Spring Cleaning: Keeping Your Floors Functional & Fabulous
Spring is right around the corner! With the warm weather and nature slowly returning from a cold winter, there is a lot to be excited about. Spring is soon approaching and you know what that means - Spring Cleaning. It's time to purge those clothes you haven't touched in years, clean out that pantry that's been long neglected and sort through the haphazard kitchen junk drawer. Purging clutter gives you a sense of accomplishment and organization. Now - it's time to get to the deep cleaning.
Most living spaces are high-traffic areas. High-traffic areas of the home are more prone to stains, wear-and-tear and just overall erosion of the flooring. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, there will always be spills, accidents or just a forgetful dad who didn't take his shoes off after landscaping the yard. Before you begin the venture of a deep clean, make sure to dust, vacuum and remove clutter from the space. It doesn't matter what type of flooring you're cleaning, this should be the last item on your Spring cleaning to-do list. Get your vacuum out and start the deep cleaning process by saying goodbye to cobwebs and shelving dust.
Once you have accomplished cleaning your space out, it's time to move on to the floors. Cleaning your floors can be a process, especially if you don't keep up by cleaning them daily, if not monthly. Depending on the type of flooring you have, there are many differences on how to approach cleaning your space.
I know what you're thinking and.. Yes, cleaning vinyl flooring is different from cleaning solid hardwood floors.Every surface is built differently, therefor needs to be cared for differently.
Take a look below on the best practices for your space based on the material you're working with.
Carpet
Pre-Clean: Break out the Bissell. Start by vacuuming your carpet or area rug with a strong suction vacuum.
Spot Cleaning: Do you still see that stain from last Christmas' bottle of red? Start by dabbing the surface with warm water and a small amount of detergent or soap - NEVER rub, always blot.
Deep Cleaning: Follow the guidelines on how to get any stain out of a carpet here. When in doubt, always follow the manufacturers tag on the back of your area rug or the warranty of your rug. Pay attention to the material used and be mindful of what can harm it. If you are working with an area rug of value, consult with a professional cleaning service if you're unsure.
Hardwood Flooring
Pre-Clean: Break out the broom. When cleaning a hardwood floor, be mindful of the material your floors are made from. Some types of hardwood floors are more prone to scratching. We recommend sweeping as often as possible and avoiding the vacuum on any kind of hardwood flooring.
Use A Mop *With Caution*: Picture a big yellow mop bucket with a mop the size of your head being plopped on the floor. Mop heads absorb and carry gallons of water. You might not give it a second thought, but that abundance of soap water is leaking between the planks of your flooring. The moisture can then create warping, cupping and in some cases mold growth. You might think - well then how am I supposed to clean up a spill or mess on hardwood flooring? Of course you need to clean your floors with a mop or Swiffer, the key is using a modest amount of water on the surface.
Consider a Flooring Facelift: With years of erosion especially in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen or living room, a touch-up of your hardwood floors might make a huge difference. Have your floors re-coated with a new layer of finish. This will help protect your floors for years to come - and they'll look amazing too. Contact a professional to get you started on a much needed flooring re-vamp.
Vinyl
Pre-Clean: Just the same as hardwood, try to stick with sweeping to avoid scratching the surface. If you must use a vacuum, make sure it is on the bare floor setting.
Use A Mop - With Less Caution: With vinyl surfaces, water exposure is more lenient. There still is a chance of water damage when using it in excess, but vinyl is more forgiving. Use warm water when cleaning vinyl surfaces and try to avoid hot water.
Spot Cleaning: Since vinyl flooring is fairly durable, you can use a soft bristled brush to clean any hard to remove stains on its surface. Use baking soda and warm water for food spots and rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover for cosmetic product stains.
Tile
Pre-Clean: Stick with the broom for tile surfaces. You can use a vacuum on a bare floor setting, but depending on the type of tiles it might not reach between the grout.
Break Out The Mop: Tile surfaces are waterproof, so break out that giant yellow bucket and mop head and go to town. Don't forget the grout in between tiles, using a toothbrush with baking soda will make your floors look like they were just installed.
What To Avoid With Tile: Any products with bleach or dyes, especially on colored tile. These types of products not only can stain your tile floors, but also the grout in between them.
Laminate
Pre-Clean: We recommend using a broom on laminate floors to avoid scratching the surface. Laminate floors are typically sturdy surfaces but can be dented or scratched.
Use A Mop - With Some Caution: Some laminate floors are waterproof but not all are. Laminate flooring doesn't stand up against moisture as well as vinyl. Avoid wet mopping a laminate floor, instead try using a microfiber mop or a dry rag with a spray solution.
Spot Cleaning Tough Stains: Try to take care of stains the moment they happen. If you run into stains that won't come out, you can use a dry rag with nail polish remover to lift the stain from the surface.