Guide to Washing Floors & Favorite Floor Washing Tools

Washing floors is one of the most gratifying homekeeping tasks there is&#;don&#;t you just love clean, shiny floors? The right tools and products make washing floors easier and effective. In this post I&#;m sharing some tips for washing floors and my favorite floor washing tools.

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If you&#;re new here, you might not know that Thursday is Floor Washing Day for the Clean Mama Routine &#; it&#;s a day that we wash the floors of our homes. Every day CHECK FLOORS is a Daily Task &#; so we check and sweep or vacuum as necessary. See more about the Clean Mama Routine here.  Want to see my Favorites for Vacuuming?  Head to this post.

My recommendations are based on my own experience, testing and research, recommendations from readers, and ratings from retailers and Amazon.

MY FLOOR WASHING MUSTS/RECOMMENDATION CRITERIA:

• Durable
• Compact and easy to store
• Easy to clean after using &#; washable (not disposable) cloths
• Can use my own solution to clean with (not necessary, but my preference)
• Works without having to re-wash and leaves floors CLEAN

I&#;ve pulled together a couple favorites in 3 categories &#; these are floor washing methods and products that I recommend based on the above criteria in a variety of price ranges. I hope it helps you in your search for the perfect floor washing system!

Microfiber mops are great for weekly cleaning and quick floor washing or for washing small areas.

1 Full Circle Mighty Mop &#; Easy to use and effective.
2 Bona Hardwood Spray Mop &#; Great for wood floors and if you want a cleaning solution.
3 E-Cloth Deep Clean Mop &#; Love this mop, best microfiber mop pad!

Mop & Bucket floor washing is what I use for deep cleaning floors and baseboards. I do find that they leave more water behind than I like on my hardwood floors so I follow with a dry mop as I go.

1 Favbal Spin Mop &#; Great for deep cleaning and washing baseboards as you wash floors.
2 Bosheng Flat Mop & Bucket &#; Love this system, no mess and works great!
3 O-Cedar Easy Wring &#; Fan favorite!

Great for tile and linoleum and for other deep cleaning tasks. Steam mops sanitize without chemicals &#; love that!

1 Bissell Power Fresh &#; Great for tile and linoleum.
2 Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner &#; My must-have and only steam cleaner &#; you can use it all over the house on furniture, windows, etc. as well as on floors.
3 Bissell Crosswave Cordless &#; Great for convenience, doesn&#;t sanitize but cleans well &#; can be a little cumbersome to clean the parts.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is about what tools I use for washing floors. I hope that this detailed favorites list is helpful! You can see all of my homekeeping favorites on my Favorites Page and you can also see my favorites on Amazon as well. Truth be told, one of my favorite methods is with a microfiber cleaning cloth &#; especially in the bathrooms because I think you can get a better clean but most weeks I only have time for a quick wash and mops are great for that! I split up vacuuming and washing floors on purpose in the Clean Mama Routine &#; this post will detail some ideas for making this easier. 

Try this DIY Recipe for ANY floor &#; this recipe is for a 16 oz spray bottle and is super easy to mix up. Use it in a spray bottle or in a refillable mop. With just three simple ingredients, this just might be your new favorite way to wash your floors. Mix up a batch today and mop away. Head to this post for the full how-to.

Glass Spray Bottle / DIY Cleaning Recipe Labels / Cleaning Cloth Kit / Essential Oil

If you&#;re new to DIY cleaning recipes, you&#;ll love this easy to make floor cleaner. It&#;&#;s so simple and a great all-purpose recipe that really works. 

My favorite application for deep cleaning is with a spray bottle and microfiber cloth but you can also spray and use a microfiber mop or spray mop or pour the solution into a small bucket and wipe up with a microfiber or cleaning cloth or with a mop.

Tip for Microfiber Mop Pad: Dampen the mopping pad before starting and add a drop or two of essential oil to give your home an uplifting scent as you mop.

Looking for mop and bucket cleaning solutions? This post shares some favorites.

What do you think? What&#;s your criteria for washing floors? Have a favorite to share?

Want to see all my floor care favorites? Head to my Amazon shop!

Daily Maintenance:
Every day of the week I have &#;check floors&#; as part of my routine. This means that after meals we check the kitchen floor and sweep or vacuum as needed. If I see something on an another floor in the home, I do a quick sweep or vacuum. This checking of the floors is something that I do, my husband does, and the kids will also grab a broom and help out. It&#;s not intended to be a full-on floor sweeping or vacuuming, it&#;s a daily dirt clean up. With 3 kids and 2 dogs, this is necessary.

When the foundation of every room is sparkling, your entire home looks incredibly clean. But don't break out the knee pads and scrub brushes just yet. Whether you have tile, hardwood, or vinyl floors each type of flooring has particular cleaning requirements. Follow these guidelines for the right cleanser, the best tools, and the ideal technique for your specific type of flooring.

01

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How to Clean Hardwood Floor

Michele Gastl

"Hardwood floors typically have one of two finishes: polyurethane or wax. Not sure what you're standing on? Rub your finger across the surface," said Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid. "If a smudge appears, the floor is likely waxed."

Polyurethane-Finished Hardwood Floors

Here is how to clean your polyurethane-finished hardwood floors:

1. Mix a quarter cup of mild or pH-neutral soap with water in a bucket.
2. Then use a microfiber mop to clean the floor.

Microfiber mops like the Libman Wonder Mop are easy to wring out, making them ideal for hardwood floors that work best with a barely damp (not soaking) mop. Plus, this will help your floor dry faster, so you won't have to wait as long to get back into the kitchen or living room.

Clean high-traffic areas like the kitchen once a week; for less-trafficked areas, mop once a month using a mop recommended for hardwood floors.

