TIPS TO CLEANING ALL TYPES OF FLOORS

If you were to ask what is one of the most overlooked parts of a house, many people might say it is the floor. Cleaning floors seems like an easy task, but the intricacies of each type of flooring require different approaches.

If you have cleaned floors before, you know that cleaning floors is a daunting task that requires hard work and patience.

There are so many types of flooring materials and not all of them are easy to clean. The truth is that time is precious and cleaning the floor should take as little time as possible. The best way to do this is by using the right tools for each job.

It’s important to clean all types of flooring surfaces the right way because all floors can harbor dangerous bacteria and germs that could make you and your family sick if not handled correctly.

Let’s look at several types of flooring surface materials and the correct ways to clean each.

CLEANING DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOORS

WOODEN FLOORS

The natural oils in wood floors can be a breeding ground for germs. This can take place as early as the installation process. Moisture can contribute to mold, mildew and fungus growth.

When cleaning hardwood floors, extra care should be taken because of the risk of splintering and scratching, which can lead to cuts and other injuries.

The first thing to absolutely understand when cleaning wooden floors is that water should not be used. In fact, water should be kept as far away as possible from wooden floors. Water has the ability to dull the finish of wooden floors. It can also leave nasty stains that may be hard to get out.

The best thing that can be done is to dust the floors and wipe them away with a soft mop every so often. Only use wet mops if your wooden floors have been treated with polyurethane. Be sure to polish your wooden floors regularly as well.

Look for a cleaner that is specific to wood. Leave it in the wood to create a shine on your wooden floor.

Finally, if there ever is a spill, wipe them immediately.

LINOLEUM FLOORS

Failure to clean linoleum floors could result in deadly diseases such as Legionnaires disease. This could happen when combined with warm water vapor (from a humidifier), which may spread this bacterium throughout the room.

Fortunately, cleaning linoleum floors isn’t all that hard. People can clean this type of floor easily each and every day by dusting, vacuuming, and finishing it off with a quick pass of a slightly wet mop.

Over time though, a home’s linoleum floors will accumulate dirt stains and even shoe marks. When this happens, purchase wax that is specific to linoleum and don’t be afraid to apply significant portions of it around.

Once it has been applied, use a damp cloth for that final polish.

CONCRETE FLOORS

Cleaning concrete floors involves having the right tools to remove tough stains without harming your floor’s durability or special protective treatments that are applied on it.

Before anything, the first thing that should be done when attempting to clean concrete floors is to dust it.

Common household cleaners are not designed for cleaning stone surfaces. These types of cleaners will leave a residue behind that attracts dirt and grime. Cleaner formulated for tile and stone are very specific. Look for and use these cleaners to ensure that the concrete floors are left clean, streak-free, and sparkling.

In order to ensure that the protection and luster is maintained, remember to scrub and wax your concrete floors.

KEEP YOUR FLOORS PROTECTED AND CLEAN

As always, cleaning is only half the work. In order to save more of your precious time, take steps to keeping your floors protected as well.

One option you have is using floor mats which helps keep dirt in one place so you don’t track it through your home. Utilizing floor mats in the right areas – likely in entryways – will help keep any dirt and bacteria from tracking into the house.

Another thing that people can do to protect floors is to proactively dust and vacuum each day. If dust is left on the floor for long, it will eventually become harder to clean out.

Our final tip is to utilize shoe covers. Whenever people leave the house and come home, they bring back an ungodly amount of dirt and bacteria under their shoes. If you are a household that wears shoes in the house, this is a practice that you can’t afford not to do.

If you are a family that doesn’t take shoes off though, it is still in your best interest to have shoe covers handy for when other family and friends come to visit.

Whatever your floor material is, be sure to take the right steps to keeping them clean. Floors are under our feet each and every day, and whatever is on the floors is in contact with us as well.

Make sure that your loved ones are stepping on clean floors, so that each step they take is a healthy and happy one.