Category: Daily Living
hey :)
how do you guys cean your floors? would like to know if anyone has hints and tips for me :)
- Ranveig -
Hands and nees with a bucket near and a large rag or towel. To sweep just use a vacum cleaner on the low setting, then after that feel in the corners and use the hose to get these. Then if not clean mop as I described. You'll do great, and even my sister who can see mops this way, so. Smile.
Agreed with the last poster. Yes, hands and knees does the trick, and here's to a vacuum or a quick broom for the rest.
I find it takes longer that way, but definitely more accurate.
Might take longer, but when your done you got it going on. If you're tired after you don't even have to get up, just reach in the fridge, grab your eats and use it as the table. Smile.
would you then use washrags for it, not mops?
- from what i recon, at least on my floors, we rarely use soap water, cause it makes the dust clay to the floor, and it will become harder and harder to clean.
- Ranveig -
I use ACV mixed with water in a spray bottle and then spray on the floor and wipe in circler motions with a cloth of some kind. Then once fully dry I go over it again with windex to make it sparkle and shine. The vinagure staralizes it and cleans it, then the windex makes it shine. I do have a verry small kittchen, about fix by two feet of floor to clean so this isn't hard to do at all. I don't find it necessary to get a mop for sutch a small area; however, when I move adn live in place with a bigger kittch floor, I will us a mop. I have no ishues using one. just try to brake the floor down in to small parts and do a peace at a time. if your using a mop or atowl of some kind, get it damp, not soked.
To much soap in your water will make it sticky. Rinse it with clean water then dry it.
I just bought a sponge mop a few weeks ago. I never thought of actually going on my hands and knees to clean things. In any case, I use either the Bi-O-Kleen conscentrated cleaner or their spray and Wipe for regular stuff. I love ECover too but don't know if they have an all purpoe cleaner. I bought a nonclorine oxigenated bleech but can't find it. lol My vacuum is the kind with a bin instead of a bag, no hose and only one switch to turn it on and off. Still, it definitely does the trick and I love it. It's also very light. Even though I'm considering broom making, I've never really used one on my own since I couldn't figure out how. That is, how do I insure that the dirt etc. goes into the dustpan?
when using a broom? after sweeping up the dirt and stuff, use a vacume, that away you don't have to worry about trying to get all the little lines thatforms after sweeping in to the dust pan.
i have the h2o mop. I love it. it don't use any chemicals just steam cleans the floor. awesome! I also have a hard wood floor vacume. i so don't like sweaping. so vacume all the way for me. lol
I agree. Vacuuming is the way to go. Plus, my fiance and I have one of those robot vacuums that my mom gave us for Christmas, so all we really have to do is make sure there's no wires or shoes on the floor for its wheels to get stuck on. It's briliant!
I like using vinegar as a floor cleaner. It helps get rid of odors too.
I use a regular broom and a dustpan. Here's a couple of tips for you broom-phobic people. First, get a good broom. Next, take off your shoes and either wear socks or not. Next, start at one particular part of the room, say like a wall. Next, sweep using straight motions. I place the end of the dustpan right near my foot, so I know where it is. Then, you'll be less likely to kick it around. Repeat the process in a grid like motion. to avoid lines, sweep all the dirt into the dustpan, and move the pan back a couple of inches, and repeat the process. Soon, you'll have swept up any remaining crumbs. Don't worry about tiny crumbs, a mop will usually pick these up fine. Beware of sponge mops, as these can sometimes leave lines on your floor. I prefer a string mop, but a nice one that has an automatic wringer. You could also try one of those swiffer ones. I've never used these though. I like either Chlorox Cleanup spray, or amonia for the floors. These are kind of strong though, so I think vinegar would work well. Again, don't get too muchsolution. I usually mop one room, then another. Then by the time I'm done, I can rinse off the first floor and then the second. It doesn't take that long, and I love a nice shiny floor. HTH
I actually use Mr. Clean as a floor cleaner, depending what kind of floor I'm cleaning. There are actually some kind of floors, like real hardwood, where I don't think you can use a chemical floor cleaner. But Mr. Clean works really well, it isn't too strong, and I can spray it onto a slightly wet rag.
