It is best to deal with spilled lubricants and auto fluids while they’re still in a liquid state. They’re a lot easier to get up in that form than after they’ve soaked into a concrete floor.

Three 8-by-24-foot rolls will cover a typical double garage floor. According to Gladiator Garage Works, which introduced this product in 2007, once the mats are installed they will not creep, tear or wrinkle in normal use, even under the weight of automobiles.

Edges, especially those facing the garage doors could be vulnerable to curling and casual damage. Gladiator claims that a bead of silicone applied under the edges prevents the mats from lifting and keeps water from seeping in.

The non-porous and chemical-resistant material withstands common spills and the temperature extremes of the garage. When it’s time to clean the floor covering, simply sweep it off.

Sounds good to me. I just need to get my new garage built before winter comes.

For light surface stains on grout you can use an old school-style eraser and aggressively scrub the dirty section until the area is clean. You may also try lightly sandpapering the grout until the stain is gone. It is a good idea to vacuum up the residue as you go along to check your progress and to make sure you are not removing too much grout.

If those methods fail you should try one of the many over-the-counter grout cleaners available. Make sure to buy one without bleach or you run the risk of having lighter sections of grout which can make the rest of your grout appear dirty. Bleach will also make your grout become brittle much sooner and speed the need for you to replace it. Some of the “OXY” type cleaners do a real good job of cleaning grout stains without using bleach. Try using one of those and a soft plastic brush. That will take care of the majority of your stains.

After getting the grout clean sometimes it is a good idea to seal your grout. Sealers can prevent your grout from being stained for up to two or three years before having to be reapplied.

If the cleaning method dosen’t work for you it might be time to consider replacing the grout entirely.

If your carpet burn is superficial, you should be able to trim off the burnt fiber tips with scissors and use liquid detergent to clean the area. Follow up later by cleaning the area again with a solution of 2 parts white vinegar and 1 part water.

If you have a badly burned small area, use a knife to cut away the tuft of burnt fibers by carefully slicing it off flush with the backing. Get a replacement tuft from a hidden section of the same carpet or scrap piece. Use hot-melt or all-purpose glue to glue it in place. Then to match the height of the surrounding fibers carefully trim the top of the new tuft of carpet.

Larger burns should be replaced with a patch.

First scrape up any hardened wax. Use a hard edge like a dull knife or a credit card but nothing too sharp or you will damage your carpet. This may take a good bit of time and you will only get up about three-fourths of the wax.

Next try placing a folded stack of paper towels or a cardboard blotter over the wax, then use a hair dryer or an iron to heat the wax so it will melt into the blotter. Be careful to watch the temperature to avoid burning or even overheating the carpet fibers. You may have to let it cool then reheat the was several times to get all of the wax out.

Squeaks can be annoying but rarely do they indicate major problems. They usually occur when a board rubs against a nail or another board.

You can permanently fix your squeaky floor a few different ways. If you have hardwood floors you should first try to fix the problem from the bottom. Get a helper to stay in the house to step on the squeaky spots to help you locate them from under. When you find the exact spot of the squeak use a wood screw with a washer that will only reach half way into your surface floor to tighten it down in loose spots. You can also use small annular-ring finishing nails from the top after you have predrilled a hole.

If the squeak is between the joist and the floorboard you can lightly tap shims into the gaps to stop the noise. If there are big gaps  the joist and the sub-floor you can use a cleat to pull the flooring down tight. This will usually prevent noises at that contact point and on down the joist. It will also prevent bowing in the future.