Monday, May 3, 2010

Are You Sure Your Floor's Are Clean?

How do you clean your kitchen floor? Do you use a sponge mop, an old fashion cotton mop, or maybe you have one of those new-fangled electronic do-hickies that you have to keep buying those expensive cleaning pads for. If you are using any of the above methods, your floors are not as clean as you think they are.

When you mop with either version of the standard mom, not long after starting, you will be "cleaning" with dirty water. When you use those gadgets, you might get a little better job done, but they are expensive, and you still aren't going to get up the tough stuff, unless you are using a super harsh cleaner.

What cleaning agent you chose is up to you. I prefer non-toxic, preferably plant based, cleaners because I have 3 young children running around, and I am sensitive to many chemicals. But that isn't what this is about. This is about the "how" of cleaning laminate floors.

Let me start by saying, I didn't come up with this. I was taught this by someone I know, we shall call her *E*. She use to clean houses with one of her friends. This is how they always cleaned the floors, how *E* cleaned her floor, and now, how I clean mine. ~~The instructions I provide are simply that, mine. This is how I clean my kitchen floor. Probably not exactly like *E* taught me, but it works.~~

You will need:
broom/dust pan
cleaner
hot water
rag(s)
old clothes
shoes

Instructions for a sparkling truly clean floor:
1. sweep really well.
2. spray cleaner onto the really dirty spots on the floor
3. put hot hot water on the rag, get on your hands and knees, and attack the dirty spots. rinse rag as soon as it gets dirty (you can use a bucket, but this goes back to cleaning with dirty water...)
4. once you have all the tough spots done, lightly spray the rest of the floor. you don't need to over spray, or your floor will end up slippery
5. more hot water, back on your knees, and scrub the rest of the floor. rinse rag as necessary.
6. (optional) you can either let your floor air dry, or for an even better clean, you can take a dry rag and dry it as you go.

End result: floors you could eat off of (not that you would, but you could...)

Again, this is how I do it. I just wanted to pass this tip along. And it really doesn't take any longer than regular mopping, if you are mopping to get your floor absolutely clean. Give it a try and see what you think. And, thanks *E* for teaching me this method.

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