Cleaning and Caring For Your Floor

By: Jamie Ho Snodgrass
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:21:18
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Introduction:

Someone has rightly said that it is not enough to just own good. The beauty and the importance of owing it are only visible when the owner maintains it or rather in other words keeps it clean. Same is with floors. The maintenance of the floors is better done when you clean them in the required and the technical way.

Basic tips:

Because floors are so impenetrable, they are easy to keep clean. Most, if not all, polish will not stick to their surface area. All that is really compulsory is vacuuming, dust mopping, and maybe a damp towel at times. Most brands carry a 10 to 25 year housing warranty against staining, wearing, and fading. They are planned to look good for many years with a minimum of effort.

The action of cleaning:

While floors of some specific type are meant to stand up to wear, they keep a new look if you follow these simple behaviors:

* Vacuum or dust mop to take out loose dirt or grit.

* Damp mop using warns water; do not flood floor.

* Change water as needed to keep clean.

* Do not use polish or waxes

* Never clean with abrasives, scour powder or steel wool.

* Wipe up spills instantaneously.

* Avoid allowing any liquid to stand on your floor - together with your pets water bowl

How to fight dirt?

Dirt is the primary enemy of floors. Walking over time causes fine scratch that lead to dreariness and larger particle of sand or rocks cause visible scratch. A couple of behavior here includes:

* Glides or lessen bottom protectors under chairs and table legs to prevent possible scratching

* Floor mats and foot brushes to pick up dirt at all external doorway entrances

* Regular vacuuming and dust mopping to keep gravel off the floor.

If your scratch, you may be able to buy a touch up stick from the maker. The repair area is often invisible plus it will hold up to interchange and wear just like the rest of your floor.

In the occurrence damage is more severe (which is doubtful to happen in most homes) it is possible for a trained professional to replace a plank. Done properly, the new flat timber should be almost the same from the rest.

Spots

* Oil, paint, permanent marker, tar, rubber heel marks use a neutral cleaner on a clean brightness colored cloth or nail polish remover if needed

* Blood, fruit juice, wine, beer, soda pop, pasta sauce

Warm water and/or a impartial cleaner on a clean light colored cloth.

* Candle wax, chewing gum

First harden with ice, and then very softly scrape. Wipe with warm water on a clean light colored cloth.

Conclusion:

Let the floor shine and let not dirt make its home on the floor. So maintain it and clean it smartly.

Floor care - For a long lasting effect

We use and misuse the floor in our house in a number of different ways. Some of which are, not cleaning them regularly, rough usage and improper usage of acids and detergents. Floors need specific care, and not many people are aware of how to do it. But there are a number of floor care techniques that can be followed for a healthy, long lasting and durable floor under your feet. You should be very careful while making a choice of how to clean your floor by being material specific. For instance - if you have marble flooring, the care measures will be completely different, than those of a mosaic floor. Also if you are not too much into house keeping, it is recommended that you choose a material that requires minimal care and maintenance.

Floor care tips -

Following are some floor care tips according to flooring materials that are used for flooring -

1. Hard wood floors - All you have to do is protect your hard wood from direct sunlight, dents and hard cleaning detergents. Also regular dusting is very essential.

2. Marble - Marble is the most beautiful and rich looking flooring material. Marble can be blackened very quickly, if not taken care of properly. So it is important that the floor is mopped and swept daily with a lightly acidic detergent.

3. Ceramic tile - Ceramic tile care and maintenance is best done with an electric polisher or scrubber. You can also use washing soda and any low sudsing detergent with lots of water too.

4. Mosaic floor - Mosaic flooring is very hard and durable and hence very low maintenance too.

5. Vinyl - If you have vinyl flooring, you must make sure that you wipe up the spills as quickly as possible. Do not use detergents and highly abrasive scrubs, use polish once in a while.

Take all these care precautions and you will be assured of a long lasting, durable floor under your feet. If you have painted floor, make sure you give a fresh coat once in a while, as paint tends to loose color and become dull fast. Also don't paint your floor in a light color, as stains remain stuck.

There are many floor care products in the market, for specific floor types, go by the words of your reliable friends who have had a good experience with a specific brand.

Jamie is author of other Flooring Tips located at Home Improvement Tips and Flooring Information Please stop by and sign up for our free home improvement tip news letter.

Article source: Expert Articles