Washing the floors is often a lengthy, tedious process, but a few smart floor cleaning hacks prove that it definitely doesn’t have to be. A mop and store-bought floor cleaner may not be able to handle your toughest scuffs or your worst carpet spills, but there is sure to be something in your house that can. Use these smart tricks and surprising household objects to save yourself time and energy the next time cleaning the floors is on your to-do list.
Material required:
Vinegar
Water
Tea bags
Cloth
Spray bottle
Microfibre mop / a rubber broom
Plastic / silicone bag
Ice cubes
Old credit card / bench scraper
Grimy bathroom tiles: Letting your shower run at a hot temperature for about 10 minutes before you start cleaning the floors will make it significantly easier to remove gunk and grime throughout your bathroom. Be sure to leave the door closed so that the steam can collect and loosen up whatever is stuck on the ground. Once the floors are sufficiently moist, use your go-to floor cleaner and mop to get everything cleaned up.
DIY floor cleaner:
Creating your own floor cleaning solution lets you avoid harsh chemicals and save money on cleaning products. This is yet another job for that trusty pantry staple: white vinegar. To make a simple mopping solution for vinyl, tile, laminate and most other non-carpeted floors, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar per gallon of warm water. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oils to cut through the vinegar odour.
Pet hair before mopping: You love your furry pets. You really do. But you might love them just a little bit more if they would stop leaving their hair all over the place. Mopping a floor that’s littered with pet hair sometimes just pushes the hair around, which is both frustrating and not an effective way to get floors really clean. Try using a dry microfibre mop or a rubber broom with a squeegee head to pick up pet hair from the floor before mopping with a floor-cleaning solution.
Remove gum and other gunk with ice: Instead of battling stuck gum or glue with a mop, ice is the perfect secret weapon. Fill a plastic or reusable silicone bag with several ice cubes and let sit on the sticky spot until the gunk is fully chilled. Then, use an old credit card or a bench scraper to easily lift the frozen remains. You will never want to do it any other way again.
Tea bags to hide stains or scratches
Tea isn’t just great for its health benefits—it can also work wonders on your hardwood floors. Cover up stains and scratches by brewing five to six tea bags in boiling water. Let it steep and cool, then use it to wet a cloth or fill a spray bottle for coating the floor. Mop up as you normally would with a microfibre cloth. Don’t let the tea sit on the floor for too long if your wood is unfinished as this can cause moisture damage.
