The garages are providing parking, maintenance, and allied services to the vehicles. The garages have become busy places nowadays.
The movement, maintenance, and parking of vehicles in the garage leave a lot of dust, dirt, oil stains, chemical and paint spills on the garage floor which makes the floor dirty and vulnerable to wear and tear.
These oil stains and chemical spills will penetrate the garage floor if not removed timely.
These stains and chemicals are very tough to remove as these are created by the oil, chemicals, paints, and living organisms like mold and algae.
The cleaner degreasers remove these stains and chemical spills efficiently by attacking them deep down the floor surface.
The cleaner and degreasers possess anti-corrosive properties which prevent the formation of rust on the garage floor. The cleaner and degreasers are less hazardous which allows safe disposal.
The cleaner and degreasers also impart a high density shine to the garage floor.
The cleaners and degreaser come in a variety of forms; the main types are PH neutrals, Acidic, Alkaline, enzymatic and mixtures of these.
All these cleaners and degreasers help to easily remove stains and spills from the garage floor. Proper cleaning of the floor requires matching the cleaner to the stain type.
Following review and analysis of best cleaners and degreasers available in the market will help to choose the suited cleaner for your floor.
QUICK PICKS
Here are my recommended products picked out through amazon; you would be interested in depending on your budget…
Quick Navigation
- 7 Best Cleaner Degreaser for the Garage Floor
- Types of the Garage Floor Cleaners
- Buying Guide
- The Final Word
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- What is the Best Cleaner Degreaser for the Garage Floor?
- How do you degrease a garage floor?
- How do you clean badly stained garage floors?
- Are concrete cleaners harmful to pets?
- What can I use to clean a concrete driveway?
- What do you spray on concrete before pressure washing?
- Will rust come off concrete?
7 Best Cleaner Degreaser for the Garage Floor
Here are the quick links to the top rated cleaner and degreaser which will help to easily select the right cleaner for your floor.
1. Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner
- pH Neutral Formula
- Liquid type
- Makes up to 128 gallons of finished product
- No rinsing needed
- Less Packaging
Overview
Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner Concentrate works great for the sealed concrete floors as well as marble, granite, vinyl, and stone. This is not good to use on the hardwood floor.
The neutral pH formula helps to maintain the floor’s polish without stripping the protective coat. It cleans and restores shine and no rinsing is needed before using it.
The Zep cleaner removes the tough stains without any effort, the cleaners emit a very light scent so its smell does not bother. It is a huge bottle and is enough for up to 128 gallons of cleaning solution, saving on storage space.
Zep recommends using a microfiber mop with this product instead of a traditional string mop for improved maneuverability and more efficient cleaning without leaving a residue.
The cleaner works really well dry quickly without any tackiness and imparts a nice shiny look.
- Removes stains easily
- Imparts nice shine
- Do not strip the protective coating
- Waterless technology
- Less air in the bottle
- Very light smell
- Not good to use for the hardwood floor
- May leave little bit residue
2. Oil Eater Cleaner Degreaser
- Biodegradable formula
- Water Based cleaner
- Professional strength cleaner
- Lemon scented
- Cleaner contains no acid, abrasive or petroleum solvent
Overview
The oil eater cleaner degreaser is a professional strength cleaner degreaser and is perfect to remove oil and grease stains from the garage floor, walkways, driveways, grills, decks, and asphalt.
It safely dissolves oil and grease on almost every kind of surface and gives it a fresh and shiny new look.
This water based cleaner degreaser contains no acidic, abrasive, or petroleum solvents, its biodegradable formula makes it fit to use it anywhere including garages, homes, and even septic systems.
This lemon scented cleaner degreaser is non-toxic, non-abrasive, and non-hazardous and is approved by USDA to work safely even on food surfaces.
This cleaner can also be used in industry to clean stains of machinery, floor scrubbers, tools, pressure washers, production, and HVAC facilities.
It is very easy to prepare, use the dilution on each bottle to achieve maximum performance and value.
