How To Remove Road Salt From The Garage Floor

It’s hard not to drag road salt into your garage during a snowy winter. After all, cars are essentially magnets for road salt and typically get quite messy throughout the winter. That’s why you may understandably wonder how to remove road salt from the garage floor.

You can remove road salt from the garage floor if you mix one cup of vinegar with a gallon of warm water and clean the concrete with the solution. Blot the stain instead of scrubbing it, so you won’t have to worry about the stain spreading. You can also wash the stain with a commercial concrete cleaner or a mixture of dish soap and water. 

It’s a good idea to keep concrete cleaner on hand to remove salt and grease stains in your garage during the winter. Follow along as we explore how to remove road salt from the garage floor this winter. 

How To Get Salt Stains Off Concrete

1. Sweep The Floor

You can’t easily remove road salt stains from your garage floor until you sweep the surface. All it takes is a simple broom and dustpan to get the debris off the garage floor. That way, the surface will be much easier to soak and clean. 

You can at least remove large pieces of rock salt that you accidentally dragged into your garage. Be careful and try not to crush the salt with your feet. This can make it more difficult to remove the salt from the floor. 

The less debris there is, the easier it will be to see the salt stains. Make a habit of sweeping your garage floor each week. This can stop you from dragging debris into your house from the garage. 

2. Mix A Vinegar Solution

It’s no secret that vinegar is one of the best household secrets that homeowners can use to remove stains. Luckily, it’s just as effective for road salt stains as it is for removing coffee stains. However, you must be careful, as the solution can further stain your garage floor if it’s too strong. 

Try not to use more than one cup of vinegar per gallon of warm water, as that’s all that’s necessary to use. Some people even add a drop or two of dish soap for better results. Ideally, you should mix the solution in a bucket of water. That way, you can soak a rag or sponge in the solution to easily wash your garage floor.

Otherwise, you can fill a spray bottle with vinegar and warm water and then spray the stains. Either way, you must let the solution sit on the stains for at least 5 minutes. Blot the solution away with warm water after it sits for 5 minutes. 

3. Dish Soap And Water

Some people understandably want to forego using vinegar to remove salt stains from concrete. That’s fair, as vinegar itself can stain surfaces because of it high acidity content. This is especially true if you let it sit on your garage floor too long.

Luckily, that’s not an issue with dish soap and water, as it’s a minor solution that is relatively alkaline. Fill a bucket or spray bottle with up to a gallon of warm water and add a few drops of dish soap. Apply the soapy solution to the stain and let it sit for one to five minutes.

Keep in mind that you can make the problem worse if you scrub the salt stain with soap and water. This can spread the stain and make it harder to remove. Instead, carefully blot the stain until it weakens, then wipe it away when it’s thin and weak. 

4. Use A Wet/Dry Vacuum

Every homeowner could benefit from having a wet/dry vacuum. It can help you remove everything from broken glass and sawdust to road salt and dirt. Luckily, you can rent a wet/dry vacuum from many grocery and home improvement stores. 

A wet/dry vacuum can help you remove stubborn salt debris, but it isn’t a standalone solution. Instead, you should use it in addition to your salt stain removal efforts. For example, you can remove the solid salt with the vacuum, then treat the stain with vinegar or dish soap and water.

Next, you can use the wet/dry vacuum to remove the remaining water and solution after you treat the stain. That way, you won’t have to worry about tracking salt, vinegar, dish soap, and water into your home. 

5. Commercial Concrete Cleaner

Every homeowner should keep a commercial concrete cleaner in their garage. That’s especially true if you keep your car in the garage, as over time, it will likely leak fluids. Many commercial concrete cleaners are just as useful for salt stains as they are for oil stains. 

You can also use some concrete cleaners to remove mineral stains, which is useful if you must deal with hard water at home. Commercial concrete cleaners vary when it comes to ingredients, strength, and their ideal use. That’s why you must carefully read the instructions before you apply a concrete cleaner in your garage. 

How To Clean Salt Off Your Car In The Winter

You can clean salt off your car in much the same way that you would clean salt stains off your garage floor. The easiest way to remove salt stains on your car is to clean it with vinegar and water. A solution that is equal parts white vinegar and warm water is typically enough to remove stubborn salt stains from a car. 

However, you must be careful and not use too much pressure when you clean your car. This can make the salt stain spread and get worse and harder to clean. Instead, blot the salt stains with the solution until they become lighter.

You can apply more pressure once the stains become fainter. When they are gone, it’s the perfect chance to wash your car as usual. Dry your car off before you park it in the garage to prevent mold and avoid making a mess.  

Summing It Up

The best way to remove road salt from the garage floor is to clean it with a solution of vinegar and warm water. All it takes is one cup of vinegar per gallon of warm water, as the acid in vinegar fights stains. You can also use dish soap and warm water to remove salt stains from concrete but don’t apply too much pressure. Excessive pressure can spread the stain.

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