These are all very helpful. I've been pretty phobic about cleaning the floor since I can't see anything and dread the keep going over and over and still missing things factor. What do you guys do for the mess round the stove, didn't know it got so dirty down there till I had to move the fridge so Annabelle could get the mouse she'd been stalking for 2 days. Yuck, vinigar works wonders on the bits that I can get clean though.
Use a thin cloth to get the crumbs underneath the stove, or if your stove has a bottom drawer for pots and pans, remove it, and if there's nothing underit, then use a cloth and some cleaning solution to clean it. This works in my house at least. You could also try using a vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool, this might be thin enough to slide under your stove. Again, just work in a sort of pattern, and you should be fine.
Maybe you could pull the stove forwoard a bit to bring it away from the wall so you could then lift up the frunt and prop it on something like a brick, and then clean under it?
My stove and fridge really needs to be cleaned under, but my kittchen is to small to do much.
I'll give both of these a shot, I'll need to because I too have a small kitchen. Thanks for the suggestions. Tiffany
Really interesting comments here. I'm glad I'm not the only one who dreads cleaning the floor. I could never eally understand hoe the string mops worked. Then again, I've never seen one with an automatic ringer. Mine's a sponge mop. I'm really interested in the h2o kind. That sounds really neat. I saw it advertised in a magazine and was wondering about it. Is it electric? Do you use water or anything? I don't remember what the ad said. White vinegar is very good for cleaning fllors, tables, windows etc. I even use it whenever I get a cut because it closes it right away and stops the bleeding. I definitely need to clean under my stove as well, so must consider some of these options. We're actually putting down a new kitchen floor in my place soon. I'm thinking I'll go with either vynil or lanolium. I don't want hard wood, since it's expensive and can be a pain to clean, and I certainly wouldn't want these rubber tial things that I have now because they get all sticky as the glue comes up. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Eleni
To clean behind the refridgerater and under the stove, first I move them out from the wall, If you have a gas stove you may need some assistance to move it so that the gas pipes will not be damaged. Then I willll use the hose and attachments on my vacume to clean the floor and then mop on my hands and kneese to make sure I have not missed anything. When I clean my friend's floors I do use one of those swipper jet mops, of course after I have swept and mopped the floor first.
I hope this helps.
Hmm I love both a swiffer mop and a dry swiffer, I usely go over the floor more then once to make sure the dust and crumbs are up. When I finish I check the bottom of the swiffer pad to see how much has ogtten up. I also use a vacume to clean the floor too.
We just bought a place with hardwood floors, so they need sweeping. We do have a vacuum that I think won't damage our hardwood but I'm a little freaky about trying that one. Are there special hardwood floor vacuums?
Also, any pointers on using a canister vacuum rather than an upright? I am used to uprights and the motions to use them, but I always seem to be on my hands and knees with my canister vacuum...
CM
I'm really proficient in just about everything in the home until it comes to the floors. I vacume and even use the hose and brushes on the baseboard, which does take care of most of it, but when it comes to mopping, I know that I can't see to know if I've left streaks or lines and the likes. I usually get down on my hands and knees with a towel soaked in my mopping solution. I usually use a bit of degreaser and mister Clean and water. I'm not exactly the most in shape person in the world. I'm working on becoming round, since round is a shape, right? anyway, even though it's a small apartment, scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees can sure make me feel as though I've done quite a lot of work, but I'm still paranoid. Thanks for all the helpful tips thus far.
The ticket to cleaning a hard floor is what is called an electric broom. You just run them the way you would an upright vacuum but they have a cannister in them.
Frankly, after I've vacuumed a hard surface I just use a rag and get on the hands and knees to mop up as I don't trust myself with a long-handled mop.
But those electric brooms are a Godsend, just sayin'.
Okay, it seems most people have small kitchens and rooms?
