Archive for the 'Floors' Category

May 6, 2008 | Floors, Cleaning tips

Q (from V.): I really hope that you can help me.. I want clean floors. Let me rephrase that, I DESPERATELY NEED CLEAN FLOORS! I have dark green ceramic tiles throughout the majority of my house and I cannot get them clean. I have tried almost every product, they either a: Do nothing or b: Leave streaks and smears all over the tile. I have tried 3 different mops and countless cleaners. I would like to walk barefoot in my home without being creeped out!

A: Understandable, V.! I feel your pain. I have tile floors, and they can be a hassle to clean. Let’s see if some of these suggestions will help you.

First, it’s all in the process. Here are the steps:

1. Get up any loose dirt or grime first with a vacuum. If your vacuum isn’t appropriate for hard floors use a broom and dustpan, but the vacuum would certainly be quicker.
2. Next, fill your bucket with plenty of warm water and a cleaning solution that doesn’t use soap and doesn’t need to be rinsed (we’ll list some suggestions below).
3. Now, wringing out as much water from your mop as possible (and we prefer one of those wringable string mops - just twist to your heart’s content), mop small areas at a time, rinsing your mop in the water frequently.
4. BUT, when your mop water gets dark and cloudy, you’ll need to change the water - that’s important.
5. Mop the whole floor (or separate it into 2-3 sections if it’s a very large area), then grab an old towel and dry the floor - it’s easiest if you put the towel under your feet and shuffle around. You’ll be amazed at how much dirt your towel picks up from your cleanly mopped floor.

So, the next question. What do you use to clean your tile floor? You’ll want to avoid anything with vinegar, ammonia, or bleach, as they can each harm either the tile itself or the grout. Also avoid anything oil-based as it will leave a residue over time.

My favorite for ceramic tile is lemon juice and water (1/2 cup lemon juice in a bucket of water). Add a few drops of essential oils if you’d like - lavender is calming, or peppermint to give you an energy boost. If it’s cold season or you have allergies or asthma you might try eucalyptus. But keep in mind, if your floors are in bad condition to start with, it will take several cleanings to get the grime up.

Want something stronger? Shaklee H2 will make any floor sparkle - be it tile, hardwood, linoleum, or vinyl. Only a couple teaspoons in your bucket will do the job nicely. Other options? Mela Magic by Melaleuca has given us good results, as has Seaside Naturals All-Purpose spray.

Hope this helps! Remember though, it’s all in the process.

February 20, 2008 | Bathroom, Laundry, Floors, Kitchen, Vinegar, Cleaning tips, Being Green, Cleaning products

Thanks to Shannon for hosting Works for Me Wednesday. This week I’m going to share the most important tips I have on frugal green cleaning. Let’s face it - stocking up the cabinets with Seventh Generation, Method, and other ‘green’ cleaners can be expensive. But there are ways to do it without breaking the bank. Here goes.

First, raid your pantry. Here are some great cleaners you can make straight out of your pantry: (more…)

October 20, 2007 | Floors, Cleaning tips

Every now and then someone balks at what we recommend for cleaning hardwoods - that is, damp mopping with diluted vinegar or lemon juice and maybe an essential oil if you choose. Some people would say that any amount of moisture is bad for your wood. So here’s the scoop.

DAMP MOPPING

Some professionals recommend that you damp mop your hardwood floor and others cringe at the suggestion. Just remember, if your floor’s finish is in good shape and mopping is done correctly, the water won’t penetrate even the oil and wax finishes. You’re cleaning the finish, not the wood, so don’t use water if the finish is in poor shape.

Damp Mopping is the fastest and best way to deep-clean solid hardwood floors. Depending on how much use your floor gets, you may have to mop it as often as once a week. Use a neutral pH wood cleaner and water, or manufacturer- recommended products. Wet the mop and wring so it’s about half-dry. Wet the floor with the mop. Dip the mop into clean water, wring it as dry as you can and mop over the floor again.

Heavy-Duty Mopping

If floors are property sealed, the little extra water and cleaner required will not injure your hardwood floor, but use common sense. Vinegar — often prescribed to clean hardwood floors — does nothing for removing grease.

September 2, 2007 | Floors, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips

I just had new hardwoods installed in my living room and dining room - and they’re gorgeous. Lush, warm, all nice and shiny… I love ‘em. So naturally I’ve developed a renewed interest in maintaining them. I had a recent post on cleaning hardwoods, but I tried something new this weekend.

A healthy splash of apple cider vinegar (it kills germs and bacteria better than white vinegar) in the mop bucket, fill with water, add 5-7 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil. The tea tree oil serves multiple purposes - it overpowers the vinegar scent, inhibits mold growth, conditions wood, and inhibits bacteria and viruses. After mopping the floors looked great, the rooms smelled awesome, and I know that the tea tree oil is working its magic.

And that little additive is perfect for people who don’t like the way vinegar smells - a few drops of tea tree oil and you don’t smell the vinegar at all.

August 15, 2007 | Floors, Cleaning tips

They’re gorgeous. They add value to your home. They’re delicate. But they get dirty just like anything else in your home, and they need to be cleaned.

There are different schools of thought when it comes to cleaning hardwoods. Some people prefer expensive specialty products, some prefer to do it all on hands and knees with a gentle microfiber cloth. But pretty much everyone agrees that you should use as little water as possible. Our recommendation?

Sweep first. Having those dust and dirt particles on the floor when you start to mop could scratch your floors. Once you’ve swept, put a small amount of water in your mop bucket, and add a couple sprays of a gentle all-purpose cleaner (like Seventh Generation, Method, or Barefoot Home Essentials). A dollop of vinegar or lemon juice would do just as well - they both disinfect and clean well. Dampen your mop, wringing out as much water as possible. Then mop along the grain of your floors. Ventilate if possible, not because of the chemicals - we recommend using safe products that don’t require ventilation. But the ventilation will help your floors dry more quickly, and that’s good for the hardwoods.

That’s what works for us. Head over to Rocks in My Dryer for more helpful tips.