Cleaning floors is possibly one of everyone’s least favorite household cleaning chores. Using the right cleaning methods for your type of flooring can speed up the process and keep your floors looking gleaming clean. While most floors can be vacuumed, swept or dusted in between regular cleanings, those regular cleanings can be time consuming and tough if you aren’t using the right cleaning solution for your floor. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning your floor if available. If not, we have a handy list of cleaning tips for every type of flooring.
Cleaning Ceramic Tile Floors
Glazed ceramic is great for resisting stains, however, regular ceramic is porous so make sure your tile flooring is glazed or sealed with a commercial grade sealant. For ceramic tile floors, mop with an all purpose cleaner in water and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Avoid harsh abrasives, strong soaps or acidic cleaners on this flooring to avoid damaging the glaze or sealant.
Cleaning Linoleum Floors
Linoleum flooring is one of the easiest types of flooring to clean. You can mop with an all purpose cleaner mixed with warm water or you can use a one-step polishing cleaner for fast clean-ups. Just avoid letting water sit on the flooring, especially linoleum tiles or planks. Keep your mop damp but not soaking wet when cleaning these floors.
Cleaning Concrete Floors
Concrete is porous and absorbs stains easily. When used inside the home, it should be sealed with a commercial grade sealant to avoid staining. On indoor sealed concrete, it is best to use an all purpose cleaner with warm water to clean floors. Harsh cleansers can strip the sealant and leave the floor vulnerable to damage and staining. If a heavy-duty cleaner is required, it’s best to have the floor professionally resealed afterward.
Cleaning Marble Tile Floors
Marble tile is very porous and very easily stained and damaged. It’s best to have marble floors professionally sealed with commercial grade sealant to protect from damage and stains. Mop with clear water and all purpose cleaner. Go back over floors with a damp mop with just clear water to remove any residue from the cleaner and keep marble shiny and bright.
Cleaning Hardwood Floors
Clean hardwood floors with a gentle cleaning solution of one gallon lukewarm water and a half cup of white vinegar. Make sure to wring the mop out and use a damp, not soaking wet, mop to clean floors. Avoid harsh cleansers that can strip wood of it’s shine.
Cleaning Vinyl Plank Floors
Create a solution of warm water, a squirt of regular dish soap and a half cup of white vinegar to clean floors. After cleaning, go back over floors with just clean regular water to remove any remaining soap residue. You can also vacuum vinyl plank floors with vacuums approved for this use (harsh bristle vacuums can scratch flooring). Avoid using a steam mop on vinyl plank floors. While they are versatile and can hold up to a lot of different cleaners, they aren’t made to withstand steam.
Cleaning floors is perhaps the most hated of household chores. With these cleaning tips for different floor types, your floors will be clean and gleaming. If you still hate cleaning floors, it’s time to call The Clean Up Club! We’ll clean up those dirty floors for you and leave the rest of your home sparkling clean too!
