Keeping your floors clean is not an easy task. Having kids or pets makes it even more difficult. Out of all the segments you need to take care of, floors are probably the biggest item and the most visible one.
Keeping them tidy can be quite tricky, from having toys or clothes or other things scattered around, through the “regular” dust and dirt, to “surprise” spills, stains, and other life joys. Having a specific type of floor can “spice up” the cleaning even more.
There are some which are easier to clean, and others that require more time and effort. But regardless, there is the best solution for every one of them. Here are a few tips from professionals at Onyx Clean what cleaning approach you should take, depending on the type of floor you have in your house.
Hardwood Floor
There are the most common subtypes of hardwood floors, depending on the finish. On is polyurethane, the other is wax. If you don’t know how to tell the difference, rub your finger across the floor, and if a smudge appears, you can be quite positive it’s wax.
If this is the case, you are the lucky one, as waxed floor can’t stand the slightest amount of water, so you can just sweep, vacuum and dust mop them. So not a drop of water, otherwise your floor will get damaged. This means you need to be extra careful, but the cleaning is much quicker and simpler.
Sealed floor usually have a protective coating which keeps them safe from water damage and stains. For cleaning, it will be enough to dilute one-quarter of a cup of a pH neutral soap in a bucket of water.
Just make sure you avoid any acidic solutions, including vinegar, as they can damage the floor. After soap cleaning, use the damp mop, and finally, remove all the extra moisture with a microfiber cloth.
Linoleum Floor
Don’t mix up this type of flooring with the vinyl one, as people often do. Linoleum is a natural flooring made from resin, linseed oil, limestone, wood fiber, and cork dust.
Its cleaning doesn’t require too much effort. A renowned Albany maid service recommends a simple approach.
It’s enough to hot water with a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle and applies it to the floor, section by section, of course, wiping it afterward with a damp microfiber mop.
This should be enough and the floor should air-dry quickly. If, however, you feel the floor is still a bit sticky after this, just use a clean, damp microfiber cloth or mop.
Laminate
Luckily for your, the laminate is one of the most resilient floorings and there aren’t many things that can damage it.
There is one thing you do need to pay attention to, however, and that would be preventing water from getting under the planks. They are constructed in layers that are sun- and light-resistant and designed to look good for years, you just need to keep the water away from them.
So the best options are probably vacuuming and dry mopping.
While vacuuming just pay attention the cleaner is on the tile, NOT carpet mode.
If it’s really necessary, you can clean it with a damp or wet mop, as long as the water is not dripping.
Finally, another important, yet maybe an unexpected piece of advice: never polish this type of floor. If you see the coating is damaged, the best and only solution is to replace it.
