Keeping your floors clean is an easy way of keeping your house odor-free, tidy, and neat, even if you have unexpected guests. Due to the amount of traffic your floor gets, it’s one of the areas that’s always susceptible to dirt, debris, and other contaminants. Your floors are even in more danger if you have children or pets because they spend more time outside and bring in more harmful particles home.
If you have carpets or hardwood floors, following these cleaning tips will keep your flooring material smelling and looking new.
1. Get Rid of Any Stains and Spills ASAP
One of the best ways to remove tough spills or stains on your floor’s surfaces is through old-fashioned mopping. In picking the right mop, it’s a matter of preference. In short, you should choose a more durable mop for the job. But, you can find different kinds with its functions. Determining which will clean better depends on how tough the stains are.
For example, you can use a string mop for large spills or stains since it quickly absorbs liquid, allowing them to clean more areas at once. If you’re dealing with tougher stains or dirt, you can step on the mop strings and clean the stain until it comes off.
2. Include Vacuuming in Your Cleaning Routine
Your vacuum cleaners are another important cleaning tool that you shouldn’t ignore. It’s practical and quick in cleaning pet hair, dust, and dirt. It can also eliminate allergens like mold spores and pollen, leaving your home germ-free and spotless. For most families, vacuuming weekly is enough. However, you need to do it more regularly in high-traffic rooms like the living room and kitchen.
Try including vacuuming in your weekly cleaning routine, targeting bedding, couches, skirting boards, or carpets. Between professional cleaning, using a portable vacuum is another way to maintain your home and quickly remove dirt.
3. Use a Dry Mop for Cleaning Laminate Floors
Your laminate floors are more susceptible to damage and discoloration caused by a few cleaning products. You shouldn’t use floor or liquid polish on laminated floors because the moisture will only seep under the boards, damaging the laminate. Instead, use a dry mop or vacuum regularly. To remove dirt or stain marks, you should only use a wet cloth and carefully clean them away.
4. Use Vinegar to Remove Foul Odors
Using a natural vinegar solution is an easy way of getting rid of odors on carpets. Fill an empty bottle with white vinegar and start spraying on smelly areas or stains. It’ll also help eliminate pet accidents because it completely frees the space from lingering foul odors. Use the solution on the stain and let it dry.
If it doesn’t work, you can also use baking soda to get rid of foul odors. Get a jar and fill it with baking soda. You can also add essential oils for a nice smelling solution. Leave it on the carpet as it absorbs dirt and odors and vacuum.
5. Be Mindful When Cleaning the Stone Floors
Even if natural vinegar solutions help eliminate foul odors, they can damage your natural stone floors. Most homemade solutions can lead to discoloration. Even a small amount of acidic solution can damage these surfaces, including ammonia, bleach, and vinegar.
Instead, try using a pH-neutral floor cleaner to stop the minerals in your natural stones from reacting. If you didn’t seal your tile floors, use a mop and hot water.
6. Use the Welcome Mat for Pets or the Kids
Your pets and kids will bring in a lot of dirt when they enter the house after playing outside for hours. You can stop them from bringing in mud and dirt by using a runner or mat at your doors. It might sound old-fashioned, but it’s an excellent way of removing excess dirt from their paws or shoes before entering the house.
Train your kids to scrub their feet before entering to reduce dirt particles. For your pets, it’ll be helpful to use an old towel at the back door so that you can quickly clean their paws off before they enter the house.
7. Use the Recommended Amount
Using the right amount of your cleaner is another way to keep your floors pristine. You can find all-purpose cleaners in the grocery store, but you have to test them on small surfaces before using them to clean your floors. Other cleaners can get rid of dirt, but they might also damage your floors. You should also pick an eco-friendly solution.
Alternatively, using a natural solution that gets rid of dirt without damaging a surface is best when cleaning your floors. For example, mixing hot water with lemon and vinegar is a natural solution that will not damage your floors and leave a pleasant smell. You can get the fresh scent of lemons without using harsh chemicals.
Keeping your floors clean is one part of keeping your home clean. Because of the foot traffic to which your floors are subjected, you might have to use a bit more elbow grease than expected. But clean floors in itself is a reward for all your hard work.
