How to Clean Concrete Basement Floors

If you have basement floors of concrete rather than carpet or other flooring, you may wonder what the best way to clean them is. Especially if you have stained floors or have had some flooding and perhaps need to disinfect the concrete. The following 6 steps will assist you in maintaining the concrete floors in your basement:

Items Needed:

• Broom
• Dust Pan
• Mop
• Bucket
• Water
• Detergent or Cleaning Solution
• Stain Remover
• Vacuum
• Push Broom
• Paint (Only if the Floor is to be Repainted)
• Paint Brush

Step 1 – Remove Items from the Area You’re Cleaning
When you have determined which area of your basement floor you will be cleaning, begin moving the items to another area so as to free the area to better allow you to more completely and efficiently clean the it.  

Step 2 – Pick up Debris
After you have removed all the furniture, boxes, equipment, etc., from the area you have decided to clean, begin picking up any items that may have been left on the floor, e.i. coins, dust bunnies, paper clips, etc.

Step 3 –Vacuum or Sweep the Floor
After you have picked up debris, and if your floor is fairly flat, run your vacuum over the floor. Use the vacuum hose to clean corners where the wall meets the concrete. If it you are unable to use your vacuum effectively on the concrete, sweep the floor, using a push broom. Use a hand broom or a regular broom to clean the corners.

Step 4 – Remove Stains
If you have stains or marks on the floor that you wish to remove, fill a bucket with water and add a little bleach. With a scouring pad, use the water/bleach mixture and begin scrubbing off the stains. If it is rust stains you wish to remove, you can remove them with the following natural solutions: lemon juice, apple cider, or white vinegar. Pour the juice or vinegar directly onto the rust stain and let it sit for several minutes. Then, scrub the stain with a sturdy bristle brush to remove the stain. Once the stain is removed, rinse the area to completely rid it of any residue from your cleaning solution and the stain. If the rust stain is difficult to remove, you may need to purchase a commercial rust remover that contains oxalic acid.

Step 5 – Mop the Floor
Now that you have thoroughly prepped your floor for its final cleaning, use a bucket of water and detergent (or a commercial cleaning product) to mop your floor completely. If you chose to use bleach, be sure to ventilate your room completely. After mopping the floor, go over it again with clean water to rinse it.

Step 6 – Paint the Floor
If stains on your concrete cannot be removed, you may wish to paint the floor. When painting your concrete, use a light color so that chips in the floor will be less noticeable. If stains are dark, then use a darker color of paint to more effectively cover the dark chips.

Now that you have thoroughly prepped your floor for its final cleaning, use a bucket of water and detergent (or a commercial cleaning product) to mop your floor completely.