- Non-toxic
- Non-abrasive
- Non-hazardous
- Lemon scented
- Biodegradable formula
- Works on variety of surfaces
- Safe to use
- Irritating for eyes
- May not work well for engines
- Not a heavy duty product
3. Rust Oleum Cleaner Degreaser
- The concentrated formula promotes adhesion of paints, stains, and sealers
- Safe to use near plants and grass
- When diluted, can be used to clean coated floors
- Oil and Grease stains breaking formula
Overview
Rust-Oleum cleaner and degreaser is a heavy duty multi-purpose cleaner/degreaser for residential and commercial buildings. It is best for the garage floor as it thoroughly removes the stains and contaminants from the floor.
Its concentrated formula promotes adhesion and is ideal for breaking down oil, grease stains, tire marks, dirt, and harmful silicates to properly clean and prepare the surface for coating, paint, and sealants.
It thoroughly cleans and degreases the entire floor as there can be hidden contaminants that can affect the adhesion of coatings.
This environmentally safe cleaner will not harm grass or plants and covers 200 sq. Ft. Per gal. This durable cleaner can also be used as a general cleaner when diluted.
- Breaks oil stains and tire marks
- Strong adhesive can be used before the floor
- Heavy duty cleaner
- Durable general purpose cleaner
- Environmentally safe
- Not harmful for grass and pets
- May not remove some heavy stains
- Needs high power sprayer to use the concentrated one
4. Simple Green Industrial Cleaner and Degreaser
- Concentrated all-purpose cleaner/degreaser
- Biodegradable formula
- Does not contain any petroleum solvents
- Formula is mild 9.3 to 9.5 pH
- Contain safer ingredients for human health and the environment
- Waterless technology
Overview
Simple green industrial cleaner/ degreaser is a powerful all-purpose cleaner and degreaser deodorizer that provides a safer alternative to toxic cleaners, bleaches & solvents.
It works great to remove stains and spills from the garage floor.
The formula of the simple green cleaner/degreaser is non-toxic, non-abrasive, and non-corrosive.
It is safe for all washable surfaces; Simple Green can be used to remove heavy dirt, grease, food residue, and stains from any washable surface including countertops, sinks, tile, carpet, flooring, upholstery, and more.
The cost effective simple green concentrate can be used manually or in cleaning equipment such as floor scrubbers, dip tanks, carpet extractors, pressure washers, parts washers, steam extractors, and foamers.
This cleaner/degreaser excellently removes the tough organic and greasy stains from the garage floor.
It easily cuts through tough grease, oils, cutting fluids, built-up grime, and residue on equipment, engines, machinery, vehicles, and manufactured parts making it ideal for a wide range of industries including janitorial, manufacturing, MRO, food processing, mining, automotive, transportation, and engineering.
The simple green cleaner/degreaser is a US EPA certified product and it contains safer ingredients for human health and the environment.
It is an excellent product that is safe and easy to use without any harsh fumes.
- Non-flammable
- Non-abrasive
- Non-alcoholic
- Non-toxic
- Pleasant scent
- Cost effective
- Useful for medium to light duty only
- The color additive is really dark green
5. Pledge Multi Surface Floor Cleaner Concentrated
- Concentrated oil free formula
- Streak free
- Residue free
- Rain shower Scent
- Safe for all type of floors
Overview
Pledge Multi surface Floor Cleaner Concentrate provides a powerful clean for a variety of sealed floors.
Its concentrated formula is free of oil and has been precisely formulated to powerfully refresh the garage floor. It leaves nothing but a bright luster fragrant floor.
This floor cleaner gets rid of dust and messes without leaving residue. When it cleans, it cleans. Its concentrated formula is safe for all types of sealed floors.
The concentrated cleaner is streak and residue free and removes dust from the floor and makes it shiny by giving it rain shower fragrance and a rewarding sense of accomplishment. It’s a powerful dose of cleaning for your floors.
