Today there are many different types of materials used for installing the floors of a house. New innovative materials like cork, bamboo, linoleum etc. are also being used as flooring materials along with the traditionally popular hardwood, concrete, tiles etc. But the beauty of the room lies, not only in the type of material used but also in how well a floor is maintained.
Maintaining the newness and shine of floors especially made with concrete or wood can seem pretty daunting at first. But if carried out on a regular basis, wood and concrete floors are pretty easy to maintain and clean. In fact the use of green cleaning material also ensures that the floors are hygienic and safe even for kids and people with chronic ailments like asthma.
Cleaning tips for wood floors
Wood floors are grand to look at and warm and cosy to stay in. Yet they are also susceptible to scratches and dents. Accumulation of dirt and other impurities further tend to cause excessive damage to these already damaged areas thereby reducing their life cycle. Two very important things that need to be mandatorily remembered are:
- Wooden floors tend to warp in the presence of too much moisture
- Cleaning residues such as oil etc., will only dull the surface.
Hence regular care must be taken to ensure the same does not happen. Materials required for the proper cleaning of wood floors are:
- Warm water and vinegar
- Dish washing liquid and a soft bristle broom
- A vacuum cleaner with a soft brush or a soft bristled broom
- Twist mop and microfiber cloth
The method that needs to be followed is given below:
- The wooden floor needs to be either swept or vacuumed with a soft bristled brush.
- Using the twist mop the floor needs to be mopped. Care must be taken to rinse out the tip of the mop every few minutes and then wring it dry before re-mopping.
- The floor then needs to be buff-dried using the microfiber cloth.
Cleaning tips for concrete floors
This porous, uneven floor tends to get quite dusty and hence needs to be cleaned quite frequently. However the advantage of concrete floors is that it is water resistant and hence can be mopped everyday to keep it clean.
Some materials needed for cleaning concrete floors are:
- Hot water
- pH neutral cleaner
- A mop
- A brush with stiff bristles. Alternately a vacuum cleaner with an attached floor brush also does the trick.
The process to be followed is quite simple and involves:
- Sweeping or vacuuming the floor as often as possible
- Mopping the floor regularly using a solution of warm water and a few drops of the cleaning solution
- Tougher stains would require the application of a paste of the cleaner and warm water which needs to be kept for about 10minutes before scrubbing it off.
One point to be remembered here is that the mop used needs to be extremely clean since concrete floors have a tendency to absorb stains and dirt. Instances of staining should also be cleaned immediately to ensure they do not spoil the floor.
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