Deep cleaning floors before the holidays may sound like one more thing to add to the busiest time of the year. However, with the right tools and tips, you can tackle your floor cleaning without taking too much time away from holiday planning. No matter what type of flooring you have, you will be able to get it ready in time for holiday parties and family visits by following these steps.
How to Clean Floors to Prepare for the Holidays
Deep Cleaning Hardwood Flooring
Deep cleaning flooring isn’t just about appearance; it’s about health and hygiene too. Hardwood flooring has an interesting set of standards since it can’t be cleaned with harsh chemicals and will absorb moisture. Instead of abrasive cleaning hardwood flooring, think about deep cleaning these floors as protecting against moisture and damage in the first place so that when you entertain over the holidays, dirt, debris, and the inevitable spill won’t bring the party down.
The amount of cleaning and time it will take depends on how regularly you maintain the flooring. Take these steps to protect hardwood flooring before holiday gatherings:
Sweep flooring regularly so that dirt and debris don’t have a chance to settle in.
Use warm but not hot water to wash the floors with a hardwood flooring mop or microfiber cloth. Or you can invest in a hardwood flooring spray mop that adds a protective coating while safely cleaning hardwood floors.
If there are specific trouble areas, you can use a rag and target them more fully without the mop but still use non-abrasive chemicals.
Dry flooring with a plush towel or other fabric that will not scratch the surface.
Deep Cleaning Residential Carpeting
Like hardwood flooring, residential carpeting should be maintained regularly to keep it hygienic and aesthetically pleasing. However, residential carpeting may not be as high-maintenance. Vacuuming at least weekly is recommended, even more in high-traffic areas. This will keep dirt and debris from breaking down the fibers in the carpet. Especially during seasons where outdoor hazards such as salt, snow, leaves, and other materials are tracked in, it’s essential to quickly rid the carpet of them.
Though it’s recommended that you hire a professional carpet cleaning company to shampoo carpets, if time doesn’t allow before the holidays, here’s what you can do:
Vacuum on a carpet setting.
Collect hair with a rubber headed squeegee or other pet hair removal tool.
Spread baking powder over the carpeting and vacuum up once it’s had time to settle in and soak up stains and odors.
If stains have settled for a while, spray a vinegar and water solution over them to lessen the stain’s appearance.
For a deeper overall clean, use a wet vac or steam mop with a microfiber head.
Deep Cleaning Other Types of Residential Flooring
For other types of residential flooring, such as vinyl flooring, you may find it’s easier to maintain and clean. Vinyl flooring and other types of flooring can be vacuumed or swept regularly. Mopping after is helpful to remove dirt and debris from traffic.
Here are some of the steps you can take to deep clean vinyl flooring and other types of flooring:
Sweep and vacuum the floors. Pay close attention to corners and other areas hair and dirt collect.
Use a spray mop, regular mop, or spin mop to remove dirt. Make sure you use a floor cleaner appropriate to your flooring type. Water is also an excellent option. Whatever you do, use as little as possible and don’t leave floors soaking wet.
Scrubb off scuffs and set in stains with a rag or a non-abrasive scrubbing tool.
Rinse floors if you’ve cleaned with chemicals. Simply rinsing with warm water will do the trick.
Call a Flooring Company
If you live in the Nashville, TN, area and want your floors to look new, working with a flooring company to implement new hardwood flooring, residential carpeting, or other types of residential flooring may be what you need. Contact us today to get started!