What Are Some Tips To Keeping Your Car Garage Clean?
No matter how clean a person’s house is, the garage will always be the least clean because it’s where most people park their cars and store all sorts of stuff they don’t need for 365 days every year. While it’s completely understandable that a garage will never be as clean as your kitchen counters, it’s still essential to keep it as clean as possible. Every garage is different, but this article will explore some general tips that can help you maintain a more pristine space.
1. Containment Floor Mat
No matter how hard you try to keep your car spotless, there’s not much you can do about everything your tires tend to drag in once you drive back home. Even when there’s no obvious dirt, there are still small parts, oil, liquids, and other things that will stick to your tires and get dragged into your garage if you aren’t careful. This is even more obvious during winter when there’s a lot of snow, salt, mud, and other contaminants on the ground. That’s why you should look into garage car mats for snow – something that will keep all those things from getting into your garage in the first place. These mats come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s crucial to find one that fits your garage perfectly. Not only will this help keep the rest of your garage clean, but it will also prolong the life of your garage floor.
2. Clean Your Car
While containment mats are much easier to clean than any other type of flooring, it’s still better not to have to do it too often, and keeping your car in shape is an excellent way to avoid doing just that. When cleaning your car, it’s crucial to clean the outside and the inside to make sure that there’s no dirt, dust, or other contaminants that can quickly spread if not taken care of. A simple vacuum cleaner and some clean rags should be more than enough to take care of most of the cleaning, but make sure to pay special attention to areas where dirt and dust accumulate the most, such as the dashboard and the seats. That said, if you’re cleaning the outside of your car on your own, make sure always to use a microfiber cloth since it will not scratch the surface of your vehicle.
3. Know What Not To Store There
Unless you live in a mention, chances are you’re using your garage to store things as well. That’s a great way to save space in the rest of your home; however, there are certain things you shouldn’t store in your garage. For starters, pet food will attract all sorts of rodents and insects that may make their home in your garage. Other things like paint (if you need it) or other dangerous liquids will also make your garage unsafe quickly if left out in the open. Besides being inviting to insects or risking getting some stains on your floor, it’s more than likely that your garage isn’t properly insulated to store food or other items that need to be kept at a certain temperature or specific humidity levels. The last thing you want is for mold to develop because you didn’t heed this advice, so it’s best to avoid storing anything that you’re not sure about.
4. Keep It Organized
An organized garage is a lot less messy than a cluttered one, and just like with any other storage unit, you need to keep things where they belong so that you aren’t wasting time looking for them when you need them. In other words, having plenty of storage options is vital. This doesn’t mean that everything needs to be color-coded and have its own specific place, but it does mean that you should create a system that makes sense to you and follow it religiously. This can be anything from stacking boxes in a specific way or having designated areas for each type of item. The key is to ensure that everything has a place and that you always put things back in their home when you’re done using them. By keeping things organized, you’re making sure that no mess will accumulate dust and make it harder for you to clean.
5. Keep Routine Maintenance Up To Date
Nothing is more frustrating than when your garage door breaks down or when the automatic opener suddenly stops working for no reason at all. However, these are problems that can be easily prevented with routine maintenance every once in a while. It might seem like something you don’t need to do, but just like with your car, if it’s not working correctly, it might stop opening at all. By making sure that the sensors are clean and well-adjusted or that the belt is tight enough, you can avoid having to open your garage manually every time you need to park or get something out of there. It will also ensure that it’s adequately closed off, so that fallen leaves or anything else that some wind might blow your way doesn’t end up on a pile in your garage.
6. Set Rules
Once you have everything organized, cleaned, and properly stored away, you mustn’t fall back to where you started before putting in the effort. If you live with other people, it’s a good idea to set some ground rules regarding how you all use the garage. It doesn’t have to be anything ground-breaking. Simple things like always putting something back into place, closing the garage door behind you, and not eating snacks in there while leaning against the car to catch a quick break after work will do wonders for keeping your garage dirt and clutter-free. Depending on your living arrangements, you could also set a rule that the garage needs to be dusted once a week. Whether that always falls onto you or is a shared responsibility depends on your agreements with your roommates or family, but it’s an excellent way to make sure no one lets the garage get too messy.
Having a clean garage takes some effort, but it’s well worth it in the end. Not only will you have a place to park your car, but you’ll also have a safe and organized space to store all of your belongings. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your garage stays clean all year round.
