Garage Cleaning Tips (How To Clean Your Garage In One Day)

A cluttered garage can be overwhelming, but with the right tips and tricks, it can be cleaned and organized in just one day. Learn how to transform your garage into a functional space with these helpful cleaning tips.

Looking for more garage organizing tips? Check out the best way to store items in your garage so they’re safe, attractively displayed, and perfectly at hand when needed.

When you think of spring cleaning, you typically think of cleaning the inside of your home. However, the outside and storage places deserve a good decluttering and cleaning, as well. If you have a garage, carport or even a shed, consider tackling this space to clean and tidy it up as well as organize it so that it functions efficiently.

How to Spring Clean Your Garage Step-By-Step

1. Declutter Your Garage

Before you can clean and organize your garage, you’ll need to declutter it. Garages seem to be the place where things end up when you don’t have anywhere else to store them. Go through all the boxes and odds and ends that are stored in your garage and throw out or donate those that are no longer useful to you. If you have things that need to be disposed of environmentally, such as old paint, make sure you take those to the appropriate places for safe disposal. Set aside things you will keep so that you can organize those later.

2. Dust

Garages tend to accumulate dust and dirt quickly because of their constant exposure to the outside elements and the nature of what’s stored there too. If you have boxes and containers stored in your garage, grab several microfiber cloths and start dusting!

This telescoping duster has interchangeable heads for every job, and reaches high spaces such as shelves and window sills. It’s a great cobweb remover too.

Tip: Always dust top to bottom so you’re not adding dust to freshly cleaned spaces.

3. Wash The Floor

Next, wash and clean the garage floor. Use a long handled wide broom to sweep the dirt and debris out of the garage. Then fill a bucket with some soap and mop the floor. You may need to change the soapy water often as it will most likely get dirty rather quickly. Another option is to use a wet/dry shop vac or power washer to clean the garage floor.

4. Wash Any Equipment

If you store bikes, lawnmowers, and any sports equipment in your garage, clean these items thoroughly before you place them back in the garage. Some may be easy to clean by just hosing them down and drying and others may require a more hands-on cleaning.

5. Make Space For Your Vehicle

The main function of a garage is to house your vehicle. Make sure you have enough space to fit your car(s) comfortably. If this is an issue, you may need to rethink what else you’re storing in your garage. Do you need it? Can it be stored elsewhere? Do you need a better storage solution in your garage?

Garage Storage Solutions

If you need additional storage solutions, consider installing a bookcase, stackable storage boxes, or even overhead storage. Many big box stores carry a variety of solutions. Some installation may be required, so be sure and check measurements before you purchase.

My favorite storage solutions for the garage are built-in shelves that we hired a professional to build for us. This is what our shelves looked like before we added bins:

And our garage storage shelves after! We used solid gray Sterilite Bins so they looked cohesively organized, and labeled each with contents sorted by category.

We also love the garage storage loft we added (similar to this one.) It fits above the garage door so we can store items out of the way in an area that we’d otherwise never use. Plus, it takes up zero floor space! It’s great for storing items we only need once a year, like large holiday decorations and seasonal sporting goods.

Check out the best way to store items in your garage for all the details on how we created this garage organization system.

Garage Cleaning Safety Issues

When cleaning your garage, make sure you’re being safe with your equipment as well as with lifting and moving items. If possible, have another family member or a friend help with these tasks, especially if installing storage solutions. Be aware of sharp objects and electrical hazards, as well as toxic chemicals. Be sure to dispose of any chemicals you find properly according to local laws and procedures. The EPA website has some guidelines on how to dispose of hazardous items you may find in your garage.

Spring cleaning your garage can be a time-consuming effort, but it’s worth it to regain your space and develop a workable organization strategy. When you’ve completed the project, you’ll be amazed at how useful and pleasant your garage has become.

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