Homemade Floor Cleaners For Three Common Types Of Flooring
A clean floor makes your whole home feel cleaner! While there are numerous packaged floor cleaning solutions available for floors of all varieties, some homeowners prefer to make their own floor cleaners, either because doing so saves money, or because they believe it to be a healthier choice for their family and the planet. If you are someone who loves making homemade floor cleaners, here are three floor cleaning solution recipes for each popular type of flooring.
Lemon Oil Cleaner
Best For: Hardwood and Any Type of Engineered Wood Flooring
Citrus works really well for cleaning wood because it is somewhat acidic. Oils help moisturize wood while you clean, reducing the need to condition and polish the wood after you clean it. You'll find some citrus oil cleaners on the shelves of a store, but you can make your own for a lot less. You just need these ingredients:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups hot water
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
Combine the ingredients in a large measuring bowl and stir well. Pour into a jar or bottle and shake well, and then apply a generous amount to a cloth that you can then use to wipe down your floors. Rinse the rag and re-apply cleaner every few minutes throughout the cleaning process.
Tea and Vinegar Cleaner
Best For: Linoleum and Vinyl Flooring
Vinegar is an excellent sanitizer. It may etch stone and certain types of granite floors, but it is very good at removing any residue or dirt from linoleum or vinyl flooring. This homemade cleaner combines vinegar with tea, which helps with deodorizing. The easiest way to make this cleaner is by the bucket; you can use the whole bucket of cleaner to wash one floor. You'll need:
- 1 gallon boiling water
- 5 tea bags
- 2 cups white vinegar
Place the teabags in a bucket and then add the boiling water. Let this tea steep until the water is cool enough to touch, and then stir the vinegar. Use with a mop or rag to clean your floor.
Castile Soap and Lavender
Best For: Stone and Ceramic Tile
This cleaner is very gentle, so it should not etch your tile. Still, castile soap is an effective cleaner and can help remove most residues. To make a big batch of this cleaner, you'll need:
- 2 cups liquid, unscented castile soap
- 1 cup water
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
Combine the ingredients in a bottle. To use, add about 1/4 cup of the soap to a bucket of water, and apply to the floor with a mop or rag.
If you want to learn more about floor cleaners, contact companies like Peerless Building Maintenance for more information.
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