For routine cleaning add ¼ cup of concentrated cleaner in a gallon of warm water and wash the floor as usual, for extra strength cleaning add ½ cup of concentrated cleaner in a gallon of warm water.
For tough spots and stains, the pledge concentrated cleaner can be used at full strength.
The pledge concentrated cleaner also removes the waxy build up on the floor; repeat cleaning until the buildup is removed. Continued use will not lead to a waxy build up.
- Gives a rain shower scent to the floor after cleaning
- Imparts bright luster shine
- Residue free
- Streak free
- Oil free
- Removes waxy build up from the floor
- All-purpose cleaner
- Sometimes leaves a dull sticky residue
- Needs repeated cleaning to remove waxy build up from the floor
6. Terminator HSD Eco-friendly Concrete Cleaner
- Eco friendly
- Powerful stain
- Oil Breaking Formula
- Works on asphalt, concrete garages, parking lots
- Powder form
Overview
Terminator-HSD is a powdered cleaner and is used to remove oil stains from concrete, garage floor and asphalt without using chemicals and does not require scrubbing.
The only thing it requires is PATIENCE! This allows the active ingredient to go into the pores of the concrete and “eat” the oil to remove the deep stain that can’t be removed by cleaners that only work on the surface.
It is formulated to be the most concentrated oil stain remover in the market.
It works great on engine oil, hydraulic fluid, diesel, transmission fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, and any other type of hydrocarbon. The cleaner provides a very easy and very effective way to remove oil stains from concrete, your driveway or garage floor.
The cleaner contains no chemicals; just apply a little cleaner over the stain followed by a slight mist of water. In the coming days and weeks, you will see it remove the oil stains from concrete like magic.
No special protective gear is needed to use this product. You don’t even need to scrub the remover into the oil stain.
Let the terminator cleaner do the work. For the fastest results keep the treated area slightly damp as often as possible and between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Adding a mist every 1 to 3 days will keep it working at an optimum level.
The product works if you reapply weekly and it takes 1-4 applications to completely remove oil stains.
- Eco friendly
- Easy to use
- Chemicals and oil free
- Deep stain remover
- No scrubbing needed
- No need for protective gears while applying
- The floor must be kept wet otherwise it will stop working
- Do not remove all the stains
- Requires repeated application to remove stains.
7. Spray Nine Heavy Duty Cleaner/Degreaser
- Triple threat cleaner, degreaser and Disinfectant
- Unscented
- Kills bacteria and viruses in 45 seconds
- Fast cleanup formula
- Contains no petroleum solvents
- EPA and NSF approved
Overview
Spray Nine’s multi-purpose cleaner and disinfectant is a ready-to-use spray cleaner for fast cleanup, degreasing, and automotive detailing.
This is perfect for indoor cleaning and garage floors, it also works great for furniture and BBQs.
It is formulated to weaken the ability of the soils to cling to the surfaces, this cleaner lifts and traps soil for easy rinsing off. The cleaner contains no bleach.
This heavy duty solvent based degreaser is VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) compliant and is free of petroleum or chlorinated solvents.
This works as disinfects and kills 99.9 % of the germs in 10 seconds, viruses in 30 seconds, and bacteria in 45 seconds.
The cleaner’s heavy-duty cleaning, degreasing, and disinfecting action tackle the toughest grease, grime, stains, and bacteria where others fail. Its triple threat formula delivers professional strength performance and has been trusted by manufacturers, auto technicians for over 60 years.
Spray Nine does this all without the use of bleach or corrosive chemicals.
This water-based cleaning solution contains no petroleum solvents. It is USDA approved; it safely cleans and degreases, as well as disinfects surfaces from harmful viruses, germs, and bacteria.
Also helps control mold and mildew destroys bacterial odors and reduces cross contamination of germs.
- Triple action cleaner, degreaser, and disinfectants
- Kills germs, viruses, and bacteria
- Removes toughest stains
- No bleach
- Free petroleum solvents
- VOC compliant
- Fast cleaner
- Have some chemical smell
- Does not work well, if instructions are not followed
Types of the Garage Floor Cleaners
A variety of floor cleaners/degreasers are available in the market, each one has different properties and so different applications. A best suited floor cleaner/degreaser can successfully remove the stains from the garage floor.
