Natural Ways to Degrease a Basement Floor

Kitty Litter

• Pour a thick layer of kitty litter over the grease stain, and let it sit for 48 to 72 hours. Kitty litter is made from clay and will absorb the grease up out of the concrete. Sweep the litter up, and sprinkle dry concrete mix over any remaining stain, leaving it for another 48 to 72 hours before sweeping it up and disposing of it in the trash. Other absorbent powders that can be used in place of kitty litter include cornmeal, sawdust or fuller’s earth.

Detergent

• Several methods are used to clean grease with detergents. One method involves wetting the stain with a little water, then spreading dry dishwasher detergent over it. After letting it sit for several minutes, pour boiling water on it and scrub the stain with a bristle brush. Don’t use a metallic brush because the fibers will get stuck in the concrete and rust. Another way to clean the stain is to sprinkle powdered laundry detergent over it and add enough water to make a paste. Let it sit over night, then add more water and scrub. Rinse with hot water.

Baking Soda

• Baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda, is a nontoxic ingredient found in most households and can be used to clean up grease stains on your basement floor. After sprinkling baking soda on the stain, add some hot water and scrub with a bristle brush. Rinse with hot water. You can buy baking soda in bulk by purchasing it from pool supply companies. Look for sodium bicarbonate. Note that baking soda bought from pool companies can’t be used for cooking.

Bleach

• Make concrete cleaner by mixing a quart of bleach with 2 gallons of warm water. Use a bristle brush to scrub the grease stain with the bleach. Results may be better if you let the stain soak in the bleach solution for 20 minutes. Rinse with clean water. Apply a poultice made from 1 part lime and 2 parts mineral turpentine to any remaining stain, cover with plastic, and let it set for 24 hours. Remove the plastic, scrape off the powder, scrub with laundry detergent and warm water and rinse.

Poultices

• Poultices can be effective against stubborn stains. Make a paste by mixing cat litter, sawdust, pool filter media or talc with a liquid grease-cutting dish detergent, and apply the paste to the stain. Cover the poultice with plastic and let it dry. The drying process draws the grease out of the concrete and may take a couple of days. The poultice can be scraped up and the spot washed with laundry detergent and warm water, then rinsed.