How do you clean your floors?

[BekZ]

Hi Everyone,

Many moons ago when DD1 started crawling I got this idea that mopping my tiles with a conventiona mop and bucket was not a good idea. Firstly I was not sure using an old mop over and over was doing the trick and secondly I didn't like the idea of my baby crawling on chemicals that had been used.

I swapped to a microfibre water only mop. The one where you wash the pad after each clean. Then DD started crawling and I noticed her clothes were dirty. So I started using a spray bottle with solution in it and the same mop.

Since then I've been given a steam mop which I personally don't like because my floors feel sticky after wards.

Now DD3 is one the floor and on the move and I am again thinking about the best way to mop my floors.

I've recently bought a no nasties disenfectant from the health shop which I think I'll use.

Any other suggestions would be great. What mops do you use, what procedure to you follow etc

BTW once a year I do a hands and knees scrub

[fourthontheway]

all I use is hot water and tea tree oil IT works really well!

[Queen]

I do a few things actually
One is I mop with mop and bucket, using detergant and eucalyptus oil (just a splash of both) also I make the water REALLY hot!
Then once I have finished, I got over the floor again
Then I steam mop
I know it sounds bad...but I can and probably would eat off my floor
Oh and I also do this at least 3 times a week

[Amity]

I vacuum them first with my Dyson (seriously if my Dyson was a man I'd marry him no worries).

I then use a specialty wood-floor cleaner (most of my house is floating floors) in almost boiling water with a microfibre mop which I then wring almost dry.

I use the wood-floor cleaner on my tiles because I'm too lazy to do differently...

However, this method cleans up the tiles wonderfully.

Apparently there are special grout-cleaners though??

[Fleur]

I use just hot, hot water & vinegar, sometimes with a dash of lemon oil.
I do hate the mop head though, it always looks gross

[LucaJack'sMum]

Yep, my favourite is HOT water with a dash of Vinegar and a dash of tea tree oil. Works a DREAM, no residue, shiny floors and squeaky clean...

[Indadhanu]

Yep, practically boiling water and eucaltpyus and lavender oil, and a mop.

[suse]

A microfibre 'pad' style mop, like an Enjo, a few drops of a cleaning oil blend which I make up (lavender, tea-tree, eucalyptus & lemon), and as I go around the house I splash down a bit of just boiled water and vinegar. Easy as.

[~clover~]

I've always used hot water & refilled my bucket 3 or 4 times while mopping & I used to use the eco floor cleaning stuff. Then I go over it with a towel under my feet to get whats left & dry it.
Now I usually just use hot water & dishwashing liquid, but I use vinegar for a million other things & always have lavender & tea tree for the kids hair, so I'll be using that from now on!
I was a dettol fanatic when the kids were crawling!

[MissM]

I (well, DP does) vacuum once a week (we both work full time, so our floors dont get too dirty we have dark colored tiles) then i use vinegar in hot water and spray it over my floor - I use the sabco microfibre mop (comes with 2 heads, 1 for wet, 1 for dry) and mop it with that If there is a dirt mark or 'stain' there is a little piece of rough fabric attached to the head and i use my foot over the top to scrub it.

Dont have any crawling bubba's (YET!!) but I'm sure when the floor is used nmore often I will have to mop more often

[Amaunet]

I then use a specialty wood-floor cleaner (most of my house is floating floors) in almost boiling water with a microfibre mop which I then wring almost dry.

Hi Divvy - what is the name of the cleaner you use and where do you get it? My new house has floating timber floors and I have no idea how to clean them A domestic goddess I am not...

[takingtime]

suse- Are you able to share your cleaning oil blend recipe and how you use it? It sounds great!

[BekZ]

Thanks everyone for your methods. Very much appreciated, I will be road testing some of the suggestions.

naenae - I use the sabco mops as well