Wax-Finished Hardwood Floors

If you have waxed wood floors, you're off the hook&#;sort of. Since this type of flooring can be damaged by even small amounts of water, keep damp mops away from this surface, and instead sweep, dust mop, or vacuum regularly.

The 9 Best Hardwood Floor Cleaners of

02

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Cleaning Laminate Flooring

Virgil Bastos

Your laminate may resemble hardwood planks or natural stone tile, but you still need to care for it as a laminate. "The good news: Very few things will harm a laminate floor," said Bill Dearing, president of the North American Laminate Flooring Association. After all, the planks are constructed in sun- and light-resistant layers to maintain a like-new appearance for years.

That said, it's important to keep water from getting underneath the planks. Dearing recommends dry mopping or vacuuming the floor, ensuring the machine is on tile mode (as opposed to carpet) so the beater bar is raised. Spot-clean with a slightly damp mop when necessary.

Dearing's last bit of advice: Never polish a laminate floor. If the finish of a plank looks damaged, it's best to replace it.

03

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How to Clean a Cork Floor

Michele Gastl

Goto Felici Machinery to know more.

The same quality that makes this natural material so beautiful&#;its porosity&#;makes it very susceptible to water damage. Because it's so absorbent, most cork flooring is sealed, but you still need to proceed with caution.

"Vacuum often to prevent scratching, wipe up spills immediately, and wash cork floors once a week," said Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach.

Reichert suggests skipping commercial cleaning products in favor of a vinegar-and-soapy-water solution. Naturally acidic vinegar works with the soap to break down dirt, cut through the build-up, and disinfect. Here's how to clean cork floor:

1. Place ¼ cup vinegar in a spray bottle with one drop of dish soap and warm water. Don't shake the solution (that would create suds), just gently combine the ingredients in a spray bottle by rocking it back and forth.
2. Spray the floor a section at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop as you go.

04

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How to Clean Bamboo Flooring

Christina Rodriguez/Getty Images

Bamboo is sustainable, beautiful&#;and in some cases, softer and more prone to nicks and scratches than hardwood floors. Unless you have strand bamboo flooring&#;the hardest, most durable type available&#;be extra vigilant about regularly sweeping up dirt and debris. "Especially with the expense of bamboo, extra care should be used," said Roberts, who uses a tennis ball to gently buff out marks.

She uses the same cleaning solution on bamboo as on hardwood:

1. Mix ¼ cup of mild or pH-neutral soap in one bucket of water.
2. Swipe across the floor using a barely damp mop, wiping up excess moisture with a dry microfiber cloth.

05

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How to Clean a Linoleum Floor

Virgil Bastos

We're not talking about nearly indestructible vinyl flooring (see the next section for tips on cleaning that surface). True linoleum is made from linseed oil, resin, limestone, wood fiber, and cork dust, and colored with mineral pigments.

"Treat this resilient, natural flooring as you would cork," said Reichert.

1. Mix up a spray bottle of just a few drops of dish soap and hot water.
2. Then spritz a section of the floor at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop.

The floor should air-dry almost immediately, but if it feels slightly sticky to the touch just swipe it with another clean, damp microfiber mop or cloth.

06

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How to Clean a Vinyl Floor

Michele Gastl

Vinyl flooring is a low-maintenance option when it comes to your cleaning routine. For daily cleaning, simply use a vacuum on your vinyl flooring. Additionally, sweeping can help remove built-up dust and debris. However, if your vinyl floor is looking a little dirtier than usual and needs a deeper cleanse, use a dampened mop with a neutral detergent to clean your floors.

Place doormats wherever you walk in and out of your home to prevent extra dust and debris from getting inside.

07

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How to Clean Natural Stone Flooring

Tim Abramowitz/Getty Images

"Whatever you do, leave the vinegar in the pantry," said Kris Koenig, CEO of eco-friendly cleaning company Natura Clean, in Middleton, Wisconsin. Even a small amount of the acidic liquid could damage stone floors, as could bleach and ammonia. Instead, mop sealed-stone floors with a pH-neutral, non-chelating cleaner that won't react adversely to the minerals in natural surfaces.

"If your stone tiles are unsealed, simply mop with a microfiber mop and hot water; chemicals would penetrate the stone. For stubborn dirt, use a steam cleaner," said Reichert.

08

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How to Clean Porcelain Tile Flooring

Marc Henrie/Getty Images

For weekly cleaning, use Reichert's spritz-and-dry mop technique to keep tile floors looking fresh:

1. Gently mix 1/4 cup vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle with 1 drop of dish soap and warm water.
2. Spray the floor one section at a time and wipe with a damp microfiber mop as you go.

For periodic deep cleans, she likes to use a steam cleaner to clean both tile and grout&#;the steam does the work of removing stains (and bacteria!), so you don't feel like you're getting an extra workout right there in your kitchen.

09

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How to Clean Carpet

For routine carpet cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaners work by sucking up any dirt and debris on top and hidden inside of the carpet. When vacuuming, make sure to move furniture and objects out of the way so you can get every spot on your floor. Vacuum slowly and go over high-traffic areas a few times to ensure thorough cleaning. If you do not have a vacuum cleaner, carpet rakes, carpet sweepers, and brooms are also effective methods to clean your carpet.

If a deep clean is what you're after (which should be done about every six months), a carpet cleaner, steam cleaner, or a professional cleaning may be necessary. You can also thoroughly vacuum, then use a cleaning solution to treat spots, such as one part of white vinegar to three parts of cold water. Be sure to do a spot test in a discreet spot to see how your carpet reacts to the solution.

Save your future self some carpet cleaning time, and lengthen the lifespan of your carpets, by taking your shoes off as you walk into your home. Shoes will track in all kinds of dirt and gross bacteria (yuck!)

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