When you're curious about how often you should clean a floor, the answer depends on what kind of flooring you have. Ceramic and porcelain tiles require a thorough deep cleaning once a week, preferably with a mop and bucket. Depending on traffic, vinyl sheet floors can be damp mopped once or twice a week. It would be best to clean laminate and hardwood floors at least once every three months with a soft broom or vacuum cleaner. Wood floors should be cleaned with a dry mop or vacuum cleaner once or twice a week and mopped with a damp cloth or sponge using warm water (not hot) and a mild detergent every two weeks. You can also use 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in 1 gallon of water to clean wood.
Traditional damp mopping remains the best way to clean many types of flooring. While flat mops like are great for daily cleanup of dust and light soil, only a good, thorough weekly damp mopping with a proper cleaning solution can provide the deep-down cleaning that most floors need to stay looking good. But what about deeper cleaning? How often should you clean your floors? Many people get confused because they do not realize that there are two different types of cleaning: maintenance cleaning and deep cleaning. You do maintenance cleaning regularly to keep your floors looking good (and clean). Deep cleaning is something else entirely — something that you do only when absolutely necessary.
So how often should you clean your floors?
In general, the answer is "as often as you can." But this is not a hard and fast rule. Many variables affect how often you need to clean your floor. For example, The type of flooring you have. Some types of flooring require more frequent care than others. For example, tile requires more frequent cleaning than carpeting because it has no padding underneath. Laminate and hardwood floors can also be challenging to clean without proper caretaking and equipment.
The amount of traffic in your home or business. The more people who walk across the floor, the faster it will get dirty — especially if they wear shoes or leave muddy footprints! The climate where you live or work. If it frequently rains where you live, then moisture from outside will come into your home through open doors and windows, which means mould will grow on porous surfaces like wood and carpeting. If you live where it snows in the wintertime (like me), snowmelt will creep inside those same porous surfaces when it melts away outside during warmer months after being absorbed by the ground all winter long!
Hardwood Floors:
Hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any room, but they require some special attention when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. Here's what you need to know:
Protect your hardwood floors with a commercial sealer to prevent moisture and debris seeping into the naturally porous surface.
Dust the floor before washing with a regular cleaner.
Regularly scrub and wax wooden floors to maintain lustre. Moisture is the number one enemy of wooden floors.
Never let spills sit long, and wipe all moisture off entirely with a smooth, non-abrasive wipe (like a dry microfiber towel) to avoid damaging the lamination. You can also use a natural multipurpose cleaner that contains no harmless chemicals.
Vinyl Floors:
Vinyl is one of the most popular flooring materials because it's durable and easy to clean. Vinyl floors are usually installed over concrete, making them easy to maintain and maintain their shine for years to come. But to keep your vinyl floor looking its best, you need to clean it regularly and properly. If you don't clean your vinyl floor often enough, dirt can build up quickly and cause scratches on the surface. To prevent this from happening:
Dust mops or sweepers can only do so much to remove dust from your vinyl floors. We recommend using a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar attachment instead of an upright vacuum cleaner that may leave streaks on your floors after each use. Use a neutral-pH floor cleaner that doesn't contain harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia to protect your vinyl surface while removing dirt and stains. For example, TheBetterHome's multipurpose cleaner. This plant-based multipurpose cleaner contains no harsh chemicals and is safe for pets and babies.
Linoleum floors:
Everyday cleaning of your linoleum floors boils down to dusting or vacuuming and a cushy touch of the mop. But, for seasonal maintenance and removal of skids, scuffs, and spit-up, really go for it and use a linoleum-friendly floor wax applied liberally. Then, polish off with a slightly damp cloth (just the floor wax with more cloth) for a perfect sheen. You can also use an all-purpose cleaner that is bleach and ammonia-free.
Terrazzo floors:
Terrazzo is the only flooring that doesn't require much besides sealing, cleaning with water and neutral floor cleaner, and general mopping. Linoleum, on the other hand, needs dusting, vacuuming and moping. Terrazzo floors are effortless to look after. They require little but a well-timed swipe with a good mop, and they'll be shining like they're new.
