Those boots have been walkin’ all over your floors throughout the long, dirty, cold months of winter, leaving dirt and mud in hard to reach corners. But March has arrived, and soon it will be time to roll up your sleeves, move the furniture aside, and give your floors a good spring cleaning.
But what if you want to clean your floors the eco-friendly way? Below are some tips for cleaning Tile, Wood, Vinyl, and Linoleum Floors with natural cleaners that won’t harm your family or the environment.
- Ceramic-tile Floors: The first step to cleaning ceramic-tile floors is to sweep or vacuum to remove loose dirt, dust, and pet hair. According to HGTV.com ceramic tiles can be cleaned with nothing but warm water. Be aware that a sponge mop will push dirt into the grout tracks, while a micro-fiber mop picks up all the dirt. If you decide to use a rag and to clean on your hands and knees, wipe in a circular motion across the floor. A number of companies have developed chemical-free steam cleaners that use nothing but water. Shark and Bissell, for example, each offer a number of models.
- Hardwood Floors: We’ve mentioned this eco-friendly hint before on our blog – warm water that has had several tea bags steeping in it is a good eco-friendly cleaning agent for hardwood floors. eHow.com offers detailed directions to help you clean hardwood floors this way (after sweeping), and recommends that you scrub the floor with a damp cloth rag. The tannic acid in the tea will create a beautiful shine. HGTV.com notes that to cover up scratches, you can take a crayon the color of the floor and rub it on the scratch, then use a blow dryer to heat the area before buffing it with a soft cloth.
- Vinyl Floors: HGTV.com recommends mixing Borax in a bucket of warm water to clean vinyl floors.
- Linoleum Floors: Yahoo! Green notes that, “Real linoleum—as distinct from synthetic versions or vinyl—is made from all-natural materials, including wood flour, rosins, ground limestone, powdered cork, pigments, jute and linseed oil. As such it is one of the greenest flooring options out there today.” Borrowing some tips from Care2.com, the site recommends sweeping, dusting, or vacuuming linoleum floors frequently, and then using a damp mop with mild, all-natural liquid dish soap to clean. If you add a half-cup of vinegar to the rinse water, you will get a nice shine. A sponge dipped in jojoba oil and rubbed lightly on scuff marks before wiping up completely should help get rid of the marks. Pencil erasers can also work, according to The Good Human. A paste made with water and baking powder will help get rid of tough stains. If you’re looking for a floor wax, a common recommendation is Livos’ BILO, a paste wax designed for wood, cork, tile and linoleum. The product is derived from beeswax and linseed oil, is made from organic ingredients and is 100 percent biodegradable and safe for humans, animals, air, water, and soil.
- Grout: Grout is notorious for collecting ground-in dirt, especially in high traffic rooms such as the kitchen or bathroom. Dirty grout can affect the entire look of your floor and room. ServiceMaster Clean offers professional combination Tile and Grout Cleaning Services. Our powerful truck-mounted cleaning system uses heat, a specialized cleaning solution, and vacuum power to remove the dirt that homeowners can’t. We complete the job with a high-pressure rinse. After cleaning your tile and grout, our professional technicians will apply a penetrating sealer to protect grout against mildew and staining for up to three years. If you have colored grout in your kitchen or bathroom, or between other tile surfaces, our special Grout Sealing process will protect it. If you want to tackle grout yourself, HGTV.com notes that many stains are on the surface of the grout and can be removed with sandpaper or a pencil eraser.Buzzle.com provides recipes for homemade, eco-friendly grout cleaning solutions that use such ingredients as baking soda, salt, water, and vinegar.
Carpet cleaning is one of our signature services. Enjoy clean, eco-friendly floors this spring.
Of course, for all your cleaning needs, call the experts at Park-Ellis ServiceMaster today at 419-861-9602!
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
