It’s that time of year again! Soon the cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and more will be arriving to celebrate another wonderful season of giving, loving, and sharing. You’re just about done with preparing your home for the holidays when the kids burst into the house with their feet covered in snow, mud, and salt. Before you can stop them, they’ve left a trail of destruction all over the main floors in your house! You groan as you take stock of the damage. With a deep sigh, you roll up your sleeves and get started cleaning.
Hardwood
When tackling hardwood floors, start by sweeping or vacuuming dirt and dust. If there is heavy mud, gently wipe up with a paper towel to remove as much of the soil as possible. Next, use a tennis ball to remove any scuff marks found on the floor. Once the floor is prepped, add hardwood cleaner to your hot mop water and be sure to mop with the grain of the wood. Let the floor dry thoroughly before walking on it.
Tile
If you have tile flooring, you will want to give the floor a deep clean bath with a mixture of baking soda and water (until it creates a paste). To get into the grout, it’s best to have a scrub brush like the Libman Floor Scrub for that deep clean. For everyday cleaning, a microfiber mop works the best when preparing for holiday guests.
Laminate
How to prepare for holiday guests with laminate flooring is quite simple. First, sweep or vacuum your floor to remove any loose debris. Next, you’ll want to gently mop your floors with a stick mop like a Swiffer or a Bona Laminate Spray Mop. Be sure to let the floor dry thoroughly before applying any shine polish.
Carpet
With carpet, it’s important to pretreat any stains before vacuuming or deep cleaning. To do this, create a paste with one part baking soda to one part vinegar. Apply to the soiled areas and let rest for two to three hours. If you have pets, using a wet rubber brush will help loosen and remove embedded pet hair. Once the carpet is prepared, vacuum as normal.
Linoleum
To preserve the life of your floors and get them deeply cleaned, use a rubber broom to remove dust and dirt. Next mop the floor with a microfiber mop and let dry completely. Once ready, apply a light amount of floor polish such as Quick Shine Floor Polish, to the surface and use a sponge mop to move it around. Before applying further coats, make sure to let each coat completely dry first.
Hire a Cleaning Service
Perhaps the easiest and stress-free way to clean your floors for the holiday season is to hire a professional cleaning service. Not only will it save you time and allow you to focus on other preparations, but you’ll know that your home will be handled by people who know what they’re doing and enjoy it. You’re guaranteed beautiful floors. What more could you ask for?
The big day has finally arrived. Guests poured in from all across the state. You welcome them all with hugs and kisses. You know that all your hard work was worth the effort when they rave about your beautiful home. You also know that when the holidays are over, you’re probably going to call a cleaning service to clean up this mess. It’s time to leave it to the professionals.