Once the drywall folks are done and have cleaned up their scraps and scrapped the floop of mud droppings I want to clean the floor. Besides the vacuuming, I am trying to figure out what I could do to really clean the concrete slab before endeavoring into staining the floor.
I have not done the research yet so the wife and I have not investigated the costs involved with hiring out the staining activity–which may make cleaning the concrete a moot point if a staining contractor cleans as a normal pre-process.
Replies
clean it with soap and water. DO NOT ACID WASH IT. do not use any type of acid to clean it. The stain reacts with the portland cement,the acid wash will remove the top layer of cement and then the stain wont take.
this apply to acid stain , if you just painting the floor do what ever you want
Around here the contractor would do the cleaning.
The prep is the most important part of the process.
Normal household cleaning techniqes are not the manufacturers preffered prep.
Just did a floor a couple months ago. Alot more to it than I thought going into it.
Believe it or not, the drywall mud spot stains were the hardest to get up (hot mud).
Remodeling Contractor just on the other side of the Glass City
Recoat the old floor with a ceementatious microtopping. Then stain that.
http://www.miracote.com/index.php?href=productdetail&id=16
Cereally, this is well within your level of incompententancy.
I'm not sure about stain prep (I'd follow the stain manufacturer's recommendations), but as for cleaning up after the drywallers and painters, we've had good success with a walk-behind floor scrubber.
For about $20 you can rent an orbital scrubber that uses a "Scotch-Brite" type of pad. You might use 2 or 3 pads, depending on the size of your garage. I'd get the course ones. Try that with lots of water from a garden hose and a squeegee to wipe things out. Make sure you allow enough time for things to dry before applying stain.