A Simple Guide To Cleaning Your Floors

June 18, 2021 by Mulberry Maids

Tweet

Floors throughout the home can be some of the hardest and trickiest places to clean. So it is not a surprise that keeping your floors in great shape will take some hard work that shouldn’t be neglected.

Because of this, performing a full house cleaning in Fort Collins isn’t always the easiest task, especially if you are pressed for time or you don’t really like to clean. That being said, there are many tips and tricks you can use to help consistently clean your home and floors, even if you still use a professional cleaning service. 

Keep reading to learn more about cleaning floors with our guide!

Where should I start when I clean my floors?

In some ways, keeping your floors clean from the start is more important than how you actually clean them. The most effective thing that you can do is to not wear shoes in the house, which will keep your floors in much better shape for longer. Similar to cleaning your deck, keeping clutter down will make floor cleaning much more efficient. 

To start decluttering you should take 10 minutes and do the following:

• Gather everything that is loose or doesn’t belong on your floor
• Put it in a pile to either put in the correct place, or donate, recycle or throw out
• Make a conscious plan to not allow more clutter to build up over your floors

Once the floors are clear from clutter, it is usually best to start with a good sweeping of the floors. Pay attention to corners and edges, and places where there is a lot of buildup, such as around doors. 

After you sweep the floors, vacuuming should be the next step. While this may seem redundant after sweeping, it is a really important step to pick up all the remaining dust and particles that sweeping didn’t pick up. Just like sweeping, make sure to focus on corners, edges, baseboards, and around doors. Every vacuum is different, but will usually have some sort of floor connection piece. This may be an alternate base that you can vacuum with like you are doing carpets, or a handheld attachment piece that allows you to get into smaller areas easily. 

Once the floors are free of debris, dust and clutter, you can move onto the last step of mopping your floors. There are many different mop products to use, from simple microfiber mops with a product spray reservoir, to a traditional string mop dipped into a bucket of water based solution. Whichever you decide to use, one of the most important things to remember is to not over wet the floors. This is especially true for wooden floors, where pooling water can be damaging to them. 

Typically it is best to start on one side of the room and work your way through it using an s-shape pattern. Try to wring out excess moisture so the floors do not get too wet. When you are done mopping, take a look at the floors as you may need to use your hands to work on stubborn stains or spots that still have stuck on residue.

Once the mopping is complete, you may need to go over the floors one last time with a dry microfiber mop head or rag to help get the floors drying quicker. 

What product should I use on my floors?

With all the floor types available, there are an equal amount of floor products to use. Some specific floor cleaning products are safe to use on many types of flooring, but it is best to do your research before committing to a certain product. 

Laminate Floors: In addition to the many products on the market, you can make your own laminate floor cleaning solution very easily. Mix the following up to use:

• ½ cup of distilled white vinegar
• ½ cup of rubbing alcohol
• ½ cup of water
• A few drops of your favorite essential oil

You can use this mixture with any type of mop you like, making sure that you don’t over wet the floors.

Wood Floors: Similar to laminate floors, there are numerous store bought cleaning products available for wood floors. To make an easy and safe DIY version, you can mix the following together:

• 1 teaspoon of castile soap
• 4 cups of water
• 5+ drops of essential oils

You can use this simple mix with a microfiber mop head, or a traditional string mop. Make sure to not overwet the floor, and dry it as needed. Work the cleaner with the grain of the wood as much as possible. 

Vinyl Floors: Vinegar is really effective for cleaning vinyl flooring, and can be easily made using the following:

• 1 cup of apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• 1 gallon of hot water
• 4 drops of baby oil

The baby oil will help to polish the vinyl, leaving it looking shiny and fresh. 

Tile: An easy tile floor cleanser can be made by combining the following ingredients in equal proportion and used with a traditional mop or a microfiber mop:

• Distilled white vinegar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Water
• A few drops of dish soap
• A few drops of essential oils

Natural Stone: Natural stone is tricky and sensitive, as it is porous, and can become discolored. You should always test a new cleanser in a hidden spot to make sure that there is no adverse reaction. A simple homemade solution contains the following:

• 1 ½ cup warm water
• ½ cup rubbing alcohol
• ½ teaspoon of dish soap that does not contain bleach, oils, or moisturizers
• 5+ drops of essential oils

How do I clean my floors fast?

The easiest way to clean your floors fast is to keep the clutter at bay. Once your floors are clear of clutter, maneuvering around them will be much simpler. 

Consistently sweeping your floors will also help, as it will make the prep work required to get the floors ready to mop that much quicker. Spot cleaning spills and messes when they occur will also make floor cleaning that much more efficient, as you won’t need to go over areas multiple times that have a lot of extra buildup. 

House cleaning in Fort Collins at your fingertips!

Mulberry Maids offers state of the art ease and efficiency when booking your home cleaning online. Our customer portal allows you to book your cleaning, change the time or service, and even leave a tip for your amazing cleaners!

With all the time that you will save by outsourcing your cleaning to the pros, you can organize a Fort Collins Farm to Table Tour with your family. With our happiness and satisfaction guarantee, there is nothing to worry about, so you can save time without stressing about your cleaning. 

Give us a call today to get on our schedule or just to chat about cleaning. We are here to help!