Concrete in basement laundry/furnace room looks horrible - paint????

simiesue

Just wondering what would be the cheapest and easiest way to make my 10x11 concrete floor in the basement (laundry room & furnace/sump/water heater room) look better. The floor is stained with old cat vomit - was cleaned but still leaves a discolored area that is very noticeable. Also, by the drain, the concrete looks dark. I tried bleaching that area and it really got dark and I dont see much of a difference. Is there a better method of cleaning this concrete area?? Please let me know. Is paint a good option for hiding these inperfections? Any special prep work needed for paint? Can you recommend brand of paint, color, coats, any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Another queston is that my home is currently on the market. Do you think potential buyers are turned off by painted basement concrete in the wash area?? I would think they would rather see that than awful orangey stains. Note that the rest of the basement has carpet.
Thanks for any help
sue

OhioHomeDoctor

Buy a cheap rug

simiesue

lol
I have a few cheap rugs down there now.. its not pretty. lol

MsFinnegan

I have a friends who just stained her entire basement concrete floor. It turned out awesome (& not just because I helped)! If stains/marks are a concern they make a semi-transparent one. It looks more like granite than concrete! It costs like $45 a gallon. WELL worth the investment & looks 110% better than paint. Think of your home equity!

fixitgirl

MsFinnegan: what was the prep for that floor before staining? With dirt, stains, no drain and at-hand pilot lights taken into consideration, wondering if the stain would work in my basement.
Thanks.