Tips for Effective Floor Cleaning
Mopping is not the most exciting and enjoyable process. However, regular cleaning is necessary not only to give your room a more comfortable look but also to prevent the accumulation of dirt and dust.
Maintaining cleanliness is one of the most important guarantors of health for your family. Read this article for tips to help you clean more efficiently without damaging your flooring.
How Often Should Floors Be Washed
The regularity depends on the intensity of pollution. It is recommended to thoroughly clean the floors in the house at least once a week. However, if you have small children and pets living in your home, you should wash the floor more often.
The following habits will allow you to keep your apartment clean all the time and spend less time on weekly or general mopping:
- Frequent washing with water is not recommended for some floors, such as those made of wood. Try to sweep or vacuum as often as possible during the week so that sand and other debris do not accumulate in the seams and scratch the surface;
- Wipe up spilled liquids and other dirt that can accumulate over time. It is better to spend a few seconds and clean the stain with wet microfiber right away than to spend half a day trying to remove old pollution;
- Always take off your outdoor shoes at home. This way, less dirt will accumulate on the floor. Also, don’t forget to wash your animals’ paws after walking.
Tip: If you have an area that is large enough to clean and has high pollution intensity, consider purchasing the best hardwood floor cleaner machine. This device is suitable for most floor coverings. It works thanks to the steam generation and effectively removes even old stains in a few minutes.
How to Clean Floors Quickly and Efficiently
The correct sequence of actions and some tricks will help you quickly deal with cleaning. Try these methods, and you won’t consider weekly mopping a challenge.
- Before cleaning, pick up all chairs, toys, and decor from the floor to free up space. Many people do this while mopping, but this approach significantly increases the time for washing, as you are often distracted. It is much easier to clean the free area.
- Collect large debris and dust with a brush or vacuum cleaner. Dust the furniture before washing the floor if you’re cleaning the entire house.
- Prepare two buckets. In one, pour water and a detergent suitable for your floor coating. Fill another bucket with warm clean water for rinsing. This method allows you to better collect dirt and does not leave streaks. When you mop floors with one bucket, you are spreading dirty water all over the area. Rinse the mop head first in soapy water and clean the area. Then wipe it with clean water.
- Choose a comfortable mop that reaches the level of your chest. This will allow you to not bend over too often and prevent back pain. Mop heads can be made of different materials. Most options are machine washable. Microfiber ones are the most durable and collect dust effectively.
- Move from the edge of the room to the exit so that you do not walk on the wet floor after washing. This will prevent the formation of streaks and stains.
Different Floor Coverings: How to Clean Them?
If you have different types of flooring in your home, you might be making the mistake of cleaning them all the same way. Many floors require very little maintenance, while others, such as wood, can be easily damaged if washed in the same way as, for example, tiles.
Wooden floors
Both parquet and laminate cannot be washed with large amounts of water. Wipe the floor with a slightly damp cloth and a suitable wood cleaner. Do not use too many household chemicals: This might damage the top coat or cause a dull coating. Do not use abrasives on these floors.
The following aggressive cleaners can damage wood:
- Pure vinegar;
- Ammonia;
- Detergents that contain chlorine;
- Pine oil.
Linoleum
This material is easy to clean, but it is important to remove dirt regularly. Wash the floor as usual, using a mop and a solution of an all-purpose cleaner. You can clean linoleum with a brush and a hard washcloth in filthy places.
Natural stone
If your stone covering is unsealed, wipe it with microfiber and hot water only. For sealed stone, a pH-neutral detergent is fine. Vinegar, chlorine, or ammonia can damage such flooring.
Ceramic tile
This is a popular floor covering as it is fairly easy to clean. You can use brushes, mild detergents, and microfiber to clean the tiles. To prevent floors from being slippery, rinse off the detergent with clean water. Do not use wax polish.
Cleaning Can Be Simple and Easy
The key to cleanliness in the house is regularity. Use the convenient tools and the right cleaner for your type of floor so that you don’t have to do repairs instead of cleaning.
Which cleaning tricks do you use to save time and your health? Share your experience in the comments.
