Keeping Garage Clean

[PoorUB]

PoorUB, have you tried the charcoal filter in your Jet, or just the standard outer and inner pocket filters?

I realize this is old, don't know how I missed it, but I just use cheap pleated paper filters, MERV 8 I believe. MERV 10 or higher would be better, but there gets to be a point of diminishing return.

Also, I don't have a Jet, just a home built out of a furnace blower.

 

[PoorUB]

As for cleaning the shop, I agree with the others. If you work in the shop it will get dirty and messy, unavoidable. I give mine a good cleaning 3-4 times a year, and I try once a year to give it a great cleaning, move everything outside, wash the walls, scrub the floor.

 

[Zeke]

Moot point as the OP never came back and this was his last post. He did mention that whatever the case, he was determined to grind metal inside on the bench. Never a great idea as sparks can lodge themselves in the wrong places. So I recommend placing a box on the bench and hooking a vac to it just to maintain negative pressure. Don't necessarily want to vacuum up live sparks, but it will catch the fine dust.

However, since the OP mentioned that he also spray painted in said garage, he is fighting a losing battle. Who does that without containment and a fan? No way am I spraying in my garage w/o a set up than I'd spray in my kitchen.

 

[Bruce Amacker]

When the garage door no longer seals well at the bottom due to slab settling, I use split 2" foam pipe insulation wrapped around the bottom of the door. This will seal an inch gap with no problem to keep dust and mice out.

I rent a scrubber from the hardware store and scrub my floors about 3-4x a year, and paint them with S-W floor paint ($30/gal) about every 2-3 years. The floor scrubber is amazing- it does the work of 20 men. $16.50/4hrs, the best money I've ever spent.

Keep enough toolboxes that your drawers are never completely full- grow into them rather than out of them. Buy HQ boxes like Snappy used as they hold a LOT more than a similar sized CM box.

 

[RalphInCA]

Always leave enough energy at the end of the day to clean up.

 

[like2wheel]

Always leave enough energy at the end of the day to clean up.

Time is more of the issue for me.
I have a hard time stopping before the last minute I should be somewhere else.

 

[lamywaby]

I've had it with my grungy garage!

It is a 3 car garage that is home to my race car project plus all the tools I need to maintain and do projects around the house. I find that the surfaces and tops of all my cabinets and workbenches and stuff that doesn't fit in drawers (like welders and torches and stuff) are always covered with dust and grit.

I think I've got 3 main causes:
1) Poor sealing of the garage door that allows dirt and dust to blow in (I'm fixing that this weekend)
2) Grinding and cutting metal inside the garage blows **** everywhere
3) Spray painting overspray gets all over sometimes

I have the garage door open frequently so stuff is going to blow in. And I'll try to move the metal saw and grinder outside when chopping metal. But I still need to do grinding on the bench when it needs to be held in the vise.

Any tips? How often do you guys clean your garage and post construction cleaning 30a?

Thanks!!

Dealing with a grungy garage can be frustrating, but with some adjustments and cleaning routines, you can improve the cleanliness of your space. Here are some tips to help you out:

1. Improve garage door sealing: By fixing the poor sealing of your garage door, you can prevent dirt and dust from blowing inside. This will significantly reduce the amount of debris that accumulates in your garage.
2. Minimize grinding and cutting indoors: Whenever possible, move the metal saw and grinder outside to minimize the amount of debris generated indoors. This will help prevent the spread of dust and grit throughout the garage.
3. Create a designated spray painting area: Setting up a specific area for spray painting with proper ventilation and containment will help contain overspray. Consider using drop cloths or plastic sheets to protect surrounding surfaces from paint particles.
4. Regular cleaning routine: Establish a regular cleaning routine for your garage to keep it in good condition. Depending on the level of activity and dirt accumulation, you may need to clean it weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
5. Dust and wipe surfaces regularly: Pay special attention to the tops of cabinets and workbenches, as these areas tend to collect dust and grit. Regularly dust and wipe these surfaces to keep them clean.
6. Use proper ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation in your garage to help minimize the buildup of dust and fumes. This can be achieved through natural ventilation or by using exhaust fans or air purifiers.
7. Consider using containment methods: When working on projects that generate a lot of debris, consider using containment methods such as plastic sheeting or dust collection systems to prevent the spread of dust and grit.
8. Use mats or rugs: Place mats or rugs near entry points to capture dirt and dust from shoes before they enter the garage. This will help reduce the amount of debris that gets tracked inside.
9. Organize and declutter regularly: Keeping your garage organized and free from unnecessary items will make cleaning easier and minimize dust accumulation. Regularly declutter and organize your tools and equipment.
10. Consider protective covers: For items like welders and torches that can't be stored in drawers, consider using protective covers or cases to prevent dust and grit from settling on them.

