How To Maintain Your Basement Floor

Like any type of floor, basement floors also require regular maintenance and cleaning. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a basement floor full of harmful bacteria and unpleasant smells that you may have to get renewed. In a humid continental climate like Milwaukee, these impacts can be magnified. If that occurs It is best to seek professional assistance from the Residential Concrete Services Milwaukee has to help you deal with the problem.

However, most basement floors are relatively easy to clean up, and keeping your basement floor well-maintained is all about consistency.

How To Maintain Your Basement Floor

Basement floors are susceptible to water because they’re often below the ground. This often results in mold build-up and unpleasant smells if you’re reckless. Follow these tips to learn how to maintain your basement floor and keep it looking fresh and sparkling clean.

Use Bleach to Keep the Basement Smelling Fresh

Mildew is most commonly present in unkept basement floors and exudes unpleasant and musty odor. If there are windows in your basement, open them to let air in. You can also install fans to improve the air circulation and install a dehumidifier to remove moisture.  

Mix 1 to 2 ounces of household bleach per quart of water and pour it in a spray bottle. Spray the walls and floors with the solution and use a nylon-bristled brush for scrubbing. This will get rid of fungal growth and prevent bad odor from building up. Mop it up after with a quality mop that works well on concrete surfaces.

Use Cleaning Solution to Scrub the Basement Floor

Basement floors are usually made of concrete or concrete-block surfaces. To clean the dirt off the basement floor, you need to use a detergent and a quarter cup of ammonia in a bucket of warm water. Use a stiff nylon brush to brush the solution over the basement floor.  

Don’t ever use metallic brushes because the metallic fibers can get trapped in the concrete and rust. If the dirt still doesn’t come off, add some trisodium phosphate to the wash water. Trisodium phosphate or TSP is available in most hardware stores.  

Rinse off with a hose and let it dry. You can use a shop vacuum to speed up the drying process.

Use Bleaching Powder to Treat the Basement Floor

If the dirt is still hard to remove on the basement floor, you can sprinkle it with chlorinated lime. This is a type of bleaching powder you can find in the supermarket’s laundry section. Let it sit on the floor for a day as it will absorb any odor-causing bacteria.  

After a day, sweep up the dirt and dispose of it outdoors. Seal the concrete with a concrete sealer if the odor still persists.

Clean the Efflorescence

Efflorescence is the white powder or stains that accumulate on the basement floor and concrete floor. It forms up when water is present and seeps through the floor and evaporates. Use a rigid, nylon-bristled brush or wet rag to clean it off. If you don’t want to do this regularly then you may want to consider waterproofing your basement walls.

Waterproof Stain Your Basement Floor

Scrub the floor with trisodium phosphate (TSP) or a strong alkaline cleaner-degreaser. Rinse it using a hose. Sprinkle the wet floor with muriatic or phosphoric acid and scrub using a stiff-bristled nylon brush. Let it sit for 20 minutes and hose it off three times to completely remove the acid.  

Apply basement floor stain using a short-nap paint roller with a long handle. Apply the stain in 3 by 3-foot sections. Let the waterproof stain dry for a day and you’ll have a fresh looking basement floor.

If moisture problems are a recurring issue, or if you want to fully protect your basement from future water damage, consider a more comprehensive solution like Basement Waterproofing in Milford, MA (or another local area). This can prevent water from seeping in through walls and floors, reducing the risk of mold, mildew, and long-term structural issues.

Conclusion

Maintaining your basement floor is quite easy with the help of home cleaning supplies. Remember to do it on a regular basis. If possible, once every week but once a month will do if you’re short on time. Follow the tips provided above and you’ll always have a fresh and clean basement floor.