Tools To Keep Your Floors Clean

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You need to know which cleaning regimen is best suited to your particular floor materials and finishes in order to keep your floors in tip-top condition. Just as important is the regularity with which you do the job.

So depending on the amount of traffic that your floors receive, you may need to dust mop, sweep or vacuum only once or twice a week, or as frequently as twice a day. Faithful upkeep will yield long-term benefits whatever the final tally is. Not only will you lengthen the  time between time-consuming heavy cleanings, but you’ll also extend the life of your flooring.

Should you dust or sweep? A dust or a broom is the usual tool for everyday cleaning up of grit with either smooth-wood or vinyl surfaces, before it is ground into the floor. You can hold the dust down by giving the mop head or broom a light spritz of water if the air is very dry. Dust mops are typically more efficient in gathering lightweight “dust bunnies,” lint and pet fur. But they are not appropriate for carpeting or rough-finished floors. Keep in mind the size of your room and the amount of clutter on the floor when choosing a dust mop. Standard-sized dust mops are best for working around average spaces with an ordinary amount of furniture. Consider using an 18-inch wide commercial dust mop for oversized, sparsely furnished areas. You’ll find these larger size at janitorial supply stores.

Brooms come in several designs and materials and are also better for certain tasks than dry mops. The most common type of household broom is the natural-fiber broom. Made of broom-corn (sorghum), this straight-edged sweeper provides a pleasing stiffness to sweeping that traditionalists like. But you will also find more durable, softer polypropylene brooms for sweeping. They come in straight-edged designs as well as in angled designs.

Soft-bristled push brooms, as the name implies, are best for pushing dirt rather than brisk sweeping. Deck or garage brooms should stay outside because their harder bristles can damage indoor floors. Virtually all brooms must be used with a dustpan. Look for pans with a slim, soft leading edge. Plastic-edged pans can scratch floors and tend to chip with use.