The market is getting more and more full of different commercial cleaning products. I find them to be quite an overwhelming purchase because they have a lot of chemicals I don’t want in my house. Especially when I am cleaning the floors. Therefore, I always look for natural alternatives because the floors need a more precise and careful cleaning. Moreover, depending on the floor, we also need to know exactly what we should be using to not damage them further. Hence, keep reading this article, I will show you some natural and cheap methods you can use to clean 5 types of floors. I promise you, they will be just as clean and shiny as new!
1. Sealed timber floors
There are many options for the sealed timber floors. However, the easiest for me was a method that involved only water and vinegar. Thus, make sure you mix very well in a bucket some boiling water with 1/2 cup of white vinegar. An alternative for the white vinegar can also be methylated spirits. This will be enough to clean your floors thoroughly and make them shine.
A smart tip is to put the bucket on an old towel. Because it has boiling water, it might leave some water rings on the floors just as a cup of tea does on the table. Furthermore, if you want the smell to last, you could also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the mixture.
2. Unsealed timber floors
Now, the unsealed timber floors are not so difficult to clean as everybody thinks. You can use the same method you did on the sealed types of floors. However, while you can use a steam mop on those, the extreme steam can damage these unsealed timber floors. So, use a more lukewarm water when cleaning these instead of boiling water and never a steam mop.
3. Tiles
I find the tiles to be perfectly clean when I am using boiling water and 3/4 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Mixing them in a bucket, I use this mixture on the tiles and it leaves them streak free and squeaky clean.
However, if you think your grout is dirtier, it will require a heavier cleaning. Thus, simply use a toothbrush and a DIY paste of water and sodium bicarbonate. All you have to do is scrub this paste into the tiles and it will definitely whiten the tile grout.
4. Slate floors
Well, when it comes to slate floors, I notice they are quite a lot of work. However, it is not impossible to get them as clean as they can be!
First off, make sure you dust away the debris using a light broom to sweep. Then, prepare a mixture of lukewarm water and a 1/4 cup of white vinegar. This is the gentlest solution for slate floors. Thus, use your mop to wipe in one direction and then proceed with the opposite direction. This is the best method to get into all the groves and natural movements of the slate. Lastly, let the floors air dry by opening the windows and they will look good as new.
5. Linoleum floors
Finally, the linoleum floors are the easiest to clean because you can use a steam mop. However, if you don’t have one, don’t despair, you can also use a simple mop too. All that matters is the cleaning solution. Hence, you can simply use a mixture of boiling water and two cups of eucalyptus oil. This oil is the best to get rid of any stickiness substances out of the linoleum floors. Then, after mopping, go over the floors again but with plain boiling water.
