Best cleaner for concrete floor?

FinanceDude

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I need a good cleaner to clean the concrete floor in my workshop area in the basement. Would be nice to have low odor and be water-based if possible. Any thoughts would be appreciated..........:)
 
I need a good cleaner to clean the concrete floor in my workshop area in the basement.
I'm pretty good at cleaning, but I'm not available at the moment. Keep me in mind. :greetings10:
Would be nice to have low odor and be water-based if possible. Any thoughts would be appreciated..........:)
I'll wear perfume and will only drink water....how's that for a thought? :D
 
Not sure how clean you want the floor but....

Procedure on how to acid wash or acid etch concrete

Before the acid washing or etching notice the smooth surface

How to acid wash concrete
If acid etching, the area to be prepared is hosed thoroughly, being careful to wet down any adjoining areas that may be damaged by contact with the acid solution. It is very important to keep the entire area wet until completion of the etching process. Never allow the acid solution to dry on the concrete as this could weaken the adhesion of the system.

Etching is normally a two-man procedure, with one man operating the floor machine (a nylogrit brush is used for etching) and the other man responsible for pouring the acid evenly and working the broom. The second man will also control the flushing of the area with the hose. The acid is mixed in a 5 gallon plastic pail - 3 or 4 parts water to 1 part acid. The strength of the solution is determined by the condition of the concrete. Very hard, smooth or shiny concrete will require a stronger solution.

The acid solution is poured into a sprinkling can and then onto the surface. Hold the sprinkling can close to the surface to avoid splashing the acid on adjoining areas. Caution: the acid solution will permanently damage aluminum doors or painted metal surfaces. Keep adjoining outdoor carpet wet at all times and minimize contact with the acid solution. Do not get acid on concrete areas not to be etched. If contact does occur, flush as soon as possible with water.
Five-gallons of mixed solution will cover approximately 150 sq. ft. The area will be scrubbed with the floor machine, systematically going first left to right, and then up and down. The second man will aggressively scrub the edges and places inaccessible to the floor machine. Use a stiff bristled broom or wire brush for this purpose. He will also work the hose to keep the area wet during the procedure.
Upon completion of a 150 sq. ft. area, rinse well. A properly etched concrete surface has the profile of 80-100 grit sandpaper. If the concrete still feels smooth, repeat the procedure.
After the concrete is thoroughly etched, pour 8 oz. APF Super Base Neutralizer into 4 gallons of water. Pour into the sprinkling can and disperse evenly over the area just etched. Scrub aggressively with the broom paying special attention to the edges and areas that may retain the acid solution (next to cabinets, washer and dryer, etc.). Rinse well.

If it is necessary to walk on an area that has been etched and neutralized, be sure to hose boots off to avoid recontaminating the area. If the etched area was a driveway or garage, be sure to flush the residue well down the street. This is done with one man working the hose and the other brooming the residue until it is
well dispersed.

EDIT:

May not be practical for your application but thought you might find it interesting.
 
Some stains can be very difficult to remove from concrete since it is so porus, especially if it has not been sealed. If it's not too big an area you may want to look at a concrete resurface product.
 
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I recently acid washed (muriatic acid and water) my garage and painted it with epoxy. I worked on the oil stains with a brush and some stain cleaner from Lowes and then the acid wash. It came out really clean.
 
I recently acid washed (muriatic acid and water) my garage and painted it with epoxy. I worked on the oil stains with a brush and some stain cleaner from Lowes and then the acid wash. It came out really clean.
Once I get my car back together and on the road, that's my plan.
 
I recently acid washed (muriatic acid and water) my garage and painted it with epoxy. I worked on the oil stains with a brush and some stain cleaner from Lowes and then the acid wash. It came out really clean.
How does the epoxy stand up to hot tires, road salt etc., any idea? I've thought about this but epoxy paints are pretty pricey.
 
How does the epoxy stand up to hot tires, road salt etc., any idea? I've thought about this but epoxy paints are pretty pricey.
There are several different types of epoxy garage floor paints and there is a forum section devoted to this topic. Bottom line it depends on which brand you get and the two part name brand seems to hold up pretty well to hot tires as well as floor jacks etc. Some tend to go on sale couple times during the year and if memory served me right there is one sold by Costco that's pretty good. They key to the epoxy paints placed on garage floors is how well it's prepared. That seems to be the key.
 
How does the epoxy stand up to hot tires, road salt etc., any idea? I've thought about this but epoxy paints are pretty pricey.


So far so good, but it has not been really hot since I've done it, and I only put a small car in the garage. I used the Rustoleum kits you can find at Lowes, and it went pretty smoothly. Abbout $90 per kit if IIRC, and it takes two to do a two car garage.
 
Does paint that's on the garage floor have to be removed to use the epoxy.
 
How does the epoxy stand up to hot tires, road salt etc., any idea? I've thought about this but epoxy paints are pretty pricey.

I used the Rustoleum brand 2 part kit. Approx $60 for a one car garage at Lowe's. I did it in fall of '08 and it is holding up quite well. I have 1/3 of a tire patch that appears to be a hot tire pickup issue, but that was before it ever got hot and it has been through two summers with no further degradation including last year's snowmageddon. I presume the patchy area I have is an installation issue bbut not sure what I did wrong. Have not figured out hot to touch it up, but really no need. If I were to do it again, I might go for one of the professional coatings that are thicker.

As for cleaners, I like the purple stuff sold at Autozone. It is water based and low odor.
 
When I was in high school and was the projectionist at the local theater we washed the concrete floor with dilute muriatic acid several times per year. It did a great job.
 
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