Garages tend to get dirty. Dirt and dust blows in every time you open the garage door, and people track it in when it’s muddy outside. Also, the garage floors don’t get swept, vacuumed or washed as frequently as the floors in the house. The types of activities that go on in the garage aren’t always the neatest or cleanest, either. Whenever you’re using power tools or oily liquids, something is almost bound to get on the floor. While you might not mind some dirt and grime in your garage, one problem is that it gets tracked into the house.  Also, a sandy or oily floor is an accident just waiting to happen. If your garage floor has seen cleaner days, here are 4 ideas to help you keep the dirt out:

• Get a good garage door seal

  This is a piece of material, usually rubber or vinyl, that attaches to the bottom of the garage door and seals up the small space between the door and the floor. Even when your garage door is closed, dust and dirt can blow underneath, but a garage door seal will prevent that from happening. While you’re at it, go ahead and apply weatherstripping around the sides of the garage door to prevent dust from getting in that way, too. These actions will also help keep rain and even some insects out of your garage.

• Use floor mats

  When you enter your home, you probably wipe your feet on an outdoor mat to help remove whatever dirt has stuck to your shoes. Even once you get into your house, you might have another mat to help catch more dirt. This is because it’s easier to keep the dirt out of your home than to deal with it once it’s been kicked and carried into the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. Your garage should also have a mat down, as it’s an entry point to your home. Roll out a wide mat along the edge of your garage. If you can take three or four steps on it, it’s the right width. If you shake or vacuum this rug out every week or two, it should make a dramatic difference in the amount of dirt that accumulates.

• Prevent oil from getting onto your garage floor

  If your car occasionally drops oil, try this: Fill a large cookie sheet with a thin layer of kitty litter. Slide the cookie sheet under the front section of your car. This will absorb any oil and air conditioning condensation that leaks out of the car. Remember not to just throw this in the garbage; you need to dispose of it the way you dispose of your used automotive oil.

• Maintenance is key

  Once you have reduced the amount of dirt getting into your garage in the first place, sweeping it out occasionally should not be a large chore. Add this to your monthly chores and get out there with a push-broom at least that often to banish any dirt that did make its way inside. At least twice per year, do a bigger cleaning where you move everything away from the walls and clean behind it in order to remove the dust that will still accumulate.

Keeping your garage nice and clean should not be an arduous task. Taking a few simple steps to reduce the amount of grime that gets into your garage in the first place will go a long way toward keeping this area of your home neat, tidy and sanitary.

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