Concrete floors have become a popular choice for every homeowner because it’s versatile and durable. Though it was once material for driveways and garages, now it can be available indoors and outdoors for a contemporary and sophisticated touch.
As an absorbent material, concrete floors require regular cleaning from exterior dust and grime. Moreover, it has a quick of porous substances. As a result, concrete flooring demands different and straightforward cleaning methods. If it is an unsealed concert floor, you need extra care and a unique cleaning technique.
Each of these cleaning methods will provide that high-pitched clean feeling you need.
How to Clean Unsealed Concrete Floors
Cleaning unsealed floors sometimes seems very difficult as it doesn’t show any dust like a polish floor. But after proper cleaning, it looks better. So before started cleaning, you need to remove anything you find on the concrete. For the cleaning process, a vacuum would be the best solution. Use a vacuum to take all dust and debris from the floor. You can use a cordless vacuum if there have no electrical connection nearby.
After cleaning that loose debris, you can go ahead for the next stain cleaning procession.
Removing Grease Stains
Take a broom and sweep all debris from the concrete floor. After sweeping, you will need a vacuum to remove any remaining grit on the floor. It would be better to attach a brush with your vacuum to remove fine dirt particles.
Take powdered dishwasher detergent and apply it to the stain. If the stain is dry, wet it first, and then cover the stain with detergent. Let it to soak into the stain for 45 minutes.
After soaking, drain with warm water over the detergent. Then you need a stiff brush to scrub thoroughly to remove the stain out of the unsealed concrete. Mop with distilled water to take away the cleaning residue. After, wipe the floor dry with a towel or cotton cloth.
Spray dry kitty litter over the stained area and let it remain at least two days to absorb the oil completely. The reason for leaving it so long is that oil goes very deep into unsealed concrete. After ending this cleaning, you need to vacuum away it.
Homemade Concrete Floor Cleaner
It would be best if you used a homemade cleaner for your concrete floor that would be gentle and would not harm untreated, painted, etched, or sealed concrete flooring. Take a one-eighth cup of dishwashing liquid gallon of warm water, and mix it properly. This homemade remedy can pick up any dirt that has clung to the porous surface.
Clean with Baking soda
You know baking soda can remove any odors from any concrete floor or outdoor concrete floors. If you have a filthy floor, take half a cup of baking soda with ten liters of warm water. If you want a strong homemade solution, a one-eighth cup of dishwashing liquid, this soda will pull up simple stains and grime.
Cleaning Untreated Concrete Flooring
A porous untouched concrete floor naturally attracts grime when it is untreated. Commercial floor cleaners will be the easiest way to use them on painted or sealed and untreated surfaces.
You can clean small indoor floors using hand or with a mop and bucket. You have to make sure not to left any cleaner behind on the untreated floor. That will be the cause of discoloring and damage to the concrete floor.
Can you mop unsealed concrete?
Just like the tiled floor, unsealed concrete floors are highly porous and absorbent. You can clean using any mop, even using a steam mop as the steam mop can get out oil and grease debris from the permeable structure. So the question is, “Can you steam mop an unsealed floor?” Steam mops have huge clean power and handling ease. On the other hand, you may concern about some accounts when using a steam mop on your unsealed concrete floor.
Make sure to attach the cloth to the mop foot before plugging it into your mains. Don’t fill in the mop’s water reservoir while the mop is connecting into the socket due to electrocution risk.
At the time of using a steam mop, you should not use any cleaning agents like muriatic acid solutions or commercial heavy-duty concrete floor cleaner solutions. Because the steaming is too effected to get rid of cement floor stains, no extra cleaning formulae are needed.
Avoid steam-mopping your unsealed concrete floor near bitter fixtures like porcelain sinks, because it may crack if the hot steam is sprinkled onto them.
Cleaning the heavy mildew stains
Prevention is better than cure. So you need to take the initial step to avoid the heavy stain.
Whatever in the case of a heavy stain, chlorine solution may work fast. Prepare a cleaning solution with chlorine bleach and water. Remember the measurement that the water would be 1gallon with 1 cup of bleach.
Now pure the mixture over the unsealed concrete floor, and scrub well else the stains may not go away. Now rinse them off with plain water. Don’t forget to wear rubber gloves while preparing a solution. And wear protective clothing for extra protection.
Clean with a commercial cleaner
If you do not want to take any risk, you should use a commercial cleaner. There are lots of commercial cleaners available in the market. Choose the best one for your floor. You need to confirm what types of floors you have. Before purchasing it, follow the instruction mentioned in the manual.
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What Not to Do
In order to clean the concrete floor, most of the people use vinegar. But don’t do it to clean an untreated concrete floor. Though we know that vinegar is an effective homemade cleanser, it may eat away at concrete and leave behind an unwanted mark. So our strong recommendations would be not to use vinegar on your untreated concrete floor.
Conclusion
When dealing with concrete floors, make sure what type of floor you have. Besides, most of us are not conscious about what differentiates unsealed concrete floors from their sealed counterparts. Once you are sure that it is an unsealed concrete floor, apply the instructions mentioned above to return your floor to its past glory.
While you are dealing with chemicals all the time, we recommend that you use the necessary safety protection to be, you know, on the safe side.