Try These Homemade Floor Cleaning Remedies Before You Call The Professionals
Spilling a glass of red wine or spaghetti onto a light-colored carpet is a traumatic event. Grout can become discolored on your tile flooring with age, and major food spills can happen on your laminate flooring at any time. These spills don’t have to be the end of the world, though.
There are plenty of homemade floor cleaning remedies you can try before you have to call the pros. With a little elbow grease (and some other key ingredients) you can pull many stains right out before they’re an issue. There are going to be times when you need to call a professional cleaner to help you fix life’s messes, but there are plenty of cleaning solutions you can try before you call them in.
Here are a few remedies you can try at home to clean up different types of spills and stains on all types of flooring.
NOTE: Remember to always test cleaners on an inconspicuous spot before applying to your stain. Always try to vacuum up any dried food or other particles. Blot stains to soak up as much liquid as possible before cleaning. Never rub a stain as you’ll only push it into your flooring.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
If you just have some general cleaning needs and aren’t focused on a specific kind of spill, an all-purpose cleaner might be what you’re looking for. This recipe will handle the everyday grime that pops up in your life. This cleaner shouldn’t be used on natural stone flooring because it includes vinegar, which can adversely affect your flooring with its acidity.
2 cups warm water
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
⅛ teaspoon dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
(optional) 5 to 10 drops of essential oil (or lemon juice)
Pour all of the ingredients into a spray bottle and mix well. Spray to clean.
wood flooring cleaner
Hardwood floors are a lot of work, but they’re also beautiful. You don’t want to ruin their natural beauty with improper cleaning or with harsh chemicals. This recipe will keep your wood floor looking at its peak.
1-gallon warm water
¼ cup white vinegar
(optional) 5 to 10 drops of essential oil or lemon juice
Pour the ingredients into a mop bucket and combine. Cover your whole floor with this cleaner before wiping it dry. Don’t let this cleaner sit on your floor too long to prevent the liquid from soaking into the wood.
LAMINATE FLOOR CLEANER
We’ve talked a bit at Goshen Floor Mart about the durability and ease of maintenance of laminate flooring. But just because it’s a low-maintenance flooring solution doesn’t mean it’s no maintenance. This recipe is an easy choice to keep your flooring looking great.
2 cups warm water
2 cups white vinegar
(optional) 5 to 10 drops of essential oil or lemon juice
Mix the ingredients together in a container. Apply conservatively to avoid liquid pooling on your flooring. Use a soft cloth or mop to apply the cleaner, which will help avoid scratching your flooring.
VINYL FLOOR CLEANER
Vinyl flooring is becoming increasingly popular in homes across America, and we’ve talked extensively about its pros (including its ease of care). Vinyl will withstand more liquid applied to it when cleaning, but you want to avoid any kind of abrasive material to avoid scratching.
2 gallons of warm water
½ cup isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
½ cup white vinegar
⅛ teaspoon dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
Combine the ingredients in a mop bucket and mix well. Mop the floor thoroughly and dry the floor afterward (most vinyl flooring is waterproof, but care should still be taken to avoid standing water).
TILE FLOOR CLEANER
The waterproof nature of tile flooring makes it a breeze to keep clean. While it won’t easily stain, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need to occasionally clean the floor (or the grout) to keep it looking its best. Baking soda and vinegar are a natural cleaning combination that does wonders to keep your grout (and tile) clean and looking sharp.
2 gallons of warm water
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup baking soda
1 tablespoon dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
Mix the ingredients in a mop bucket and apply to your floor. Remember to first apply to a low-visibility area to make sure there’s no discoloration of your tile with this cleaner.
NATURAL STONE FLOOR CLEANER
You want to be careful when cleaning natural stone flooring because it’s porous by nature and can soak up cleaners, which can lead to discoloration. For that reason, you want to use a cleaner that is pH neutral and has no acids or bleach.
1½ cups warm water
½ cup rubbing alcohol
½ teaspoon dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
(optional) 5 to 10 drops of essential oil
Combine these ingredients in a spray bottle and mix well. Test the cleaner in an inconspicuous spot to ensure there’s no discoloration to your tile or grout. Spray as you clean.
RUBBER FLOOR CLEANER
It’s not the most traditional household flooring. But we’ve talked about how rubber flooring is one of the most durable and waterproof flooring choices out there, and they’re on the rise in popularity for home gyms and for basements. This cleaner will help with some of the off-gassing aromas of newly installed rubber floors and will help keep in clean and sanitized year-round.
1-gallon warm water
1 cup dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
(optional) 5 to 10 drops of essential oil or lemon juice
In a mop bucket, mix the ingredients together. Mop the floor thoroughly. Multiple applications may be necessary to remove off-gassing aromas. Allow the room to air out and dry.
CARPET CLEANER
Vacuuming is the first step in keeping your carpet clean day-to-day. But when spills happen, it’s time to call in the big guns of cleaners. This recipe will work for general spot cleaning; different spills on your carpet call for different cleaners, so this cleaner may not work in all situations.
1 cup of warm water
⅛ teaspoon dish soap (without bleach, oils, or moisturizers)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda.
Combine these ingredients in a spray bottle and mix well. Clean the area around the spill or stain by vacuuming any particles and blotting any liquid spills. Spray the cleaner on a small portion of the spill or stain and scrub with a stiff brush or clean towel. Dab with a second towel to absorb excess moisture.
Trust the experts
The professionals at Goshen Floor Mart have more than 25 years of experience in floor cleaning remedies and they’re ready to share that knowledge with you. Call 574.642.4770 or contact us here CONTACT
If you're in the market for flooring feel free to contact Goshen Floor Mart. Remember, we are always happy to provide you with a free estimate. Call us today at 574.642.4770 or contact us here