Vaccuming • Sweeping • Mopping
Vaccuming isn`t hard, but there are two important things to remember about it, so you will do it well: 1. vaccum long enough to really get the dirt: a couple of minutes isn`t enough, and 2. change the bag often: a clogged bag won`t let you pick up any dirt. Attachments to vaccum cleaners let you use them for doing other jobs besides floors. You can clean lampshades, mini blinds, and even dust furniture with the little round brush.
Kitchen and bathroom floors can be vaccumed instead of swept with a broom.
Tops of windows and doorways and base-boards can also be vaccumed. A good
vaccum cleaner is a sound investment. Cheap ones don`t work well or last
long.
Using a broom to sweep should be easy, too, but I`ve seen it done wrong.
A broom should be in good shape, first of all. Using one that is dirty or
is all worn down isn`t a good idea. Sweep from the corners to one to two
places on the floor into a dust pan. Empty the dustpan into the garbage;
don`t just throw it outside to be tracked in again. Use a sweeping motion
that pulls the broom, not pushes it.
A dust mop is a good thing to use to get under beds and dressers in rooms
with hardwood floors. The dust mop can be sprayed lightly with Endust or
misted with plain water. Shake the dust-filled mop outdoors away from porches
or entrances. A new innovation that replaces the dustmop is a Swiffer duster
or other brands. These are great tools. Just remember to replace the "sticky"
cloth often.
Mopping floors is a necessity that is often left off the “to do” list, but it really isn`t a hard job and it doesn`t take that much time. Using a good mop is the key to saving time and doing a good job. There are some nice mops on the market now, but the one I like best is the Libman rag mop. It is lightweight, washes well and it rinses well.
When you mop a floor, the basic procedure is to put hot soapy water on
the floor and move it around to loosen dirt (scrub hard to get places by
hand). Then you stick the mop back in the bucket, swish it around a bit
to release any dirt, wring it out well and use the mop to suck up the water
on the floor. Repeat until you are done. Mop from one corner of a room to
another, not mopping yourself into a corner, of course. Let the floor dry
well before you put chairs back and walk on it.
Never mop a dirty floor—by that I mean one that hasn`t been swept
or vaccumed first. Use hot water and not too much soap. I like Murphy`s
Oil Soap, but other cleaners work well, too. If you use too much soap or
cleaner, your floor will be sticky and will get dirty faster. If you think
you need to rinse the floor, just rinse the bucket well and fill it with
water and a cup of vinegar to cut the detergent.
Always move
chairs out of the kitchen and move any wastebaskets or other things that
are in the way. Be careful not to slop too much water around the legs of
good furniture.