In even the tidiest households, hard floors, rugs, and carpets tend to attract grime. Food crumbs, outdoor mud and muck, dust build-up, and more — it all lands on your floors. If left unchecked, this can turn into a serio vacuuming us problem and an irritating cleaning challenge. Don’t let your floors become a problem! Giving them a little bit of efficient cleaning attention on a regular basis will keep the problems at bay.
Read more here if you want to know what Dan Dan The Carpet Man says about tile grout cleaning
To arm you with some guaranteed-effective tips for cleaning the floors in your home, we’ve gotten the help of the experts at TAK Cleaning Services –
Linoleum Floors
For linoleum, like other hard flooring materials, you should begin by sweeping or vacuuming to clear away dust, hair, and dirt. Then, make a cleaning solution by adding six to seven drops of mild detergent to one gallon of warm water. (Dish liquid is fine.) Apply a small amount of this solution to a mop and rub it into the floor, one section at a time. You want to limit the amount of the solution you use because standing water can be bad for linoleum. After you’ve washed the whole floor, rinse out your mop in cold water. Make another damp pass over the whole floor to remove any residue. Use a towel or cloth to complete the drying process.
Hardwood Floors
The right cleaning process for a hardwood floor depends upon whether or not the wood has been sealed. You can tell the difference between sealed and unsealed hardwood by running a finger across the grain of the wood. If this leaves a faint smudge, the floor is likely unsealed. If it doesn’t smudge, it is sealed. The key difference is that you don’t want to use water to clean an unsealed floor. It will cause the wood to warp or swell.
Get rid of loose debris using a vacuum, broom, or dry mop. To clean unsealed floors, use a product designed expressly for that purpose. You can use a water mix on a sealed floor. A simple mix of hot water and soap is best for most floors, though if you have cleaning instructions for your specific sealant, use those. Keep the amount of water you use to a minimum and apply it by mopping along the grain of the wood. If you see any soap residue after you’re finished, buff it away gently with a dry cloth.
Tile Floors
Tile floors should be regularly swept or vacuumed to keep loose dirt away. You can also mop the tile with a mixture of hot water and mild detergent. With most tile floors, it’s also important to clean the grout, the porous material in between the tiles. To keep your grout cleaner, apply a sealant to it every six months. If your grout is already stained, you can scrub it clean by applying a half-and-half mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water with an old toothbrush. Alternatively, try applying a thick paste of baking soda and water overnight. Use a nylon-bristled brush to break up the paste in the morning and vacuum up the residue.
Carpet
Carpeted floors are best cleaned with your vacuum’s power nozzle. To get the most effective clean and prolong the life of your carpet, take a moment to find the direction of the weaving by petting your carpet. Do as much of your vacuuming as possible with the grain of the weave to prevent fibre breakage.
To keep them looking their best, your carpets need to be steam cleaned at least twice a year. Hiring a steam cleaning machine yourself is one possibility, but you should be aware that the results are rarely as effective as a professional cleaning service.
To clean rugs, use a straight suction nozzle to vacuum up loose particles. Smaller rugs can be hung up outside and beaten with a broom handle. This is a fast and effective way to remove ground-in dirt and debris. Spills on carpets or rugs should be spot-cleaned as quickly as possible. Start the process by blotting the stain with paper towels. Never use a rubbing motion, as this can grind the stain into the fibres. When you need to deal with tougher stains, mix a mild detergent with hot water and use the solution for spot cleaning.
