Easy Tips to Keep Your Carpet and Floor Clean

Tag : microfiber plain

They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it'sjust as true in keeping your carpets and floors looking fresh andnew. Here are some tips to help you keep your carpets and floorssparkling and fresh.

Cleaning Tips for Hard Floors

Tile, vinyl and hardwood floors have a reputation for beingmaintenance friendly, but there are some things that you can do tomake them even cleaner in less time.

1. Daily sweeping will minimize the cleanup needed.

Taking a few minutes a day running a broom or microfiber mop overyour hardwood, tile or other smooth surface floor will keep itlooking new for a longer amount of time. Dirt is an abrasive. Everytime you walk over the floor, you grind the dirt into the floor,reducing the life of the finish. Even worse, those tiny scratchesin the finish collect dirt, so your floor will look dirty faster. Aquick daily touchup will reduce the damage and everyday wear andtear on your floor.

2. Wipe up spills promptly.

When a spill sits on a floor for a prolonged period of time, themoisture will soften the finish and may permeate the finish andstain the surface. Even if it is 'just water', it is a good idea towipe up the spill with a soft, absorbent cloth to minimize damage,and keep your floors safer.

3. Use a damp mop once a week.

Once a week, use plain water and a damp mop to clean your hardfloors and pick up dirt that has become ingrained. Do keep in mindthat 'damp' means exactly that. Try not to flood the floor withwater; just give it a quick once-over with a damp sponge ormicro-fiber mop. Finish off with a swipe using a vinegar and watermixture to renew and refresh the shine.

Cleaning Tips for Carpets

Carpets and rugs pamper our feet and insulate our floors. Keepingthem clean is a fairly simple matter, as long as your keep a fewtips in mind.

1. Vacuum frequently.

Most of the damage done to carpets is done by plain, householddirt. Similar to how dirt abrades the finish on your hard floors,dirt can weaken the fibers of your carpet. A daily once-over with alight weight carpet sweeper like the Shark VX3 or the Shark SteamMop can prevent damage from dirt and lengthen the life of yourcarpet

2. Get to stains before they set in.

The longer chemicals are allowed to interact with carpet fibers,the harder they will be to remove. Get spills as soon as theyhappen to prevent them from becoming stains. Your best tool forgetting at stains is a soft white cloth to blot up the moisturebefore it sets in.

3. Shampoo carpet once or twice a year.

It's not necessary to wet-wash your carpet any more often than onceevery six months or so, if that. Before shampooing, be sure to spottest with the shampoo you are planning to use to be sure that itwon't damage the carpet.

The Worst Floor Cleaning Jobs - And How to Make Them Easier

Eggs!

One of the ickiest floor cleaning jobs in the world is the droppedegg. The slimy whites and yolks just seem to slide away from yoursponge or mop, and leave a sticky residue on the floor. Before youstart wiping up, get out the salt and pour it on. The salt willabsorb the moisture in the egg so you can just sweep it up, or grabit with your carpet sweeper.

Crayons!

Did your little darling color outside the lines, and all over yourtile floor? It's not necessarily easy, but it is effective. All youreally need is a dry soft cloth or paper towel and a heavy dutyapplication of elbow grease. Wax can just be buffed off the floor,but do not scrape or scratch. If you do, you will damage the finishand let dirt get in beneath it.

Red Wine Spills!

Red wine and grape juice spills can be a home-owner's horror whenit comes to your carpet or upholstery. Your best bet is to get toit before it dries and sets into a stain. As soon as it happens,grab a soft, absorbent cloth and start blotting. DO NOT RUB orSCRUB. This is vital; it will just work the stain into the fibers.Put the cloth over the stain and press down firmly to absorb asmuch of the wine as possible. Turn to a clean section of the clothand repeat until none of the wine remains.

What if the stain has set? Mix up a solution of two parts hydrogenperoxide and one part blue dishwashing liquid, apply to the stainand let sit, and then blot it up as described above.