Simple Way to Clean Floors

Floors, floorings, and floor coverings are interchangeable terms concerning the walking surface. In construction, floor would include the supporting part which is the subfloor, the permanent cover of the walking surface, while the floor coverings refer to temporary or loose-laid materials like carpet and rugs, and resilient linoleum and vinyl flooring. For this household hints article, it is about the common walking surface and how to clean and disinfect, and mainly, how to keep it clean.

There are different types of floor covering and floorings from linoleum, vinyl, wood, ceramic, limestone, stone, cement, terrazzo, marble, granite and various chemical floor coating. They differ is durability, stability, cost, comfort, insulation and cleaning effort.  Different areas of a house require different type of flooring, example for kitchens flooring, durability and cleaning effort are the top requirement, and for bathrooms durability and moisture resistant. Other requirement would based on the climate, the traffic in that area, the occupants example are there any children, elderly, people with special needs and/or pets?

Steps in Cleaning and Disinfecting Floors

Starting with the most inexpensive, simple and easy to clean, would be linoleum and vinyl flooring. There are no special equipment needed like a bulky floor polisher or steamer. In cleaning and disinfecting this type of flooring, a broom, dustpan, floor mop, a floor mop bucket, detergent and disinfectant.

1. Cleaning. Clear the area with furniture, floor coverings and traffic. Sweep the floor from one corner to the center of the room and collect the dust and debris. If the floor is dusty and dirty, wet mop the floor with water and detergent until dirt particles and stains are satisfactorily remove. Re-mop to rinse the floor from detergent.

2. Disinfecting. Disinfect with a mixture of 30 ml of 5.25%-6.15% sodium hypochlorite or household bleach with 2 liters of water or other disinfectant. Mop the 1:100 bleach dilution and let it dry.  

Note: If using disinfectant and detergent always follow manufacturers’ instructions for proper and safe use, like recommended dilution, material-compatibility, and storage.

Keeping Floors Clean

Cleaning and disinfecting are quite easy but keeping it clean is challenging and directly proportional to the number and kinds of occupants in a house. Unique and adaptable measures could be applied that would suit the occupants lifestyle, example a mudroom to change outdoor footwear to indoor footwear like flip-flop or slippers, a no shoes policy in the nursery, regular cleaning and disinfecting schedule, keeping pets clean, and/or allowing pets in selected areas.

It is impossible to eliminate interaction with pathogens, as there are other ways that germs can be transmitted, like human-to-human contact, but other risk factors, like surface-to-human transmission, can be interrupted. Cleaning and disinfecting activities reduce disease causing microorganisms and decrease microbial load. A good standard hygiene could reduce infections and illness in a home.

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As always keep it clean and simple. Enjoy!

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Last Updated February 2017.). Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008.  Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/