Of course, it's so nice to have a beautiful garage door and a squeaky clean and organized garage, but what about those nasty oil and grease stains you get on your concrete floors? They're inevitable and so frustrating! The key is to draw the stain out, as opposed to cleaning it off the surface. But how? Find out how to remove concrete stains below!

Step One

First, you need to mix the solution to draw the stain out. Pour 1 oz. of trisodium phosphate (or TSP substitute) and a cup of water into a small bucket. Mix the TSP, water, and absorbent material (see note below) to make a paste.

Note: When choosing an absorbent material, you have several options. For smaller stains, use either talcum powered or baby powder. For larger stains, you'll need something bulkier, such as diatomaceous earth (a filtering agent for swimming pools).

Step Two

Next, you want to cover the entire stain with the solution. Spread approximately 1/2 in thick layer of the paste over the stain. Leave the paste on to dry for at least 24 hours.

Step Three

After leaving the paste to dry, scrape and brush off the residue and dump it in your trash.

Step Four

Now scrub the area with water using a nylon brush. Rinse off with a hose or bucket of water.

Step Five

Repeat! Compare the freshly cleaned area with the surrounding concrete. If the stain does not seem fully removed, repeat the process. Keep in mind that old stains may require two or three applications for complete removal…patience is key!

After you remove the concrete stain, you may want to paint your garage floors. Well, you're in luck! We've got a blog telling you how. To keep up with all our latest blog posts, like our page on Facebook!

Insulating your garage door will make it more comfortable and less noisy…a perfect place for a man cave or even workout room! Especially this time of year, you may be hesitant to go out in your garage due to the chilly temperatures. Let us help with this step by step guide to insulating your garage door.

(Before you begin the DIY project of insulating your garage doors, be aware of the fact that insulation adds weight to a garage door. Typically, this isn't a problem for 9-foot wide doors, but with larger doors, you risk straining the opening mechanism. If that's the case, it's best to call us first to adjust your spring tension.)

Step 1: Choose your insulation type. 

The most popular types of insulation for garage doors are batt (flexible, commonly made of fiberglass), foam board (rigid, usually made from polystyrene) and reflective (rigid, with a cardboard or polyethylene base). Any of these insulation types will increase the energy efficiency of your garage. 

Step 2: Match the insulation.

You want to match your garage door to an insulation that's easy to install and best suited for your climate. For steel garage doors, you can pretty much go with any type of insulation. Stuff the flexible insulation in the frames around the panels, or squeeze cut-to-fit foam board into the frames. For wood frame-and-panel doors, it is best to cut and fit a more rigid insulation option into the spaces between the frames of the door. (For even more climate control, consider installing 2 layers of foam board.) For flat garage doors, it is best to choose foam board or reflective insulation. Simply glue or tape the insulation directly onto the garage door.

Step 3: Optional insulation kits

The two steps above is all it takes! However, if you don't want to go to the effort of choosing, matching and cutting insulation, you can purchase an insulation kit. These kits typically include insulation, fasteners and utility knives. 

There you have it! A simple DIY to maintain the temperature of your garage and make it a little more livable. For other tips & tricks like these, be sure to follow us on Facebook!