If so the way to use the mop is to turn your body in front of the area your mopping and scrub side to side until you feel it's clean, then leave it to dry. I never heard of the hands and nees thing.
Miss Devious
so agreed... I just go over the serfice a few times not into getting on my hands and nees.
Myself, I use an H2O mop as someone previously mentioned ... and I've got a ShopVac for the heavy duty stuff. I also have an autistic child who hasn't quite figured out how not to drop his snack on the floor (I'm serious! The house stayed miraculously clean during the week he was at camp!), and it manages well enough to get anything I miss with a mop. Worst case scenario (or if I'm doing a pre-move-out cleanup, because who doesn't want to get their security deposit back), it's hands and knees and a washcloth. Or just hire someone to do that.
That's just weird...the hands and knees things...
Would it seem less weird to you if I told you I've seen sighted people do it too?
... If yes, I expect that's another study entirely for another time.
I've seen my mother scrub the walls with an old hand towel. I thought I'd never convince her of the uses of a sponge mop, but I did finally succeed. She says that it really does save her a lot of time.
My mother does the sweeping and mopping for me, but she's not always around and I want to become more comfortable with it. She keeps telling me she will show me, but I think she prefers to do it, and that to me, isn't going to work. So, in looking at suggestions people have left, I'm going to see what I can do to teach myself. And thanks to the person who started this topic.
lol I just got done mopping our bathroom floor the other day. I'd only done it once, and that was a couple years ago since last year I lived in the dorms and then was at home where mom does it or we have a cleaning lady that comes in and does it since we're all so busy lol. My roommate showed me how to use her mop and I mopped in circular motions all over the very small bathroom making sure I got every bit of the floor, then just left it to dry. We were gonna use our other roommates' swiffer wet jet on the kitchen floor but it was out of fluid so we just did it dry and it did ok and then we used a shop vac.
Cleaning the floor is not difficult for me at all. First of all, I never sweep, I just vacuum. Is there a difference in the result?
As far as mopping goes, I'm quite proficient with a sponge or string mop that has a ringer. I do back and forth and sometimes circular motions with the mop. I establish a pattern with both vacuuming and mopping by using the positioning of furniture around the room. You won't catch me down on my hands and knees unless I'm looking for something, and even then that's questionable.
A friend of mine helped me out cleaning the floors for abit, and then we ran into a very interesting cultural meeting. :)
When she came to help me out, she asked wether i had a broom.. "no, only the bacuum cleaner" ... as she's from Ghana, she's used to clean otherwise, and have never really tried a vacuum cleaner before. I guess they suck up too much electricity for her, and traditions are hard to melt down ;) She was scared of my vacuum for abit, but now she's growing in comfidence ... i think it's pretty fun. the other day she went "ehm .. that vacuum of yours, it really cleans things faster than the room!" anyway, it was interesting to see the two cultures meet :)
I think she's used to some type of electric broom that will blow on the dust and you send it out that way. I don't dare to imagine how that would look in my apartment .. with black dog hair all over ;)
thanks for all the nice tips and ideas. :)
- Ranveig -
For anyone not yet convinced, all these methods beat the army method with a toothbrush ...
I can use a broom, but I do agree get a good one, not one of these with plastic bgristles. Get bare footed, so you can feel the floor and the dirt, and get a good dust pan. I think the vac works best, and yes you can use any vac on wood floors. You don't need a special one. Wood flooring is great stuff if kept, but tile is easier to deal with. If you must use a mop I think the string mop is the best. You can't really get in corners with a sponge mop, so you'll leave dirt every time unless you can see. Yes sighted people clean on hands and nees. Smile. My sister does it.Great tips on the stoves, but moving them and the fridge is best if you really want clean. For the smaller of us get help with that. If you do it right once you'll not have to do it but once every 6 months if you don't sweep dirt under their. Smile. Happy floor cleaning.
I forgot so say. If you are using a canister sweeper get a larger attachment on the bottom for it. Use plenty of hose, or the extenders and make sure they are fitted tightly. Then you can move it back and forth just like you do the upright. These are great for corners, but now most uprights have hoses too.
