Cleaning carpets, wooden floors and floors, in general, can be quite a task. This is because, being one of the quickest surface areas upon which germs and bacteria are easily spread, floors are quick to get dirty and need to be constantly maintained.
Floor cleaning requires patience, attention and time, some more than others. As well as this, different floors require different cleaning methods as they are made from different materials. So if you’re not looking to hire someone then here are some DIY cleaning tips for keeping your floors clean all year round.
Carpets
When it comes to maintaining the appearance of carpets, you need to be well informed about the right cleaning tips, especially because it’s not always easy replacing carpets. There really isn’t any need to change your entire carpeting because of one little affected area.
Tackle Stains Immediately
Stains can leave lasting effects on most carpets. Sprinkling baking soda over stains overnight and vacuuming leaves them as good as new the next day. Club soda also works miracles, however, you’d want to make sure that you blot, rather than rub over affected areas with a cloth. Alternatively, pressing a clean sponge onto the affected area that’s been soaked in an equal vinegar and water mix for 15 minutes will get the job done. Repeat the process for tougher stains. For wax stains, remove by ironing with a towel over the affected area.
Vacuum and Deep Clean Regularly
To ensure your carpet stays clean, vacuuming at least twice a week is encouraged. However, beyond just surface cleaning, it is important to get in there as liquid, dust, dirt and grease deposits in carpet accumulate over time. Hence, deep cleaning twice a year is ideal. This is what steam cleaning equipment is made for, as they work with pressurised nozzles and cleaning solutions to tackle deep-seated stains, leaving your carpet good as new.
Wooden Floors
Wooden floors might not be as daunting as carpet floors, regardless, they still require maintenance. It is easy for dirt to be transferred onto floors, especially when coming from outside; it is also easy for dust to visibly accumulate on wooden surfaces. So in cleaning wooden floors, different tools, techniques and processes should be used to ensure that they last all year.
Dust Before Mopping or Washing
It is important to dust and sweep the dirt off wooden floors before washing, as this reduces the effects of friction on wooden floors and the likelihood of having leftover dirt such as hair strands on floors after washing and mopping.
Deep Cleaning
This is required occasionally and is achieved for wooden floors by mopping with water and vinegar mix to remove stain residues, after which you can either run over it with a soft towel or air dry.
Waxing
Using water on wood over time takes off the shine, making it dull. Wax as often as you can by pouring wood wax onto a cloth or using a mop to evenly spread the wax across the entire surface. Finish off by polishing to increase stain resistance, minimise imperfections and leave a long-lasting shine.
Thank you for reading this blog post, if you have any questions or are thinking about hiring any equipment used for floorings, visit our contact page or call us on 020 8427 6604.