Simple Tips for Cleaning Floors

Sure, we want our floors to be dirt-free because they look so pretty that way. But we also want to keep our floors clean because it’s healthier. Foot-traffic and airborne contaminates like dirt, dust, pollen, bacteria, and more can pose a serious health risk, especially for children and those with existing upper respiratory conditions. A little preventative maintenance and routine cleaning is all it takes to keep your floors looking like new, and healthy too! Continue reading to learn some simple and effective tips for cleaning floors of all types, including carpets, tiles, woods, and laminates.

Carpet Cleaning

There are three key rules to keeping carpets fresh, lustrous, and soft. First, vacuum regularly. For homes with multiple occupants and heightened foot traffic, vacuum once a day. And for homes with few occupants and minimal to moderate foot traffic, vacuum every other day or two. Even if you have a “no shoe” rule, you need to vacuum carpets often to reduce dust and bacteria buildup, and improve indoor air quality. Second, always treat spills, spots, and stains, immediately. And treat them properly. Always test a small corner of carpet before using a new carpet cleaner or product to ensure it won’t discolor or damage it in any way. And third, have your carpets professionally deep cleaned once every year. You might want to consider twice a year if you have multiple occupants, several pets, or both.

Homemade Carpet Cleaner:

Mix baking soda and white vinegar together to form a paste. Apply a small amount to the spot or stain with a small cleaning brush or toothbrush. Work it into fibers in a circular motion. Allow the paste to dry completely. Then vacuum up the dried remains. And voila! The stain should be gone!

Hard Surface Floor Cleaning

Hard surface floors, whether wood, tile, or laminate, are easier to treat in terms of stains and spots. However, they still require special attention and routine cleaning if you want them to look good and last a long time. Start with daily sweeping to keep dust, dander, and dirt build-up in control. Allowing these contaminants to build up is very damaging for floors and reduces indoor air quality. After sweeping, be sure to mop once a week, or more often for homes with higher traffic. Keep a mat at entry doors to reduce the amount of dirt coming into the home, and even try to establish a “no shoe” rule to help decrease your cleaning efforts.

Homemade Hardwood Floor Cleaner:

Mix 3 parts warm water with 1 part distilled white vinegar. For an added fragrance, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, such as coconut, lemon, peppermint, or orange peel. Apply with a clean mop and let it dry completely.

Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner:

Mix 3 parts warm water with 1 part distilled white vinegar. Then add a few drops of liquid dish detergent of your choice. Apply the solution with a clean mop or cloth, and rinse with clean water. And then allow the floors to dry completely.

Homemade Vinyl Floor Cleaner:

Mix 1 gallon of hot water with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Apply the cleaner with a damp mop, and use water to rinse the mop as you clean. Rinse when finished and allow the floors to dry completely. If you wish to disinfect, replace the cider vinegar with distilled white vinegar.