There are mainly five types of floor cleaners; these cleaners easily remove stains and spills from the garage floor without much effort. The types of the cleaners are as under.
Acidic Cleaners
The acidic cleaners work excellently against efflorescence but these also effectively remove the dust, dirt, and spills from the garage floor. The use of acidic cleaners requires the application of any suitable sealer afterward to neutralize the effects of the acid.
Alkaline Cleaners
The alkaline cleaner/degreasers are best to remove the oil stains from the garage floor. The alkaline based cleaners/degreaser break down the hydrocarbon presents in the oil and grease to easily the stains and spills. The residue of oil and grease stain is washed and drained. The alkaline cleaners also restore the natural alkalinity.
Enzymatic Cleaners
Enzymatic cleaners/degreasers use enzymes or bacteria to dissolve stains, the enzymatic cleaners are the most environmentally friendly, these are not harmful to the grass or pets. These are used to remove the tough biological stains from the garage floor. These cleaners take some to effectively remove the stain.
pH-Neutral Cleaners
The pH neutral cleaners are the basic form of the cleaner/ degreasers, these are best for the indoor floors and less dirty floors, these do not effectively remove the oil stains, and these are relatively cheaper and are used for light to medium duty garages. These are basically general floor cleaners.
Combination Cleaners
The mixed cleaners and degreasers are meant to remove the toughest stains from the garage floors, these cleaners are made of different categories of materials to better match the stain type of the floor and effectively remove it. These are not commonly available. These are relatively expensive but powerfully refresh the floor while giving it fragrant.
Buying Guide
The market is flooded with a variety of cleaners/degreasers; it is really tricky to choose the right cleaner for the garage floor which also matches the stain type of the floor.
You must know the stain type of your floor before selecting the suitable floor cleaner; the understanding of the following factors will help to easily choose the right cleaner for your garage floor.
Stain Type
Every garage floor is stuck by different types of stains, the type of stain mainly depends on the work/services being carried out in the garage.
The most commonly occurring stains are as follows. The biological stains are caused by living organisms such as moss, mold and algae. They often appear as green streaks or a layer over a broad area on concrete surfaces that stay damp.
The enzymatic cleaners work best to remove the biological stains.
Chemical spills and leaks of hydrocarbons from the vehicles also cause the floor to be unattractive.
These spills and hydrocarbons penetrate in the porous surface of the concrete causing discoloration and in some cases chemical reactions that may physically degrade the concrete surface.
Be sure to choose a cleaner that is recommended for use on the particular spilled product: Enzyme cleaners can neutralize many volatile compounds, eliminating their negative environmental impact, and absorbent cleaners pull the spilled product out of the concrete.
Cleaner Type
To choose an appropriate concrete floor cleaner, you must have different cleaners act differently to banish the stains, and they also react differently to the concrete surface.
Cleaners may use pH neutral, alkaline, or acidic formulas to chemically lift stains. Concrete is made with lime, which is alkaline, so the surface must be neutralized after using an acid cleaner.
Enzyme and bacteria-based cleaners use biochemical reactions to digest or degrade chemical pollutants into inert substances.
pH neutral cleaners are often used to clean sealed concrete surfaces indoors without removing the penetrated stains.
The alkaline concrete cleaner is a powerful degreaser designed to remove burned oil, tar, soot, grease, and other petroleum-based stains.
The acid concrete cleaner is made with acids that react with the concrete surface.
It is used to remove efflorescence, hard water stains, and other scaly mineral salt buildup. Enzyme cleaners are made of different formulations that attack, break down, and in some cases digest hydrocarbon, starch, or protein-based stains.
Concentration and Form
Concentrated floor cleaners are very good adhesive and are often used to clean and prepare the surface before applying paint or coating on the floor.
