Floor cleaning is a routine task that plays a crucial role in maintaining a clean and comfortable living environment. Whether it's about ensuring a tidy home or creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests, the importance of floor cleaning cannot be understated.
Despite its significance, many people may not be aware of the most effective and efficient methods for thorough floor cleaning. Therefore, this article will teach you a reasonable and efficient way to clean the floor and contains some important tips when cleaning different types of floors. After learning, you will be able to do this regular task more easily and effectively, making this regular chore more manageable.
How to Clean a Floor Properly
Here we will show you how to clean your floor properly and give you some important tips to keep in mind. Just follow these simple steps, which can also be used as a checklist to prepare for cleaning floors.
Step 1. Dust the Floor with a Vacuum Cleaner or a Sweep
Before cleaning the floor, you need to remove stains and debris from the floor to make it easier to mop. A broom or vacuum cleaner can help you get rid of this household waste. A good vacuum cleaner, such as the HomeVac S11 Go Cordless Stick-Vacuum Cleaner, is a good choice when it comes to cleaning dust.
By the way, a tip for you: Since dust, animal hair, etc. can easily accumulate on the floor, using a vacuum cleaner at least once a week will keep your home tidy.
Step 2. Get Your Mop, Bucket, and Cleaner Prepared
The choice of mop is not so strict. There are many types of mop on the market, such as string mops, strip mops, sponge mops, etc. If it's a string or strip mop, using a bucket with a built-in wringer is easier. If you are using a sponge mop, just choose any bucket with a handle that is easy to carry.
As for cleaners, you have to know that choosing the wrong detergent will cause floor damage. For tile floors, for example, using cleaners that contain acids or ammonia will discolor the grout. Therefore, it’s necessary to choose the proper detergent according to various types of floors.
An alternative way for a cleaner is to make your own floor cleaner, one of the advantages of which is that the floor cleaning solution is easy to adjust when you are cleaning on different floors.
Step 3. Begin Mopping
Fill the bucket with water and detergent. Then soak and wring out the mop. Make sure the mop is just damp, not overly wet. Excessive moisture can damage flooring, especially hardwood floors.
Wash the soles of your shoes before mopping the floor. This will prevent the floor from being stepped on and soiled immediately after cleaning.
Now begin mopping. Mop in a figure-8 or Z pattern to ensure that you can keep moving backwards and cover each area twice. Besides, you don't need to use too much force when mopping. Just move the mop gently and avoid leaving water stains on the floor.
Note: It is recommended to use hot or warm water in a mop bucket, as this will have a better cleaning effect than cold water.
Step 4. Pay Attention to Small Areas
When mopping the floor, don't overlook small areas. These commonly neglected spaces, such as corners, crevices, and the areas around furniture legs, can accumulate dirt and grime.
Scrub each area of the floor, making sure to dissolve any stubborn stains with a little detergent. After waiting a while, the stain will be easier to remove with a mop.
Step 5. Rinse for a Second Time
A single mopping is usually not enough to completely clean the floor. A second mopping and rinsing cycle is always recommended. A good way to speed up floor cleaning is to use one bucket of water and detergent and another bucket of fresh water for rinsing.
However, if you find that the water in the bucket is gray and dirty, simply replace it in time.
Step 6. Finish Cleaning Floors and Store Everything
After you finish mopping, rinse the mop and bucket thoroughly. To help the floor dry quickly, you can open your windows to ventilate your room. Then put the mop and bucket away.
Tips for Floor Cleaning of All Types
When cleaning different types of floors, it is important to adopt suitable methods according to their characteristics and materials. The following points are what you need to pay attention to:
- Hardwood Floors
- Removing dust and debris with a broom or vacuum cleaner on a regular basis is important when cleaning hardwood floors.
- Prevent liquids from standing on the floor for long periods of time and avoid using too much water, which can warp or damage the floor.
- Wipe with a damp mop or microfiber mop.
- A special hardwood floor cleaner can be used.
- Vinyl Floors
- Sweep or vacuum your vinyl floor regularly.
- Clean with a damp mop or acid-free microfiber mop.
- Do not use soap, wax or oil-based cleaners for vinyl floors as they can dull the finish and leave a greasy film on the surface.
- Tile Floors
- Clean with warm water and mild soap (or tile cleaner).
- Avoid cleaning products that contain acids or ammonia, which can damage the tile surface.
- Linoleum Floors
- Do not use hot water, a steam mop, or excessive water to clean as this will damage the material.
- You can clean linoleum floors with a linoleum floor cleaner or with a mixture of water, one cup of vinegar and a few drops of dishwashing soap.
- Stone Floors
- Use warm water and a special stone floor cleaner.
- Avoid floor cleaning solutions that contain vinegar or ammonia.
- Keep the floor dry, as water can easily cause mildew.
From the above, you can see that no matter what the floor is made of, it is always important to dust it regularly. So it's a good idea to have a good vacuum cleaner. Also, remember to choose the right cleaning tools and detergents according to the material and characteristics of the floor.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you must have known the proper floor cleaning techniques to get your floor spackled. For some floors with special materials, such as stone floors, it is also important to choose an appropriate cleaner. And now, it's time for a spring cleaning!
