Home should be your oasis, your sanctuary, and your escape! That’s why it’s so important to keep it clean from top to bottom. It’s hard to relax and enjoy your home when your floors are in need of some TLC. Paying attention to each different floor surface and treating them with proper care will pay off big-time, regardless of how long you plan to stay in your new home. Brush-up on how to take care of hardwoods, carpet, laminate, vinyl, and linoleum with these awesome tips:
Hardwoods are beautiful and easy to maintain. For daily care, use a soft dust mop to remove dust, pet hair, etc. You can also use a vacuum with a floor brush attachment or an electric broom. Don’t use a vacuum with a beater bar, however. It will scratch and scuff your floor. For a deeper clean, use a wood floor cleaning product according to the instructions. Keep pets off hardwoods as much as possible and avoid walking on your floor with hard shoes and high-heels.
Cleaning carpet is pretty straightforward. Everyone knows you should vacuum carpet often! But did you know how important it is to deep clean your carpet regularly? It is essential to keeping carpet fresh and looking new. You should steam your carpet about every six months. What about stains? Number one tip: Don’t rub the stain. Blot it. Read more carpet stain hacks here.
Laminate flooring is great for high-traffic areas and gives the look of hardwoods and other expensive flooring at a fraction of the cost. To keep laminate floors looking their best and to avoid warping over time, control the amount of water and moisture on your floor at all times, especially during the cleaning process. Dust mop or vacuum first, but make sure you have the carpet brush setting turned off to protect your floor’s finish. When your floors are dirt and dust-free, mopping with a damp microfiber mop is best. Avoid harsh cleaners and save some dough by making your own cleaning solution using water, vinegar and a few drops of dish soap.
For vinyl floors, resist the urge to use strong, harsh cleaners to blast away dirt and grime. Milder solutions are best when taking care of vinyl. Sweep or dust mop your floors daily to get rid of dust and dirt. You can use a vacuum too, with the carpet brush setting turned off. Vinyl floors are easy to clean - simply mix one cup of vinegar with one gallon of warm water and mop as you normally would. Floor looking a little dull? Add a few drops of baby oil to the cleaning mixture and voila - your floor will reflect light again.
Linoleum cleaning suggestions are often confused with vinyl – but there is a difference! To start, dust mop or vacuum your floor like normal. Then, add a few drops of mild dish soap or mild floor cleaner and dilute with water, according to package instructions and mop away! Important step: make sure to dry your linoleum floor with towels. Linoleum is porous and contains grooves that will absorb water and make the surface look dull and dingy even when it’s clean. Check out more tips here.
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