The garage is the place where you put things that don’t belong anywhere else. When you’ve mentally labeled a place “dumping ground, ” it can be difficult to motivate yourself to clean it. However, it’s helpful to do so. Regularly cleaning the garage will ensure the items you’ve stored there are in good condition and in a suitable environment. It also gives you the opportunity to get rid of items you no longer use or need. Read our tips then get started cleaning your garage!
The Right Time
This could be a big job. Assess your garage and estimate how much time you will need to clean it thoroughly. Then, dedicate the time to the job. If possible, finish all the cleaning in the same day. This is one of those tasks that, if you take a break, you might not come back to it for a while. If it’s bigger than one afternoon, pick a weekend or some time off. Really spend the time needed to clean your garage properly and it will pay off later.
Organize Shelves and Boxes
A system of organization is necessary for a garage to be really clean. It also helps you navigate the garage more easily and makes the items stored in it more accessible. Check out our page on garage organization to learn more.
Keep Tools Together
Invest in a tool box (or many tool boxes, if needed) to keep your tools in one place. Then commit to actually storing them in one place.
Have you had a problem with rusty tool boxes in the past? Put a few charcoal briquettes inside your tool box. This prevents rust and saves you money when your tool box doesn’t need a replacement later on down the road.
Remove Garage Smell
Whether your garage is a workshop or actually used to store a car, it can develop some funky smells. Keep that odor from taking over with bleach. Scrub the concrete floor and even walls with a diluted bleach solution to get rid of that musky smell. Ventilate the area well while cleaning and letting it air dry.
Add it to the Schedule
The number one thing you can do to keep something clean is to clean it regularly. Yes, it might sound silly to add “garage cleaning” to a calendar, but if you want this cleaning to be permanent, you should consider it. Do one big cleaning and then all you’ll have to do to maintain it is come back every six months to spruce up. Check-ups should involve throwing out unnecessary items that have accumulated.
Depending on the state of your garage, this task could definitely be a challenge. However, you’ll feel lighter and happier knowing that everything in your house is as clean as it can be. If while cleaning you run into questions about stains or strange-looking molds, check back with our tips and we can help!