Between us, who doesn't love the feeling of freshly cleaned floors underfoot? However, not everyone appreciates the chemicals found in many of the cleaning solutions currently on the market. You may not know this, but you don't need to resort to toxic cleaning products to effectively maintain your floors. having a very clean house Some very simple household items can tackle even the dirtiest surfaces!
In the following paragraphs, you will find four household products that, although commonplace, can nevertheless serve as effective cleaning solutions. These simple homemade recipes will clean and shine your floors just as well as ordinary products packed with chemicals.
Table of Contents
How often should you clean your floors?
While sweeping is essential for cleanliness, dusting and vacuuming, which remove dirt and debris, also contribute to the maintenance and longevity of floor finishes. Generally speaking, the best time for a quick clean depends on the overall condition of the floors. As a guideline, the most frequently used floors in the house—namely the entryway, kitchen, living room, and hallways—should be swept or vacuumed every one to three days, and the floor should be mopped once a week.
Sweep or vacuum first: the choice is yours!
Before mopping, and to prevent floors from becoming sticky and smeared, start by thoroughly sweeping or vacuuming the entire surface. Any stubborn stains that resist the first pass should be scrubbed and removed with a sponge soaked in soapy water.
What you will need to make your own household cleaning product
- Regarding the equipment:
- A bucket (minimum)
- A mop
- Regarding the products:
- First option: white vinegar
- Second option: window cleaner
- Third option: mild dishwashing liquid
- Fourth option: isopropyl alcohol
- Scented oil or lemon juice (optional)
Tip: Two buckets are better than one!
Many people mistakenly believe they know how to mop. However, how many only use one bucket, when ideally they should have a second one available to hold the rinsing water?
Two buckets, then: one for the homemade cleaning solution, and the other containing only clear water.
Precautions
When using a water-based cleaning solution, be sure to check that your flooring is completely sealed. A natural wood floor—or worse, a laminate floor—that isn't sufficiently coated with polyurethane varnish or a similar finish is at risk of water damage. While a light cleaning is usually fine, remember never to saturate your floor.
Option 1: Use vinegar as a cleaning product
A natural disinfectant, vinegar is also effective as a household cleaner and can be safely used on your floors. While the smell it gives off when mopping isn't the most pleasant, the fumes will gradually dissipate as it dries, leaving you with clean floors free of chemical residue.
Try the following three combinations, halving them if the area to be cleaned is small:
- Pour 1/2 cup (125ml) of distilled white vinegar into 4 liters of hot water.
- Mix 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of mild dish soap in 4 liters of hot water.
- Mix 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar with a few drops of fragrant essential oil or lemon juice in 4 liters of hot water.
Second option: use window cleaner
While this type of cleaner isn't entirely natural compared to other store-bought detergents, it's significantly easier to use. In addition to working remarkably well on mirrors and glass surfaces, you can also use it to clean your floors without any problems.
In addition to removing particularly unsightly stains from glossy surfaces, there is the added benefit, depending on the surface, of simply spraying the solution directly onto the affected area and quickly mopping to get rid of dirt and sticky marks just as quickly.
The following preparation, as with the previous one, can be adjusted according to the available surface area:
Using a bucket, add equal parts window cleaner and hot water. For laminate floors, use less cleaner, adding 60 ml for every 2 liters of hot water.
Third option: use dishwashing liquid
By using only a mild detergent, you can use dishwashing liquid on many surfaces without leaving any residue. Just be careful not to use too much, as this can create a sticky film on the surface.
You can try the following two mixtures:
- Mix 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid in 185ml of hot water.
- Mix 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid with 500ml of distilled white vinegar and 125ml of lemon juice in 500ml of hot water.
Fourth option: use isopropyl alcohol
While plain water is sufficient for laminate wood floors, rubbing alcohol can be used freely when stains and dirt are stubborn. The advantage of this alcohol-based solution lies in its rapid evaporation, which leaves no traces or marks.
Below are two of the most common ways to use it:
- Mix 250ml of ispropyl alcohol in 4 liters of hot water.
- Mix together 250ml each of distilled white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and hot water.
5th option (bonus): hire a home cleaning service
We hope you found some simple homemade recipes to clean your floors naturally and affordably. Let us know how it goes! If you don't have the time or inclination, however, Le Chiffon Vert offers a full range of home cleaning services, from Repentigny to Pointe-Claire and throughout Montreal. Our products, as you've probably guessed, are EcoLogo certified, which are non-toxic and environmentally friendly. So, don't hesitate to call on our teams residential and commercial cleaning services!