Cleaning Hard Floor Surfaces Part 1

Cleaning Hard Floor Surfaces

Part 1

     There are a few precautions on floor care. First, throw away self-wringing mops. You don’t wash your face with a dirty washcloth so don’t expect a floor to come clean with a dirty mop. Dirt left on self-wringing mops recycles itself on your floor causing a buildup that gradually dulls and destroys the finish. Avoid microfiber mops as microfiber is made with 80% polyester or plastic. Plastic scratches and will scratch the finish off your floors, furniture, cabinets, car and the paint off walls.  

     Use 100% cotton terry cloth towels. Old 100% cotton bathroom hand towels are perfect. Or cut bath towels in thirds and hem. I developed my mop from professionally cleaning homes for 12 years. It holds terry towels in place to mop floors, dust cobwebs, do windows or even dry off RVs. And it lasts for years to save you money while cutting cleaning time. Otherwise toss a terry towel over a sponge mop head.

      No more sore backs to clean your floor. Prevent injury to your back when you mop a floor by grabbing the mop from the top rather than underneath. Grabbing the top of the mop handle keeps your back straight. Since it’s hard to describe how to do this catch my video on my website. It also shows you a few other tricks to speed cleaning.  

 Linoleum and Vinyl Floors

      Use warm water only to avoid detergent buildup. Most detergents contain phosphorous which sticks to a floor worse than tree sap to bare feet. That residue builds up, destroys the sealant and you end up with the unpleasant task of stripping and waxing the floor.

      If your floor requires a cleanser, use a small amount of CleanEz  or other organic cleaner. Fill a spray bottle mostly full with water then add ½ capful of CleanEz. Spray the traffic areas before you mop. The loosened dirt mops right up as you clean. 

      It’s not so groovy.  Some linoleum floors contain deep grooves that even pre-spraying won’t loosen. Dip a nylon scrub bush – one that attaches to a handle - into a bucket of water and 2 to 3 ounces of CleanEz. Twice a year give the floor a good scrub. Rinse with 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar mixed in one-half gallon water.

 Tricks of the trade: Remove black heel marks with a dab of rubbing alcohol or toothpaste. Gum comes off by freezing it with ice. Oil and grease dissolve with concentrated CleanEz. Dab on wait 7 to 8 minutes then wipe. Reapply if needed then rinse with vinegar and water. Any wax that has dripped on the floor can be melted off using a hair dryer. Wipe away with a white paper towel.  

 Marble, Tile, Slate and Composite Floors 

     Use hot water only on any stone or composit floor. Detergents and acids, like vinegar, pit and damage these floors. Marble must be immediately dried to prevent water spots. Mop in small sections and dry immediately. One a year a very small amount of CleanEz in a gallon of water can be used on tile floors for a more thorough cleaning. Do not use on marble or composite flooring.  

     Seal grout in stone floors to help prevent stain, which can be tricky to clean especially if the grout has color. My Stain Eraser forGrout  removes stains without taking the color out of colored grout.

 Side note: When you look for hard floor surfacing, lean towards linoleum and not vinyl. The off gassing from any kind of vinyl including flooring lingers for years contributing to cancer, asthma, lung and respiratory ailments. Also opt for real wood flooring rather than laminated due to the fumes emitted from the adhesive used in laminated floors. If adhesive is used during installation request a less toxic adhesive and leave the home for several days.

This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com. Copyright @2012 all rights reserved world wide.