clean floors

Remove the dry dirt first

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

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

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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.

Buy at any grocery store

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

Murphy's has a good reputation for wood floors.
It is recommended that you rinse this product, but I just use a tiny bit in my mop water. Sometimes a slight film is what you want, as in the case of cleaning stainless steel.

Cleaning Marble

DO NOT USE WINDEX OR VINEGAR
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.
DO NOT use WINDEX or VINEGAR
It WILL destroy the sealer on the granite.

Sealer for Granite countertops

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

Or use a prepared solution like this Clorox solution

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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.

Steamers CAN DAMAGE vinyl floors!!
Use caution and keep it moving or set the mop on a mat to protect the floor.

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

STEAMER COMPARISON

the Haan Steamer

Haan Steamer Upright

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 and reusable.

I use one like this at a 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

Steam really kills germs!

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Haan Steamer canister

The unit on the left is a multi surface unit.
.
My concern is that when you stop moving any 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.

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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

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Necessary floor tools

the Freedom Mop

Libman's Freedom Mop

I used something similar to this. Very convenient having the liquid squirting on the floor ahead of you with the trigger spray.

Zaxby's in Spartanburg switched to this on their tile floors and they gradually became cleaner and cleaner. Unlike string mops, by switching out theses pads you eliminate the dirty water residue left behind on the floor in any textured surfaces.

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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.

See price of Bona Mop Kit at Amazon

They also offer a sprayer mop for your convenience

See price of Bona Spray Mop Kit at Amazon

My Favorite mop - O'Cedar's Tuff Mop

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

See price of one O Cedar mop at Amazon or
4 mop heads

Walmart sells a red mop bucket with a drainer to squeeze out the water.
Or choose a Rubbermaid mop bucket with strainer.

I found this bucket at Family Dollar for $7

This red one is a O'Cedar product

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?

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