Get Your Garage Winter Ready
When snow or rain is sprayed over your boots or oozes out of your vehicle, you can’t avoid noticing the slushy, dirty clutter in the garage. Even if you’re able to clean your floor for hours every week, however, you can’t guarantee your garage will remain clean all winter long. The moment the next storm hits, you’ll be able to expect more mud, runoff, and slush. As a reputable garage door service located in Las Vegas, Precision Garage Door has seen its fair number of winter storms and puddles. Here are nine tips to clean your garage throughout winter.
1. Get the Containment Mats Out
The effects of snow, rain, and ice are devastating on concrete. When water is absorbed into the surface, it freezes once temperatures drop. The water expands upon freezing and the expansion process damages the concrete surface, which leaves pits, chips, and cracks.
Containment mats provide a barrier of protection to protect your floor. They can hold gallons of water until you can squeeze them out. Additionally, they provide your vehicle with additional traction, ensuring that your car won’t slide off or slide as you park or pull away. If the snow season is been over, you can fold the mat up and then use it again next year.
2. Install Epoxy Coating
The Epoxy coat can do more than just create a look for your garage that resembles expensive sales flooring. The coating creates an easy-to-clean and durable surface that can increase your home’s selling value.
Epoxy coating fills your concrete’s pores, and also protects against water. Snow that is left on your floor will simply collect on the floor. Then, you can sweep the water off onto the driveway or leave the puddle to disappear by itself.
Are you worried about slippage? Hire an expert to apply an anti-slip aggregate in the last coat so that your car won’t slide on an otherwise smooth road.
3. Sprinkle of Fresh Snow
In the summer months, you can make use of your garden hose to clean up the debris that has accumulated inside your garage. However, if you were to attempt the same method in winter, you might have an ice skating facility within your garage.
To ensure that your floor looks the best, sprinkle fresh snow throughout the garage area, with a close focus on the muddier areas. The snow can rest for five to ten minutes, then use a broom to remove the snow from the garage.
The snow that is melting slightly will wash away any grease spots and oil that may be on your concrete. The particles will adhere to the snow. While you sweep, crystals of snow, when combined with bristles on the broom be abrasives, and scrub the floors till they appear like new.
4. Wipe Your Car Clean
One of the most effective methods to ensure your garage is clean is to keep the mess from beginning. Instead of having to deal with runoff, and puddles think about cleaning your car before putting it in the garage to sleep for the night.
While you’re still in your driveway, clean the top of your vehicle or truck using an extended-handled snow scraper or broom. Don’t push, but pull the snow in a straight line so that you avoid scratching paint. Be careful not to pound any ice that’s been formed on the body also, if you break the ice, you could remove a portion of the trim and paint with it.
5. Line with Cardboard Boxes
If you’re unable to afford the funds to purchase mats and epoxy coatings you can make use of things you already have in your house. The cardboard boxes that you used from your last move, for instance, can absorb a lot of water and trap some road salts before they crumble.
After the boxes have gone through, simply throw them into the garbage, and then lay out more boxes on top. Don’t try to reuse the soaked cardboard. The majority of centers won’t accept cardboard that has been in the water for a long time or if it has been contaminated with any oil-based stains or dirt off your car.
6. Consider Investing in a Ceiling or Blower Fans
To help homeowners save costs, many garages don’t connect to a cooling or heating system. Leaving the garage disconnected from an HVAC system reduces the loss of heat and keeps monthly energy bills to a lower amount.
However, without the benefit of an HVAC unit, your garage is prone to little airflow and is at higher levels of humidity than your home. This means that the pools and puddles on your floor could take an extended time to dry by themselves.
If you have a ceiling fan or you purchase an air blower for your garage, you will be able to dry your flooring in a short time. There is no need to connect ductwork to get a clean, dry parking area.
7. Fill in the gaps with Weather Stripping
In winter when temperatures are low, you might reduce your commute and keep your car parked in the garage for several days at a time. Even with a limited amount of driving it is possible to notice snow and ice accumulation within your garage.
It is possible to attribute a large portion of the incoming snow and ice to the garage door being poorly sealed. Storms can blow ice or snow through the tiniest cracks beneath your door and between your door’s panels. Contact one of our expert garage door specialists about protecting your door this winter.
8. Keep Winter Gear Well-organized
Winter gear is likely to become a complete mess in your garage if it’s not kept correctly. Make use of storage bins and shelves to keep your coats, boots, and gloves organized and away from the floor. A tidy garage can also deter rodents that might otherwise seek out the ideal home in the corners and crevices of winter clothing.
Cleaning your garage throughout winter months can be difficult but it’s well worth it to protect your garage and personal belongings. If you follow these strategies, you can keep your garage tidy all through winter.