How to Clean & Seal Concrete Floors

Cleaning and sealing a concrete floor is not difficult.

Concrete is one of the most basic building supplies. It is frequently found underneath carpeting and in basements. The strong, stable material is ideal for construction. It does, however, require maintenance to maintain its peak condition. Concrete dust can spread and create a mess if the concrete isn't cleaned, and sealer helps protect the concrete from moisture damage. Cleaning and sealing concrete floors is a simple process.

Things You'll Need

• Concrete cleaning solvents
• Mop bucket
• Hot water
• Mop
• Concrete sealer
• Paint sprayer
• Floor wax
• Wax mop
• Wax bucket

Instructions

1. Identify any stains on the concrete as best you can. While some stains may be hard to identify, oil stains and grease stains require a particular solvent to dissolve them.

2. Apply hot water and a cleaner to your concrete floor with a bucket and a mop. If you are mainly cleaning up dirt, grease and soot, an alkaline degreaser will likely work best for you. If you are removing rust stains, apply an oxalic acid. The solvent helps remove the rust from deep within the concrete. Follow all instructions on the cleaner containers for maximum safety.

3. Allow the floor to dry completely. Apply more applications of cleaning solvents as needed until you are pleased with the results.

4. Apply two coats of sealer. Spray or mop on the sealer, per the application instructions. Let the first coat dry for about four hours, then apply a second coat to ensure that the concrete is properly protected.

5. Wax the floor once the sealer has fully dried. Apply the wax with a new mop and bucket (wax is very difficult to remove from a mop and you don't want wax mixing with cleaning compounds in your regular mop bucket). Apply three coats of wax for maximum effectiveness and allow the wax to dry fully between each coat application.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the concrete prior to sealing it if you want a colored or decorative effect.

References

• Saver Systems: Staining & Sealing Interior Decorative Concrete Floors
• Concrete Network: Chemicals Help Clean Specific Stains
• Concrete Network: Cleaning Floors Before Concrete Staining- Tips from the Pros