Different Types of Floor Cleaning for Different Surfaces

Carpet, tile and wood are the most common types of flooring used in both residential and commercial environments. Each of these types of flooring has its own advantages and disadvantages and each also requires different types of care and cleaning. Just as no one flooring type is necessarily better than the others, as it depends on the application, no one cleaning strategy works for all types of flooring. Here are some floor cleaning tips experts recommend for the different types of floors:

Carpeting

• Vacuum thoroughly at least once a week – more often in high-traffic areas.
• Every 6 – 12 months, depending on how much foot traffic the carpet gets and how dirty it is, hire a professional cleaner to clean your carpets. This process cleans as well as neutralizing odors and killing bacteria, dust mites and other nasties that may be living right under your feet.

Tiling

• Vacuum regularly to remove loose dirt and grit. After this, mop with a good quality non-abrasive solution.
• At least once a year, get a professional cleaner to clean the floors, paying special attention to the grout in between the tiles, as this tends to discolor and not come clean with regular mopping, etc.

Wood flooring

• Sweep & dust mop (with a soft mop) the floor at least weekly, more often if it is in a high traffic area. If needed use a damp mop afterwards but never a sopping wet one.
• Have the floor professionally cleaned, resealed and waxed (if applicable) at least once every 12 months.
• Every 5 – 10 years (or sooner if it looks bad) have the floor professionally sanded, sealed and buffed.

Of course floors can also be made from other materials, and all have their cleaning requirements. In some parts of Africa they even make floors from a mixture of cow dung, mud and clay – quite how you “clean” that type of floor is a bit of a mystery.

The absolute best way to make sure your floors are kept clean and well maintained is to have them regularly cleaned by a floor cleaning professional who will know the best ways to keep each floor type in great condition.