How To Clean Floors, Rugs & Carpets: The Ultimate Guide
By far, the number one challenge for these surfaces is managing the dust and dirt and regular wear and tear. That’s easy enough to do with basic supplies and a strategic approach (try a no-shoes policy!). Read on for how to keep floors spotless, day in and day out.
How To Clean Bare Floors
There’s no one-size fits-all way to clean flooring; you’ll need to match the solution to the surface. Before using any commercial cleaning product, read the label carefully and do a spot test.
How To Clean Hardwood Floors
Vacuum or use a micro-fiber mop regularly to prevent ground-in dust or dirt from wearing down a floor’s finish. Push mop in one continuous motion, not back and forth!
Water and wood generally don’t mix, so only wet-mop sealed floors with a spray mop designed for wood floors, or with a regular (well wrung-out) mop and a cleaner made for polyurethane: dry floor immediately afterward. Also, wipe up spills right away with a damp cloth, drying each time.
How To Clean Linoleum and Vinyl Floors
Damp-mop surfaces with warm, soapy water weekly. I love using Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds for this job.
Wax vinyl floors about every six months, applying wax sparingly into floor, then spreading it into a thin coat using long, straight strokes with a sponge mop. Let dry to a shine, opening windows to speed the process. Remove wax buildup with stripper about once a year.
How To Clean Marble, Stone and Ceramic Tile Floors
Damp-mop with water and mild soap weekly, rinse with clean water and buff dry.
Wax tiles once a year, following the same method as for vinyl (above).
How To Clean Rugs and Carpets
How you implement this action plan depends on what the floor covering is made of - and how dirty it is!
DAILY: Avoid treading on rugs and carpets with shoes by leaving them at the door. Also tackle spills right away (see Removing Stains below).
WEEKLY: Regular vacuuming will help to extend the life of floor coverings, using the appropriate setting for the pile’s height. Avoid vacuuming any fringe around the edge.
SEASONALLY: Take area rugs outside and beat them with a rug beater or a broom handle; drape larger rugs over a clothesline and beat out dust in sections. Sweeop or vacuum floor underneath rug before replacing it.
ANNUALLY: Treat the rug or carpet to a thorough deep cleaning. Synthetic carpets can be steam-cleaned at home using a rented machine, but leave natural-fibers to a pro.
How To Remove Stains from Rugs and Carpets
Blot liquid spills with white cotton towels or paper towels, so you can see when the stain stops pulling away. Rubbing will just make it all the harder to clean.
Apply a spot-cleaning solution, being careful not to saturate. You can buy natural sprays with live-enzyme cultures or mix your own: Dilute a few drops of clean dishwashing liquid in water (about 1/4 teaspoon per quart). Blot gently (don’t rub!), then rinse with clean water and blot again.
If the stain is persistent, dilute the spot with seltzer or club soda; let site for a few minutes, then blot. Continue blotting with dry towels until the area is nearly dry.
Still no luck? Call in a professional. Be careful when steam cleaning anything with stains, as the heat can set stains in for good.
How To Vacuum: Vacuuming 101
Start at the farthest point of any room and work your way out.
Dust furniture and move it out of the way before you vacuum.
When vacuuming, use long, slow, overlapping strokes, and use the attachments to reach into corners and under furniture.
Change the vacuum bag when it’s half to three-quarters full.
You can also use a vacuum on curtains and blinds, upholstered pieces, and other surfaces.
As always thank you for visiting the blog! If you have any floor cleaning tips or hacks of your own, please share them with me in the comments below! Xx Julia Rae Connor
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