How to Clean Different Types of Floors? | 7 Different Floors!

An essential part of every house is the type of floor on the ground. The type of floor you choose will largely depend on your personal preferences because there are a variety of floors in the market. Most of them are quite easy to maintain but will require regular maintenance to make them look clean and sparklingly at all times.

Depending on the type of floor, they will require different maintenance and cleaning procedures. While some are easier to clean than others, they generally need to be cleaned from time to time. The cost of flooring for a regular-sized home can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 – this is just for regular sized homes and not for a commercial-sized property. It’s way better to maintain the floors you have presently than thinking of changing them to new ones.

How to maintain different types of floors

There are different cleaning requirements for different floor types. Remember that well-maintained and high-quality floors will last longer than abandoned floor types so it’s best that you make an effort on maintenance. Below is a list of the most popular floor types and how to maintain them:

1. Concrete floors and maintenance tips

If you have the funds, try to purchase commercial sealers to protect concrete floors. Commercial sealers will prevent moisture and debris from seeping into the naturally porous surfaces of concrete floors. Since concrete floors are prone to collecting large amounts of dust, it's best that you either sweep or dust the floor before washing with a cleaning agent like a mild detergent. Once in use a bristle brush to scrub the floor to maintain the luster nature of the surface.

2. Vinyl Floors and maintenance tips

Moisture is a vinyl’s floor worst enemy. You should never allow moisture or water to sit too long on a vinyl floor because it has the ability to damage the characteristic lamination of the floor. Wipe moisture and water with clean dry cloth by using a non-abrasive microfiber towel. Leave out washing the floor with water but you can use a mild neutral vinyl floor cleaner for deep cleaning operations.

You can also read: 10 Easy Steps on How to Mop and Clean Wood, Vinyl & Laminate Floors

3. Maintenance of Terrazzo floors

The first step to terrazzo floor maintenance is that you should ensure that the floors are well sealed with a proper terrazzo sealant. If they aren’t sealed properly, you should take steps to have them sealed to the concrete backing. Terrazzo marble tops are to be properly sealed to the concrete backing to prevent seeping water between the joints. Clean with water and a mild neutral floor cleaner or use a mob to keep it shining and in top condition.

4. Linoleum Floor cleaning

Linoleum floors are very easy to maintain – they only need regular dusting or vacuuming and mopping with a slightly damp mop. However, you may need to implement seasonal maintenance on linoleum floors because of the inevitable skids and heel marks. Clean these marks with a floor wax crafted specifically for linoleum floors. Regular polishing with a slightly damp cloth will keep it shining all day long.

5. Ceramic tile of porcelain floors

Like linoleum floors, ceramic and porcelain floors are equally easy to clean and maintain. With just a wet mop, stains and spills can be wiped off a ceramic or porcelain floor in no time. Additionally, you can use a neutral floor cleaner once in a while for deep cleaning. All kinds of mop work well with ceramic or porcelain floors so there is no shortage of cleaning tools for this flooring type.

To make the floors look as new as it was bought, ensure you clean out the grout lines in between the flooring making sure nothing gets stuck there. Finally, avoid like the plague, the use of abrasive cleaners as these may scratch the surface and dull the glaze of the floor.

6. Marble floor cleaning guide

Marble floors are extremely beautiful natural floors that add to the contemporary designs of any apartment. However, it has a characteristic porous nature and this makes them retain dust and dirt easily. The first maintenance approach is to ensure that a very good sealant is used to cover the pores. Then clean the floor with hot water or steam cleaning in conjunction with a neutral cleaning agent to avoid bleaching the shinning color of the marble. Use a mop to clean the surface of marble floors on a daily basis.

7. Wooden Floor maintenance tips

Maintaining wooden floors is harder than most of the floors discussed so far. In fact, the maintenance requirement of hardwood floors is one of the reasons why they are very unpopular among homeowners. However, they can last long if you maintain them regularly and give them the shine they deserve. 

As you know, water damages wood by dulling the finish and may even lead to irreversible dull looking wooden floors. You should never use a wet mop on a wooden floor unless it has been treated with polyurethane. Always aim to keep the floor dry at all times by removing or cleaning out the smallest of spills as soon as possible. Finally, never use anything else other than wood

Everyday Cleaning Routines 

We have just gone through the material-specific cleaning routines that should help you determine what’s best for your floor. However, there are everyday cleaning routines you need to imbibe to see to it that your floors get the best care available. 

Dust and Vacuuming every day: 

Dust sits on the surfaces of furniture and floors regularly so you must dust and vacuum the whole area every day. Don’t allow dust on the floors or on furniture for too long because they can get sticky and prove to be very difficult to remove. 

Clean spills as soon as possible: 

Irrespective of the floor type, don’t allow spills set for too long because they can damage the shine and introduce harmful chemical agents to the floor.  

Use matting: 

Placing mats strategically around your premises is a very good way of preventing dust, debris, and sand from entering your home. Invest in adequate floor protection to help preserve and promote the lifespan of your floor.

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