These can also be used as general cleaners by diluting the concentrated cleaner. These are the most economical ones.
Cleaning Method
The multiple cleaners available in the market exhibit different properties and also have different cleaning methods. The concentrated cleaners are best suited for the pretreatment.
Acid cleaners require the necessary neutralization of the concrete surface after use. Alkaline and enzymatic cleaners often break down the hydrocarbons to remove the oil stains from the garage floor. Dry cleaners also use varying cleaning methods.
Working Time
Some cleaners take only a few minutes to remove the dust/dirt or stain from the floor surface, while others require a few hours to completely remove the stains.
Some cleaners even needed repeated application of the cleaner to effectively remove the stain from the floor.
Neutral and alkaline cleaners work quickly while the enzymatic ones take some hours to finish the cleaning process.
Safety
Safety is the paramount feature of the floor cleaner, Eco friendly cleaners and degreasers remove the stains from the floor surface without harming anything.
The environmental impact of concrete cleaning products varies based on the nature of the stain or spill being cleaned and the product itself.
Some cleaners are irritating to the eyes while using so protective gears must be used while applying these cleaners. The cleaners must be stored properly as these pose inherent risks for skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation.
Keep these products out of reach of children and pets.
The Final Word
The garage floor often gets dirty mainly because of dust, dirt, oil stains, and chemical spills, the cleaning and removing of these stains is necessary to give the garage floor a refreshing look and make it conducive for working. The cleaner and degreasers work great to remove these stains easily without much effort.
In the above article, we have reviewed and discussed the salient features of the best rated floor cleaners and degreasers along with their pros and cons. We have analyzed and reviewed the simple pH neutral cleaners which are used to remove the general stains and dirt from the garage floor; we have also reviewed the all-purpose cleaners/degreasers which are suitable to remove all kinds of stains from the floor surface. We have deliberated on the cleaners which powerfully remove the deep rooted stains from the floor surface. We have also tried to elaborate on the enzymatic cleaners which help to clean the toughest biological stains from the floor. Heavy duty floor cleaners have also been discussed.
You can choose the best garage floor cleaners and degreaser which also matches the stain type of your floor by reading the above review and buying guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
For more information about garage floor cleaners, please read the following answers to several common questions about floor cleaners.
What is the Best Cleaner Degreaser for the Garage Floor?
Here are the best as per my understandings;
- Zep Neutral pH Floor Cleaner
- Oil Eater Cleaner Degreaser
- Rust Oleum Cleaner Degreaser
- Simple Green Industrial Cleaner and Degreaser
- Pledge Multi Surface Floor Cleaner Concentrated
- Terminator HSD Eco-friendly Concrete Cleaner
- Spray Nine Heavy Duty Cleaner/Degreaser
How do you degrease a garage floor?
Scrub the degreaser in and let it sit for a while. Apply more degreaser, scrub, and then rinse with the high pressure nozzle. Just make sure the concrete is wet before you apply it and scrub it in.
How do you clean badly stained garage floors?
Take a suitable floor cleaner and degreaser and apply it as instructed to remove the toughest stains from the garage floor. The enzymatic cleaner works great to remove the toughest stains.
Are concrete cleaners harmful to pets?
Always keep children and pets away from the area while using concrete cleaner, and store the products out of their reach. Once cleaned, the area is immediately safe for normal use.
What can I use to clean a concrete driveway?
Remove oil stains and other hydrocarbons with a suitable cleaner. For tough algae or moss growth, spot clean with an enzymatic cleaner. Use an acid cleaner to deep clean and remove efflorescence. For general cleaning of a dirty driveway, a pressure washing cleaner will do the trick.
What do you spray on concrete before pressure washing?
The process of pressure washing is made easier and more efficient if the surface is pretreated with a concrete cleaner. Apply the cleaner at low pressure and allow it to stand for three to five minutes before pressure washing.
Will rust come off concrete?
Rust stains on concrete require a specialized acidic cleaner to remove.
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