clean floors

Remove the dry dirt first

broom

Use a broom or dust mop
to remove the dry dirt first.

dust mop

Vacuum next if possible, to make sure that you remove the fine dust or dirt. If you add water to dirt you get MUD !

Cleaning Products

A small amount of ammonia works great on many floor types. Add about 1 oz to your bucket of water.

I like to use the non sudsy kind so rinsing is not necessary unless it is a VERY dirty floor.

And there is good ol' Mr Clean, dependable fellow.

Sometimes I combine 1 oz of Mr Clean and 1 oz of ammonia in my mop bucket

Clean wood floors

Cleaning Marble

Clean stone surfaces with a neutral cleaner, stone soap, or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water.
Similar to any item cleaned in your home, an excessive concentration of cleaner or soap may leave a film and cause streaks. Follow manufacturer recommendations.

Many products contain acids. You cannot even use mild acids on marble.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Add 1 oz of Hydrogen Peroxide to the cleaning solution in your bucket to kill germs.

Sanitize Floors

with Steam Mops
.....or not

If you want to sanitize - a steamer is good, less messy to clean. Uses only water. Steamers are very popular in europe. It is a good idea to use distilled water in it to keep the jets from closing from lime build up. They use micro-fiber pads which can be washed and reused.

There are also good microfiber mops available (no steam).

STEAMER COMPARISON

the Haan Steamer

The 15 jets feature is nice but microfiber pads remove 95% bacteria anyway. This unit's base covers a larger floor area.
The pads are washable.
I use this at one house with a lot of wood floors. It is excellent ! I also have tried a Swiffer unit. You have to buy their pads, it is not as effective, and the surface area is small so it takes longer to clean a large floor surface
.
My concern is that when you stop moving the unit, the steam continues to come out. Be sure to place the unit on the protective pad provided when you have to stop for a minute or press the button off. I had one like that before without a on/off switch and it melted my linoleum where it stood. Be careful!

Better than the Shark and Swiffer.

the Shark Steamer

Shark Floor Steamer - the one I have now - emits steam only when you push it, melting the floor is less likely a problem.

I think I saw it at BJ's

the Freedom Mop

Libman's Freedom Mop

This looks good. I haven't tried it yet. Use your own cleaning solution, no batteries, washable floor cloths.

the Bona Mop

A microfiber mop can do about as well for less, $24 vs $90. I like the Bona Mop which I bought at True Value Hardware Store. I have tried others, but this one has a good dry mop pad and the wet pad has less drag when cleaning. Micro fiber Pads can remove 95% of bacteria with just water.

another source: the floor guy

Bona Floor Mop with sprayer

They also offer a sprayer mop for your convenience

My Favorite - O'Cedar's Tuff Mop

This is a Tuff Mop by O Cedar. Microfiber mop of loops. I bought this one at Walgreens.

Walmart sells a red mop bucket with a drainer to squeeze out the water.

Or choose a Rubbermaid mop bucket with strainer.

Strip a commercial floor & apply finish

I found a good video for you to watch about stripping and applying finish to a commercial project.

See more business tips on my "Start a Cleaning Business" page.

The Ionizer is No More?

Ionization!

A great idea! Clean with just water.
Bill Nye the science guy liked it.

Now we just need a reliable product.
Is there anyone out there who wants to run with this idea?