Cleaning Wood Floors

Wood floors should be vacuumed and dust mopped regularly to maintain them. Doing this will stop dirt from building up and potentially damaging the floor. Any wood floor can be cleaned with a quarter-cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with a gallon of warm water. Wood floors are best cleaned on your hands and knees because you should only clean a small area at a time and then dry it and move on. You should never get wood floors too wet or let them dry naturally.

Finished wood floors often can be cleaned with just water. However, the finish will eventually wear off, and you'll probably have to either re-finish the floors or start waxing them. Keeping wood floors free of dirt through vacuuming and/or dust mopping is the best thing you can do to maintain the look of your floors.

Cleaning Soap Scum in Tubs and Showers

Preventing soap scum build-up is a lot easier than cleaning it up, so consider using a squeegee on shower walls and doors, and using a towel to dry off the walls and doors. If you have tile walls or frosted shower doors, using a light coating of lemon oil on them periodically will help stop the growth of soap scum. And, if you have a porcelain tub, you can try to prevent build-up by applying a light coat of boat or car wax to the sides (never the bottom) of the tub. To get rid of existing soap scum, you'll need a de-greaser to cut through it. You can get a good alkaline soap scum remover at a janitorial supply store, or you can try a handful of automatic dishwasher detergent dissolved in a bucket of warm water. Make sure you cover the affected area completely and let your cleaning solution soak for at least 15 minutes. Applying this solution right after a shower is a good idea since the walls will already be wet. After soaking the area, you'll need to use a stiff scrub brush or a white, nylon-backed scrub sponge to clean the walls. You may need to soak and scrub a couple times to get rid of all the build-up. Once all the build-up is removed, make sure you rinse well.

Cleaning Hard-Water Deposits

Hard-water deposits are alkaline, which means that an acid cleaner is the best approach to cleaning them. Phosphoric acid works well and is safe for most surfaces. If you buy cleaners containing phosphoric acid in a grocery store, it will likely contain only about 4 to 6 percent acid. You can purchase lime removers at janitorial supply stores that contain 8 to 12 percent acid, which will get the job done much faster. Use a nylon-backed scrub sponge to apply the acid, let the acid sit for a few minutes after you applying, then rinse the surface to remove all traces once your cleaning is complete. Tough hard-water deposits may take more than one application. Make sure you read any manufacturer's warnings before applying phosphoric acid solutions to any surfaces in your home.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile Floors

To clean ceramic tile floors, there is no need to worry about wax or floor finish, just need to sweep and mop them on a regular basis, and they will stay clean and shiny. They can be mopped with just clear water, or you can add just a bit of liquid dish soap. Make sure you change the water as soon as it gets cloudy, too much soap or dirty water will make the floors dull and/or sticky. Don't use scrub pads on ceramic tile floors, or you could scratch them. When washing your floors, it is best if you wash the floors on our hands and knees, cleaning and then drying, just one small area at a time.

Removing Pet Hair From Upholstery and Carpet

Removing pet hair on fabric and upholstery goes much faster if you use a pet rake (a brush that has crimped nylon bristles). Use light, even strokes to remove the hair. You can also try velour brushes, tape rollers or even tape wrapped around your hand. Another option is to try the rubber bottom on a clean tennis shoe or a slightly dampened sponge (as long as the dampness won't harm the upholstery).

To get hair off carpets, use a vacuum that has a good beater brush or brush roll. Plain vacuums don't generate enough lift to get all the pet hair up from the floor.

Another option for both upholstery and carpets (especially the edges where hair tends to collect and vacuums have a hard time reaching) is a "pet sponge." These sponges, which are intended to be used dry, can be purchased at pet supply as well as home stores.