The way we clean our floors has changed and improved over time. Thank goodness! Bucket of water and string mops are becoming a thing of the past. No need for the time consuming and messy “swab the deck” style mopping any more.
Bring in microfiber mops! Microfiber is so effective it can remove almost 95% of dirt and germs with just water, so any floor cleaner you use is just boosting an already great performance. However, it is important that you use the right type of floor cleaning product with your microfiber mop.
One of the greatest advancements in modern flooring is look-alike floors, such as laminates that look like tile, tile that looks like wood, vinyl that looks like concrete, and so on. While the look-alike can mimic the appearance of other floors, they can’t copy their tolerance for certain chemicals or cleaning procedures. Look-alike flooring is the main reason why most professional cleaners mop all floors with a high quality microfiber mop and a neutral pH no-rinse floor cleaner, so they never have to worry about costly mistakes.
Hardwood Floors: All hardwood floors, both solid and engineered, can be damaged by strongly acidic or alkaline floor cleaners, as well as water sitting on the surface too long, so you need a floor cleaner that is pH neutral and doesn’t require extra rinsing. There’s a common misconception that it’s unsafe to use cleaners not specifically designed for wood. But the truth is any neutral pH floor cleaner is wood-safe.
Stone and Stained Concrete Floors: It’s best to treat all stone floors as if they were delicate and acid-sensitive. Stained concrete is related to stone; it is often finished with the same sealants and also needs neutral pH floor cleaner to avoid damage.
Vinyl and Laminate Floors: Vinyl tends to be more waterproof and durable than laminate since water can seep into the wood core of the laminate at the seams. Even though vinyl is waterproof, it can still let water leak into the sub-flooring at the seams, so it’s best to only damp mop with a microfiber mop for both vinyl and laminate and not use harsh chemicals that can dissolve glue or damage subfloors. While vinyl and laminate top layers can technically tolerate a little alkalinity and acidity occasionally, over time, it’ll dull the finish. Keep the floors shiny and clean by using a neutral pH floor cleaner.
Tile Floors: Tile floors are by far the most durable and chemical-resistant flooring. They can be mopped by alkaline and acidic floor cleaners and tolerate good solid scrubbing with lots of water. There is a catch, though. The sealants you need to protect the grout from absorbing stains are not as chemical resistant as the tile and grout. So for daily mopping, you want to use a pH-neutral floor cleaner to keep the sealants intact as long as possible.
For whatever type of flooring you have, Bright at Home Cleaning uses high quality microfiber mops, along with a neutral pH floor cleaner for the safest and most effective way to keep your floors looking great.
Photo courtesy of Microfiber Wholesale