When it comes to staying clean, your floors don’t have it easy. With dirty shoes, playful (muddy) pets, and gravity to contend with, clean floors are a near miracle.
Keeping your floors clean and fresh is one of the best ways to keep the rest of your home tidy. If floor cleaning is a housekeeping chore you can’t bring yourself to enjoy, this post is for you. Read on for step-by-step guides on how to clean floors of any type and style.
How to Clean Carpets
Keeping your carpets clean is a great way to make your home smell better. For weekly cleaning, give your carpeted floor a vacuum. Pay special attention to high-traffic areas, the edges of the room, and any sections usually covered by furniture.
If you’re dealing with a stain or spill, use these guides for the most common carpet stains and spot-clean the affected area.
Pet Stains
Use gloves to pick up and dispose of any pet-made debris. Blot up any liquid with a dry cloth or paper towel. Use a pet-stain cleaning product on the area.
You can also mix stain-fighting laundry detergent with a quart of water. Spray this solution onto the affected area and let it sit for several minutes. Blot the area and rinse it with warm water. Repeat as needed.
To neutralize odors, spritz 1/4 white vinegar and 3/4 warm water solution onto the affected area. Let it sit for several minutes before blotting the area dry.
Coffee Stains
Use dry towels to blot up excess liquid, being careful not to spread the stain further. Create a solution of white vinegar, water, and a non-bleach detergent. Spritz this mixture onto the carpet, blot the area, and rinse with warm water. Repeat as needed.
Ink Stains
Use isopropyl alcohol to dampen a clean cloth. Dab the affected area with the wet cloth, being careful to not rub or scratch.
Let the area stand before rinsing with water and blotting or vacuuming it dry. Repeat this treatment until the stain is gone.
Bloodstains
When cleaning bloodstains, always use cold water. Hot or warm water can set the stain and make it more difficult to remove.
Mix two tablespoons of grease-fighting dish detergent with cold water. Spray the stain liberally with this solution before blotting the area with a paper towel or dry cloth. Rinse with cold water and repeat several times.
How to Clean Concrete Floors
For stubborn stains, mix flour and hydrogen peroxide into a paste. Apply the paste to the stain and let it sit overnight. Scrape off the mixture with a plastic-edged scraper.
If you’re cleaning polished or stamped concrete flooring, avoid using ammonia, bleach, or any other highly-acidic cleaning product. Instead, use a dish detergent, stone cleaner, or gentle floor cleaner. Mix the solution to the product’s instructions. Apply the mixture using a wet mop and rinse with clean water.
How to Clean Hardwood Floors
For weekly cleaning, use a microfiber mop and a dusting agent to pick up dirt, dust, and pet hair, or vacuum your floors with a floor-brush attachment.
To deep clean hardwood flooring, use a wood-specific cleaning product and a rag mop or sponge. Dilute the cleaning product as per product instructions and saturate the mop or sponge. Wring the mop or sponge out until slightly damp, and give your floors a once-over. Rinse the floor with a mop dampened with clean water.
You can deep clean some types of hardwood floors with a mixture of 1/2 a cup of white vinegar to one gallon of warm water. Vinegar can dull your floor’s finish, so test the solution in an inconspicuous area before diving in.
If you’re dealing with a stain, use these steps to tackle common hardwood floor marks.
Dark Spots
Use ultra-fine steel wool to rub floor wax on the dark spots. If the area isn’t coming clean, apply bleach or white vinegar to the area and let it soak for an hour. Rinse with a damp cloth.
Heel Marks
Certain shoes can leave small indents on the surface of hardwood flooring. Use fine steel wool to rub floor wax into the dents.
Oil-Based Stains
Use a soft cloth to rub dish detergent into the area and break down the oil. Rinse with clean water and repeat as needed. Once the area is dry, smooth any raised grain with ultra-fine sandpaper.
Water Marks and White Stains
Use ultra-fine steel wool to rub floor wax into the area. If the stain seems to sink deeper into the floor, sand the area lightly and clean it with fine steel wool and odorless mineral spirits.
How to Clean Floors Covered With Luxury Vinyl
One of the benefits of luxury vinyl flooring is that it’s so easy to clean! For weekly cleaning, vacuum or dry mop the floor by applying a dusting agent to a microfiber mop.
To give your viny flooring a deep clean, mix a cup of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and a gallon of hot water. Saturate a rag mop with the solution before wringing it out until slightly damp. Give your floor a once-over, mopping in the direction of the planks.
Stains
To remove stains, use a soft nylon brush to loosen the stain without damaging and scratching your floor. Mix a paste made of baking soda and water or use isopropyl alcohol with the nylon brush.
Avoid harsh chemicals such as ammonia as this can react with the vinyl coating. Never use abrasive sponges or steel wool to scrub at a stain.
Scratches
To treat light scratches, dip a microfiber cloth into some olive oil and buff the affected area. For deeper scratches, opt for a vinyl floor sealer. Use a tennis ball to buff out light scuffs and return your flooring to its shiny new glory.
How to Clean Tile Floors
For weekly cleaning, sweep or vacuum your tiled floors. Use a tile cleaner that works for your type of tiles (ceramic, porcelain, etc.) and a rag mop. For deep cleaning, give your floors a once-over with a mixture of white vinegar and hot water.
Clean grout every two to three months with a grout cleaner or a bleach solution. Let the cleaner sit on the grout for several minutes, before rinsing off with cold water. To remove stubborn stains from grout, apply a paste made from baking soda and water. Let it sit overnight and scrub it off using a nylon brush.
Clean Floors, Clean Home
Knowing how to clean floors is the first step to a clean, fresh home. But, as many homeowners know, making time to clean is more difficult than knowing what to do. Even the best floor cleaning tips won’t give you an extra hour every day!
If you want to enjoy a clean home and don’t have the time or energy to do it yourself – why not hire a professional cleaning company? Whether you require a one-time deep clean before hosting an event, or weekly cleaning to stay on top of things, Top Mops is here for you. We have different maid services to suit every family and any lifestyle.
Ready to experience the joy of a clean home? For high-quality, reliable, and thorough house cleaning services, request a quote from us today.