Steam mop, all the way. You can get them for under $100 if you look hard enough and the steam sterilizes the floor. I have a Dirt Devil steam mop, but I've heard that the Shark is a dream. Check it out.
I us ally do my floors with a swiffer sweeper/mopper thing and also a steam cleaner. Before I got those things, it was a sponge mop for me with a run of the vacum before its use. But I gotta say, I so love my steam cleaner and the swiffer sweeper/mopper works great when ya gotta clean quickly!!
Yeah, before the steam mop, I did the hands-and-knees-with-a-large-towel-with-cleaner routine. I have a bathroom floor, a kitchen floor and an entry way. We get lots of rain here and I have 2 active little kids, so I am SO happy to have my steam mop and vacuum.
I sweep and vaccuum, but I am freaked out about wrecking my gorgeous hardwood floors. Thanks for teh suggestions!
Swiffer products are great...wouldn't reccommend their duster, but the vacuum and the WetJet mop are great for hardwood floors. The vacuum you have to charge when you're done...the way it sounds when you've been using it for awhile you know it's dying...then you just toss the pad and release the filter & empty it. WetJet you just toss the pad, no on your hands & knees or wringing a string mop, and the liquid container is easy to attach & remove.
Yep, the shark is a dream. I've gotten over my weirdness about using the mop and the vacuum and the floor is much cleaner. The nice thing with the shark is the pads are washable and there's no fluid or pads to keep buying. I still haven't moved the fridge or the stove, the crevice tool and the mop got all the dirt you can see. What do you do when cleaning round and behind the toilet? I'm thinking a gallon of boiling bleach water rubber gloves and open window would do it.Nope not crazy about the hands and knees thing either. It's not perfect but much better than before. Tiffany
Does the steam mop work well on linolium floors?
Yes, it does. And like Tiffany said it doesn't require the use of chemicals which I love because my kids think it's fun to eat stuff off the floor when they drop it and that's why I have to be scrupulous with the steam mop. and the pads are reusable which is good for your wallet and your environment.
Guess you could use a mop with a short handle to clean back their, but I'm a hands and nees person. Ceaper, faster, and I know fore sure my floor is clean.
Ok, so I've got a gigantic house, almost 3 thousand square feet and only carpeted rooms are the 4 bedrooms and the stairs. We have 3 dogs so keeping the floors clean is quite a challenge but one that must be done nevertheless.
I've tried just about every flor gaget out there because I suck at sweeping and mopping which isn't good for a perfectionist. lol
The Shark is a complete and utter waste of money. Nuff said.
What I have found that works well is the Oreck hand vac. It's got a sholder strap and is fairly light weight and has a long hose with a rod to hold the floor attachment. I think it was probably designed to clean cars but whatever works. If I need it to be super clean, which is often since we're trying to sell our house, I'll go over it with the hands and knees method already mentioned. Shweew, that's tiring with this much hard floor so I suppose I should get some knee pads. lol
I really want one of those Mint thingies that Bed Bath and Beyond has been advertising. It's a robotic wet/dry floor machine.
When we had carpet, we used our Roomba but the poor little thing kept getting lost.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who doesn't like cleaning floors.
Wow, I feel like a dork. In reading more posts, it appears that some of you are using and loving the Shark. The one I got didn't have any pads though; it's just a vacuum with a hard surface setting. Sounds like there's something else I should have gotten.
Now if you have 3000 square feet of wood floors the hands and nees is not the thing. I am only talking about cleaning kitchens and baths, but for wood floors the vac is your best tool for me, then a wood floor mop, and a quality cleaner. Brushing the dogs offten will help, or taking them to a grooming shop if they are inside dogs, or come inside lots. I'd bath them myself in the tub with a hose attachment. All that hair will cut back lots of you keep them brushed, so less floor work. You do need to check however on the nees, so pads are a good idea. Smile. I did house cleaning as a business with my exe so understand your issue on a large house.