Remember, the frequency of cleaning will depend on your specific circumstances and how quickly dirt accumulates in your garage. Adjust your cleaning routine accordingly to maintain a clean and functional space.

 

[no704]

Everything on wheels. Roll it out of the way to clean it and it’s home.

 

[Alchase]

I have a three car garage, the third bay is my shop.
I blow my garage out with my Leaf Blower regularly. It sure beats sweeping.

 

[nadogail]

A clean garage is a sign of idle hands or a sick mind.

 

[Garcky]

I have a brush with a handle on my work surface. When I finish a project or put things away, I brush off the bench onto the bare concrete floor. When I think of it or notice a need. I use a 24" push broom to sweep the floor. Then I look at the debris, in case I've dropped something. After that, I use a corn broom to sweep it into a large dustpan and put in the trash.

I give the garage a thorough cleaning when I move.

 

[wmihl]

If all the metal work is being done in the third stall would you be able to install a retractable curtain to at least keep that mess in the third stall?
If that is possible with your garage layout.

 

[dcg9381]

This and polyurea does pretty well... I basically run the vac every time I walk out of the shop.

 

[PoorUB]

This and polyurea does pretty well... I basically run the vac every time I walk out of the shop.

That is fine if you just have small particulate on the floor. I would need to sweep the whole floor to get the big chunks before the robotic vac would survive for a minute!

 

[dcg9381]

That is fine if you just have small particulate on the floor. I would need to sweep the whole floor to get the big chunks before the robotic vac would survive for a minute!

Yes, it'll also hang up if you leave cords or other things out. If you're doing wood work - this won't fly without cleaning first... But our shop is pretty big and it helps keep the general dust and dirt down.

 

[thr3squared]

How well do the "hung from ceiling" filters work for metal dust? Ive seen the Jet ones from time to time on CL, but they always saw "for wood shop". Are there specific models designed for metal dust? Or do you just need a different type of filter?

 

[racecougar]

How well do the "hung from ceiling" filters work for metal dust? Ive seen the Jet ones from time to time on CL, but they always saw "for wood shop". Are there specific models designed for metal dust? Or do you just need a different type of filter?

If they pull enough cfm, they'll clear grinding/welding haze. The lower priced ($300-$500) units will struggle in a larger shop. That said, it's rather simple to build one using a furnace blower fan for little to no money. Details on the one I put together last Winter:

will a squirrel cage work in a dust collection system?

I have a large squirrel cage fan that was part of the hvac system in a church. I've been thinking it might work for a dust collection system. The motor is NOT inside the fan but drives the shaft by way of pulleys/belt. I know that these are meant to push air but am thinking that in order to...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Houdini5150]

I get dust in my garage from mainly having the door open and stuff blowing in. I put stuff away as I can and dust things off with a leaf blower. I will blow stuff out maybe once a week if that or once every couple weeks. I keep the area around my tools and washing machine clean but everything else first part of garage is dusty so I dust it off with leaf blower

 

[lolaetype]

Any tips? How often do you guys clean your garage?

Thanks!!

How often do I clean? Constantly.

Tips:

An epoxy coated floor is so much easier to clean than bare concrete.

I use a leaf blower to blow stuff out of the garage.

I have a small, dedicated shop vac I use to vacuum up debris from hack sawing and drilling.

I mounted an old vise a piece of 2X6. I clamp it to my Work Mate outside to hold things I'm grinding or welding.

My bench grinder is mounted on a pedestal. I move it outside when using the bench grinder.

I clean up after every job. If it's a multiday job I cleanup when I quit for the day.

During a job I clean and put up tools as I finish with them.

After a messy job, I'll not only sweep and leaf blow the floor clean, I'll mop it.

There is a three letter name for these habits; it's called OCD.