Get matched with top floor polishers in Springville, AL

The best solution for mopping floors depends on the type of floor you have, but a good all-around or multi-purpose DIY floor cleaner is 2 cups of warm water, 5 to 10 drops of liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. This is safe to use on tile, laminate, wood, polished concrete, vinyl, and more, as it’s relatively neutral and lacks caustic and abrasive chemicals that could be harmful to children and pets. You can also use a multi-purpose commercial cleaner, but make sure to follow the directions for safety.

Besides feeling icky grit when walking barefoot in your home, not mopping the floors can create health risks. Pollen, dirt, dust, and overall filth lead to allergen, bacteria, and even mold buildup, polluting your home and creating an unhygienic environment. You also risk damaging the floors due to stains and scratches with neglect. Lastly, your home will become less inviting due to odors from the lack of cleaning.

While it is not recommended, you can mix Bon Ami with vinegar for a more powerful cleaning mixture. However, you should avoid mixing other types of powder cleaners, such as Comet and Ajax, with vinegar or with each other, as the reaction often creates a toxic gas that’s dangerous to the human body.

Before starting on a full refinishing project, determine if your floors need to be completely sanded down to the bare wood or if the damage is shallow and mostly cosmetic. Deep scratches and gouges will require you to rough sand using a drum sander or belt sander, but small surface scratches or floors that have only lost their luster don’t need a complete overhaul. Instead, you can skip the rough sanding step and sand-screen the old finish with a buffer, removing only the top layer of polyurethane.