Like many Chicagoans, you probably find that the floor of your garage gets particularly messy during the winter, which can be frustrating. Between the salt, slush, and sand, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll drag some rubble into your garage through footsteps or tire marks. We’ve put together the following tips for keeping your garage floor clean during the wet, colder months.
How to Deal with Snow Melt in Your Garage
Melting snow can lead to dangerously slick floors in your garage. These tips can help you avoid such hazards:
Brush Off Your Car
A very simple way to keep snowmelt to a minimum in your garage is to brush off your car before entering the garage. While waiting for the door to open, take a few seconds to clear any piles of snow off your car.
Purchase Floor Mats
Floor mats won’t prevent or get rid of snow melt. But they greatly reduce the chances of slipping on the liquid. You can choose to cover as much of the garage floor as you like. Just make sure your mats at least cover a path from outside your garage to your driver’s side door.
Use a Squeegee to Brush the Water Out
Squeegees are quick, inexpensive tools that make it easy to remove snow melt from your garage. These simple devices will work on a bare floor or on the mats covering it. When the snow melts off of your car and onto the garage floor, open your garage door and squeegee the water back outside.
Suck Up Snow Melt with a Wet/Dry Vacuum
Wet/Dry vacuums provide a no-hassle way to pick up snow melt, slush, and rock salt from your floors during the messy winter months. If using a squeegee sounds like too much work, wet/dry vacs provide a nearly effortless alternative.
Invest in Fans or Blowers
For an even more hands-off approach, set up a fan or two to dry out your garage. Point the fan(s) toward the area(s) of your garage where snow melt commonly pools. Switch the blowers on when it starts snowing or you notice liquid pooling. Consider plugging the fan(s) into a smart outlet so you can turn them on and off from your cell phone.
Reseal Your Garage
If snow is making it into your closed garage, you may need to replace your garage door or weatherstripping.
Don’t risk injuring yourself on your walk to and from your car this winter. These tips will help to keep you on steady ground this winter. And, if you need more help, our team of garage experts here at Robert’s Garage Door is only a phone call away.
Contact Us for Help
If you’re having trouble keeping your garage floor dry during the winter, give us a call. We’ll send a technician out for a free consultation to provide you with the best solutions for keeping moisture out.
