How to Clean a Flake Garage Floor

How often should you clean a flake garage floor?

A full-flake floor with a polyaspartic topcoat is one of the easiest surfaces in the house to keep clean. The topcoat is non-porous, so dirt sits on top instead of soaking in.

A practical schedule for most Valley garages:

• Weekly: sweep or dust mop. Dust and grit are abrasive, and in the East Valley they blow in every time the door opens.
• Every month or two: wash the whole floor.
• After monsoon storms or dust storms: dust mop first, then wash, so you are not grinding grit into the finish.
• Right away: wipe up spills.

What do you need to clean a polyaspartic flake floor?

• A wide dust mop or soft-bristle push broom
• A soft deck brush or microfiber flat mop
• A bucket of warm water with a pH-neutral cleaner, diluted as directed on the label
• A floor squeegee, 24 inches or wider
• A garden hose with a spray nozzle, if your garage drains to the driveway
• Microfiber towels and a citrus-free degreaser for spot cleaning

Skip the pressure washer for routine cleaning. It is not needed, and a narrow, high-pressure tip held close can damage edges or force water under the stem wall trim.

How do you wash a flake garage floor, step by step?

1. Clear the floor. Pull the cars out and move mats, bins and anything stored on the slab.
2. Dry clean first. Dust mop or sweep from the back wall toward the door to lift grit.
3. Wet the floor. Mist it with the hose or mop on plain water.
4. Wash in sections. Work the pH-neutral solution in with the deck brush or mop, focusing on tire paths and the area in front of the door.
5. Rinse. Use clean water to carry the soapy water out. Leftover cleaner can leave a dull film.
6. Squeegee dry. Pull water out the door in overlapping passes. This is the step that prevents water spots.

Early morning is the best time in summer. The floor stays cooler, and the cleaner does not dry on the surface before you can rinse it.

How do you remove hot tire marks, oil and spills?

Polyaspartic topcoats resist most automotive and household chemicals, which makes spot cleaning simple if you act reasonably fast.

• Tire marks: Tire plasticizers can leave dark marks where you park, more often in summer. Apply a citrus-free degreaser, let it sit a few minutes, scrub with a soft brush and rinse.
• Oil and transmission fluid: Blot with paper towels or kitty litter, then wash the spot with degreaser and rinse.
• Brake fluid, battery acid and gasoline: Wipe up right away and rinse with water. These are aggressive, and long contact can etch or stain any coating.
• Pool chemicals and fertilizer: Store them on a shelf or a tray. Spilled chlorine and granular fertilizer can discolor a floor if they sit wet.
• Dried paint or adhesive: Soften with warm soapy water and lift with a plastic scraper. Do not use a metal blade.

How do you stop hard water spots?

Water across most of the Phoenix area is hard, with a high mineral content. When it evaporates on a glossy floor, it leaves white spots and rings. They are on the surface, not in the coating, but they make a new floor look dull.

Prevention is simple:

• Squeegee the floor after every wash instead of letting it air dry.
• Dry the spot under a car that came in wet, or after washing your car in the garage.
• For a showroom finish, do a final rinse with water from a softener or reverse-osmosis tap, if you have one.

To remove existing spots, wash the area with a pH-neutral cleaner and dry it immediately. For stubborn mineral rings, ask your installer which mild mineral remover is safe for your topcoat before you use one.

What should you never use on a coated garage floor?

• Acidic cleaners, including vinegar and citrus-based products. Over time they can dull a topcoat's gloss.
• Strong bleach or ammonia at full strength.
• Steel wool, wire brushes and abrasive pads. They scratch the clear topcoat.
• Soap-based cleaners that leave residue, which can make the floor slippery and attract dirt.
• Rubber-backed mats left down for long periods. Some rubbers can stain or trap moisture. Use mats made for coated floors.

How do you keep grit from wearing the finish?

Grit under shoes and tires acts like sandpaper. A few habits keep a floor looking new for years:

• Put a walk-off mat made for coated floors at the house door and outside the garage door.
• Use furniture pads under workbench legs, and casters with soft wheels on tool chests.
• Put a plywood sheet or plastic jack pad under jack stands and kickstands.
• Dust mop more often in spring wind season and after haboobs roll through Queen Creek, Gilbert or Chandler.

If you are still choosing a coating, our guide to polyaspartic vs epoxy in Arizona heat explains why the topcoat matters for cleanup, and the Arizona floor quick facts sum up care in one list.

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