Keeping Floors Clean Can Be Simple

Your floors take the brunt of everything that happens in your home. Spills from cooking and eating, footprints as the kids come in from outdoors, even muddy paw prints from pets can accumulate and have floors looking messy in a hurry. Bacteria can grow in these spills and even a dry spill can be an accident waiting to happen.

So how do you care for your smooth surface flooring? While there are many ways to keep a floor clean; anything from a good old scrub brush on your hands and knees to a modern self-wringing mop bucket, there are a few steps that may remain the same.

Sweep or Vacuum Daily

Floors can be subject to lots of kinds of dirt besides food spills and pet tracks. Dust is a daily occurrence and can get into any space where air can reach. Dust can be largely made up of dead skin cells that slough off as people move around. If there is a pet in the home, hair, fur and dander can also contribute.

Different types of miniscule mites may also found in dust. In humid conditions, moisture in the air may cause dust to stick. Sweeping or vacuuming your floors frequently may greatly reduce allergens or irritants that dust carries.

Clean Up Wet Spills Immediately

Whether the spill is a bowl of soup, a cup of sugary juice, or just a few drips from the edge of a pan while cooking, wiping it up right away can prevent a few problems. Most importantly, it may be easier to clean while wet. Sugar and starches can set up into hard or crusty spots that may require more scrubbing or saturation and soaking before they will release and come up.

On hardwood, the acids in juice may even discolor or stain the surface if allowed to sit. These spots can then collect dirt, leaving dark splotches on the floor, and may also attract pests, so cleaning up right away can help avoid that problem.

Occasional Cleaning

Whether you have spills or not, your floors will likely benefit from a good washing now and again. Using your floor manufacturers suggested cleaning products, wash well in the corners and traffic areas. Pay special attention to areas where people or pets eat and in high traffic areas. Keeping floors clean when they are not bad may prevent major cleaning projects in the future.

Your floors don’t have to be the dirtiest area of your home. With proper care and cleaning, they may provide a great foundation for your everyday work and play and be one less worry in your busy life.