the water before the water evaporates away, leaving the salts. At a minimum, you need to sweep the floor and scrub the walls with a nylon brush to remove them. A wet rag or mop can be used as well. Don’t mop the floor to remove these trace salts and leave behind a wet floor that fosters the growth of mold and mildew.
If this is a recurring or severe problem, you need to water proof the basement.
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