Blog
Preparing Your Floors for the Spring Season and Muddy Days
9th April 2018
We all know that with spring comes the rain and lots of it. You may feel as if you can never keep your tile or hardwood floors clean because someone is always going in or out. Do your floors seem messy no matter how often you mop? We have a few clever tips that will help you keep the messes at bay and reduce the time you spend cleaning your floors. Unfortunately, we cannot eliminate scrubbing the floor on your hands and knees at times. Even the New York Times touts the benefits of a little elbow grease.
Gather your supplies
- Vacuum
- Swiffer
- Floor or carpet cleaner
- Rags
- Baking soda
- Broom
- Paper towels
- Mop bucket
- Place to sit
- Mirror
- Shelves
- Storage cabinet or end table
Prepare the entrances
Place a bench or chair near each door to the home. You want everyone that enters to have a safe, comfortable place to take off shoes and boots. Use hooks or storage bins to organize coats, jackets, and hats. Place a welcome mat inside and outside the door. This step alone will save you tons of mopping. Put the shelves near the seat, and place the cleaning supplies in your cabinet. Make sure to add an area for shoes and boots.
Keep indoor shoes in a crate near the shelves
For those that are not comfortable walking around without shoes, you can put a pair of house shoes or slippers in a tote or crate near the door. This way, anyone that wants to wear shoes can still grab a pair that was not worn outside to use in the house, and they can get out of anything wet. You can use flip-flops or keep extra for guests to use too.
Other mudroom tips
Make a rule that everyone leaves the shoes at the door. You will keep the biggest messes near the doors and prevent people from tracking dirt through the entire house. Check the area when you walk by to catch messes before they dry and become harder to clean. People says that a bleach pen is handy for tile floors when you want to brighten up or clean the grout. This tip is very handy for homes that have a bathroom just inside the door to the home.
Know how to clean your floors
Depending on what flooring material you have in your home and at the entrance dictates the solutions you should clean with and how to clean the floor.
Tile and natural stone slabs
Experts say that you should never use an abrasive solution on the tile. Another no-no is a vacuum with a beater bar. Both items can scratch, ding, or take a chunk out of your floor. Diluting dish soap in warm water is excellent for these flooring options. You can also use a bleach cleaner.
Carpet and rugs
To refresh an area or remove odors, you can sprinkle a little baking soda on the carpet. You will want to let it sit for about 15 minutes. Vacuum until clean. Repeat the process if necessary. If the stain or odor persists, then a carpet cleaning foam or a trip through the washing machine may be the best solution. Keeping a stain remover handy is a great idea.
Hardwood flooring
To keep the mud from soaking into wood floors with oil or wax, applying a fresh coat at the end of winter is a good idea. For floors with a surface sealer, you can use warm water and vinegar or wood cleaner. For oil and wax sealed floors, it is best to go with brooms and dry mopping methods to minimize the chance of the wood soaking up the water.
Laminate floors
Our experts suggest using a damp mop if you need moisture for laminates. A dry mop the rest of the time works best. You can use a vinegar and warm water solution in small amounts, if necessary.
Linoleum
You should not use abrasive cleaners or solvents on linoleum. It is best to go with a damp mop or a mild vinegar and water solution for this material.
While you still may find yourself cleaning up several times a day, the advantage of using our ideas is that you will have a smaller area to clean. With the right cleaning products for each flooring type, you know that the messes will come up easier. You will maintain your floors with the proper floor care.
Accent on Floors is your Hopewell flooring expert. Our experience and local knowledge help us serve the community better. We want to help you retain the value of your home or business by caring for your floors and helping them last for years. We are here to answer questions, offer advice, and give you a free consultation about flooring repair, replacement, and cleaning. Feel free to call our expert staff at 804-458-0048 to schedule a visit.