Spring is finally here, and there is a rather lengthy list of traditional spring cleaning tasks that must either be done or avoided. Winter has a way of making a mess in the garage. The concrete floor has an accumulation of sand with salt residue mixed in. If your car has any leaks, there may be some oil spots. Another problem may be rust stains.
The sand and the salt are pretty easy to get rid of. Start by sweeping with a good stiff floor sweeping broom. This will remove most of the loose sand and salt. The next step is to wash it down with a garden hose with a nozzle adjusted for a powerful stream of water. If you have a power washer, this will make the job easier and remove more of the dirt and stains.
Rust stains are a more complicated problem. For light rust stains, there are a number of rust removal products that work with varying degrees of success, or you can make your own with vinegar, borax, and lemon juice.
1. Mix together equal parts Borax, vinegar, and lemon juice.
2. Apply the resulting solution to the rust by spraying or dabbing it on the stains on the concrete floor.
3. Allow the solution to soak in for 30 minutes, and then rinse it off.
4. Repeat the process, if rust remains.
For more severe rust stains, the best remover is muriatic acid. This can be a dangerous material and must be used with extreme caution. YOU MUST USE THE FOLLOWING SAFETY EQUIPMENT: SAFETY GOGGLES, RUBBER GLOVES, AND RUBBER BOOTS. Lay down a sheet of plastic or a plastic tarp on which to mix the chemicals.
1. Once you have your safety gear on, put two cups of water in a plastic pan and add 1/4 cup of muriatic acid to the water. Always pour acid into water and not the other way around.
2. Apply a little acid solution at a time on the rust stain. The solution will bubble. Let it soak in and begin to work for about five minutes. Use a stiff brush to scrub it in and reapply as needed. The acid is removing a top layer of the concrete.
3. Use fresh water to rinse it off and scrub the area clean. Make sure every trace of the solution is gone. Do not get any of this solution on plants or they will die.
4. Notice the look of the concrete. The cleaned area will be left slightly rougher than the rest, but it does not hurt the floor.
5. Once you have removed all stains and solution, let the floor dry. Rinse off your equipment and take a shower.
Oil stains on the floor should be minimized by covering them with kitty liter. The kitty litter will absorb most of the oil in one day. After you sweep up the kitty liter, there will probably be an oil stain left. This can be removed by pouring liquid dish soap or Simple Green directly on the spot and scrubbing it in with a stiff brush. Blot up as much of this contaminated solution with a newspaper, and then rinse the spot.
Now that the garage floor is clean and ready for summer, look at the windows to see if they need cleaning.
Door alarm for your house
On March 7, Chief John Perkins of the Huntley Police Department updated Sun City residents on the recent burglaries. He described a door wedge alarm that looks like a door stop. When it is left on the floor about a foot behind the front door, it will emit a piercing sound if the door is opened into it. The 120 dB alarm should scare away a burglar trying to enter your home. Several Woodchucks have purchased these devices at prices from $5 to $15. They all look very similar, and the more expensive ones don’t appear to be better made. The $5 versions came from Ebay and Amazon. Search “door wedge alarm,” and you will see about 55 options on Ebay, many with free shipping.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home, submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com.
