Most people will scoff at you when you ask them if they know how to clean a floor because a task that simply does not require a PhD to accomplish. But different floors need different ways of cleaning.
So aside from using ride-on sweepers for your regular cleaning, here are other ways to keep those different floor types sparkling.
Asphalt tiles
Mop your floors every week using only one cup of fabric softener in a half pail of water. If there are scuff marks on the floor, you can get rid of them by brushing them off with steel wool (fine grade) and use floor wax afterwards.
Be careful not to spill harsh chemicals on it such as oil, strong soaps, harsh cleaning agents and solvents (naphtha, kerosene, gasoline and turpentine). They can corrode the surface. Also, do not use too much water on these because if you flood them, you could loosen the adhesive underneath and your tile floors might come off.
Brick floors
Brick floors can be cleaned by simply vacuuming it, although some suggest damp-mopping it afterwards to prevent a build-up of dirt. Vacuum them every week to get rid of the soil that builds up. To make your brick floors shiny, use one cup of vinegar, mix it with water and mop the floor with it.
This material is porous so use a commercial sealer to keep moisture from seeping in. Do not use strong soaps, abrasives or acid to clean this kind of floor or else you will ruin it.
Ceramic floors
In cleaning ceramic floors, it is important to clean regularly and with proper tools. Clean your ceramic tile floors twice a week and do not use a sponge mop when you are trying to get rid of the stains. Use detergent and mix it with hot water and use a chamois or a rag to clean the floors.
It may be tedious to use a rag or a chamois, especially if most of the floors in your house is made of ceramic tiles.
But the reason you should not use a sponge mop is that you could mop the dirty water into the grout and stain them. Ceramic tile floors are beautiful to look at, but the most common problem is that the grouts are often stained and hard to clear up.
But if your grouts are already stained, you can use baking soda and water. What you do is mix baking soda with water and apply the mixture on the grouts and let it dry up overnight. In the morning, you can remove the stain by using a nylon brush to brush off the stains.
Concrete floors
If your concrete floors have been stained with grease or oil, which can be often since most garages are made of concrete floors, you can get rid of those by using kitty litter. Grab some kitty litter and dump it on the spots in your garage that were stained by grease or oil. The kitty litter will absorb those substances and, after it is done, you can simply wash it off with water.
If your concrete floors are inside your house, there is a different way to clean them as well. You can use liquid dish detergents, mild floor cleaners or stone cleaners. Mix them with water then use a mop to clean your floors.
With every floor, there is a different way of cleaning. It is up to you to make sure you are using the right strategy and the right tools.
