The floor is the part of the house that takes the worst beating – everyone in the family walks, runs, jumps, dances, and plays on it. With all that traffic, it’s bound to get dirty, whether you have vinyl tiles, wood floors, ceramic flooring, linoleum, or carpet. Here are some tips to keep your floors in sparkling condition.
1. Vinyl Floors
It goes without saying that vinyl is one of the more popular types of flooring nowadays. More households are switching over to it for two reasons: longevity and ease of maintenance. Vinyl is easy to maintain and if cared for well enough, it lasts a long time. To care for it, you need to scrub the floor and apply polish on it as often as you can.
Like we said, there is little to no difficulty in the job. First, dust the floor with a broom, making sure that even areas under the furniture have been swept. Next, sweep the floor using a damp mop. This step removes persistent dirt particles the broom might have missed. Wait a couple of minutes for the floor to dry, then apply the vinyl polish. Spread it evenly using a dry cloth. Your formerly mud-stained floor is now as good as new.
2. Wood Floors
Wood floorings are some of the finest on the market. There are many types of wood flooring available, and each requires its own unique cleaning method. The type of cleaning solution used to treat hardwood, for example, shouldn’t be used on mahogany flooring-it has its own type of polish. Never use vinyl or tile surface care products on wood floors. Acrylic wax causes wood floorings to dull quickly and become slippery.
The rule of thumb, when it comes to wood floors, is to use a mild alkaline solution. Alkaline works great on almost any type of wood surface. You don’t have to worry anymore about ruining the floor surface. Lastly, avoid using cleats, loafers and high heels on wood floors. Your floor will last longer if you keep it clean and free of marks and dents.
3. Ceramic Floors
Ceramic flooring is expensive but it sure it does an excellent job of making a small house look more spacious and grander than it is. Ceramic flooring is as smooth as vinyl flooring and as tough and resilient as wood flooring, but don’t make the mistake of thinking ceramic tile is indestructible. In fact, sometimes a tiny crack is all it takes for the tile to split in half. Ceramic tiles are volatile. Period.
Cleaning ceramic flooring is easy. It doesn’t take a genius to know that dust doesn’t get along well with the ceramic surface. Start by sweeping the floor or running the vacuum to eliminate most of the dust that has settled on the surface. Next, scrub the floor using a soft sponge that’s been soaked in cleaning solution-that’s water and liquid detergent. Always use liquid detergent to avoid scratching. Rinse thoroughly and leave to dry.
4. Linoleum Floors
Linoleum flooring has its perks. The material is prone to damage, but it is cheap and easy to install. Maintenance is a cinch too. You might want to think twice before opting for a more expensive type of flooring.
First, remove dirt particles and debris by sweeping the floor. You can also use a vacuum cleaner if you have one. Run the vacuum cleaner. Next, mix ¼ cup of cleaning solution to every one gallon of cool water. Hot water or even warm water makes linoleum go wild, so avoid it. Then, proceed to sweep the linoleum using the cleaning solution and a mop.
5. The Perfect Solution: Vacuums
Before vacuums were invented, the basic method of cleaning floors was by sweeping. Some ancient inventor created the broom and the vacuum was still far from realization, so people cleaned the floor of their houses with the broom to sweep away dirt and grime.
Today, the vacuum is all you need to keep the house neat and tidy. It’s recommended for use when the floor is carpeted or when the housekeeper has to deal with a back problem-scoliosis, for example. Remember, to sweep is human, to vacuum is divine.
Take advantage of these tips and before you know it, your floors will all look like new!