Is your white kitchen floor impossible to keep clean?
beckyg75
13 years ago
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attygirl
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Where do you keep your cleaning supplies?
Comments (31)I'm still working on my organization and even the type of cleaners that I use regularly. I also very much wish to purge much of the "cleaners and cleansers" stuff that I have. I still have 3 packed boxes from my move (U-Haul smalls) with everything from sifter refills to cat deoderizers in them. Much of this stuff I don't use anymore. For instance I don't have the swifter anymore, but I have refills for it :( I find that my "main stuff" is: 1) a bottle of Green Apple Lysol spray cleaner. I use this almost everywhere. 2) a bottle of no-drip Windex. Windows, mirrors, glass. 3) dishwasher detergent 4) hardwood floor cleaner in a spray bottle. I had hardwood floors installed in my new home and this is essential. Don't know what the stuff really is. Probably something "common", but I got it since it was recommended my floorer. I use the microfiber pads that attach to a mop thingee and have several of them. I've gone thru a few and have to put all of this stuff into a "rags" load of laundry. Haven't yet. I also use just clean whites rags and often just paper towels with this stuff too for wiping up spills that happen on the hardwood floors. 5) a sprayer bottle that I keep a mixture of water and clear dish soap. I use this for most spills and spot treatments on my carpets or rugs. For most things this is all I need. Anything more complicated I wick up the spill with clean cotton rags and use the soap mixture and then call Coit for same day service. Okay I'm lame, but I don't like messing up my carpet. A whole cup of full strength espresso got spilled on my carpet at my old condo and while I got a lot out, Coit (a professional carpet cleaner) got most out and if I had them in right away I think it would have all gotten out. 6) clorox wipes. I know lazy perhaps. But I find them way too conveinent. I have containers of them all over the house, even one in my car.. 7) Orange-glo "wood cleaner". This is the slimy stuff. I use a clean rag and then desiginate the rag for only this stuff. I use this to dust and shine up all my wood furniture which is just about everything: dining room table, night stand, chest of drawers, telephone stand, end tables, TV tables, etc, etc. And then other stuff that doesn't get used as often, but has gotten used since I've been in my new house: 1) orange soft scrub (has bleach). use this on the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, the bathtub and its tiled walls. 2) stainless steel cleaner that came with my new frig. only used there. works like a charm. I'm too afraid to use anything else on the SS frig. I follow the "directions" on this. Is this a sham to sell this stuff? Would good ole Lysol spray cleaner do the trick? 3) disposable toliet cleaner doohickies. I used to just use jonny mops (oh and when I had multiple baths, one in each) and toliet bowl cleaner. but now I use the wand thing and the disposable thing. I think I have the Scrubbing Bubbles kind right now. That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure there's more. But truely if this is all I really seem to be using, when I get around to emptying those 3 boxes, it means I can just purge them. I guess time to freecycle, or something? I guess these could just be tossed? Or I guess put out on the curb when we have our Annual Cleanup done by the City. But I get the impression that these, some of the stuff at least, is considered "haz waste"? Thanks for any advice :) Cheers, --jans...See MoreKeeping the rest of your house 'clean' during remodel
Comments (7)All valuables hidden and locked up if possible. All precious breakables packed securely and moved to the opposite end of the house; as far away from the mess as possible. All everyday items in plastic bins within easy access. During drywall repair, and priming (fumes), a sheet covers the hallway opening to prevent some of the 'flow thru' although not entirely. Our one water supply is in the back of the house and the work is in the front so frequent trips to the water closet tracks dirt, dust and crud thru the whole house. Daily vaccuuming is a must for sanity. Be aware that drywall dust will find any available opening to float thru. If possible, opening windows helps. With the heat this summer, it's been few and far between that we were able to have them open. The few times we did, the screens were coated in drywall powder that turned to mud upon blasting them with the garden hose. I'm pretty sure 'construction muck' has become a food group for us! Ha Ha! Sometimes, the only sanity-saver is going out - to eat, to window shop, to wander aimlessly thru the grocery store all the while thinking about how much money I'm saving not buying half the ingredients since we're oven-less and burner-less anyway! We also use plastic to cover the big items that could not be moved to the other end of the area. The heavier plastic & tarps are re-used daily and the thinner plastic gets pitched once torn....See MoreHow do you clean your hardwood kitchen floors? (X-posted on cleaning)
Comments (6)My hardwood floors are probably filthy, but look really good. I have them throughout the first floor. I sweep them daily, and run the occasional Swiffer WetJet on the kitchen portion of the floor in front of the sink, dishwasher and stove. I have tried a lot of things when mopping, and found that I prefer to use hot, HOT water and a damp rag mop once a month to get them really clean. I often have to refill the water, as it is black during this cleaning. Should probably do it more often, but I don't have the time....See MoreLuxury vinyl plank floors impossible to keep clean. Any advice?
Comments (46)I preface this reply by saying that it may step on some toes and is not for the easily offended... Think of your floor cleaning like your teeth cleaning: you can brush, floss, and gargle on your own to your heart's delight. But at the end of the day, it can't replicate the cleaning performed by a hygienist in the dentist office. In other words, you need to have a professional cleaning company periodically clean your vinyl floors. I know, most of you DYIers had it installed to get away from carpet, tile, and other flooring that has traditionally required professionals to maintain. Truth is, you DO NOT own the equipment needed to get these floors, particularly the ones with a textured profile, completely clean like they were prior to install. And while the flooring companies didn't outright lie to you (calling it low maintenance rather than no maintenance), they certainly led you astray by letting you to believe that a little hot water or their overpriced, product-specific cleaner was all you needed. So, find a reputable local cleaner to professionally clean your LVP floors. Got kids and dogs? Do you go barefoot or wear outdoor shoes in the house? Get your floors professionally cleaned every single year. The rest of you? Every 2-3 years. In the meantime, stop using steam. Stop using acidic (vinegar) and high ph (ammonia) products. Dump the bleach, Murphy's Oil Soap, Rejuvenate, Bona, Mop n Glow, Orange Glo, and all types of polishes. Only use a neutral cleaner in between professional cleanings. Oh, and those area rugs you put down to cover up the unsightliness of your floors? They're likely voiding your flooring warranty (probably not a big deal because many have already done so with their unapproved cleaning methods and lifestyle)....See Moredianalo
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