How to Clean a Greasy Film From a Basement Floor

Remove greasy film from a basement floor with a grease-cutting soap.

When concrete basement floors form a greasy film, clean the flooring promptly to avoid slippery conditions. Spills or cooking splatters can produce greasy film, but removing the oily mess requires a grease-cutting agent to clean it entirely from the flooring. Wiping the floor with a wet cloth does little to remove the grease and may contribute to the already slick condition of the floor. Remove greasy film before accidents occur.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• Bucket
• 2 tsp. grease-cutting dish soap
• Stiff bristle brush or shop broom
• Rags
• Sponge
• Fan

Instructions

1. Move small items from the basement floor before you start cleaning. Sweep the floor with a broom to remove loose dust and dirt.

2. Fill a bucket with hot water and 2 tsp. of grease-cutting soap. Pour about 2 cups of the soapy water onto the greasy film on the basement floor.

3. Scrub the area with a stiff-bristle brush or a shop broom. Pour additional soapy water on the area if needed. Continue to brush, loosening the film from the flooring.

4. Mop the loosened grease from the floor with old rags. Clean the soap suds from the floor with a wet sponge. Be sure to remove all soapy residue from the flooring.

5. Position a fan toward the wet area to help speed up the drying time.

References

• Concrete Network: Caring for Concrete Floors
• Mrs. Clean House Cleaning Specialists: Tips on Removing Oil Stains