After using improper cleaning products, hard floor surfaces may be left with a sticky residue. The pricey commercial cleaners found at your supermarket are frequent culprits, leaving behind a difficult-to-remove film on your floors. Vinegar, on the other hand, cleans floors well when used properly and leaves behind no sticky residue, since the vinegar works to cut through grease and similar types of buildup.
Why Use Vinegar?
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Vinegar is a natural deodorizing, cleaning and disinfecting agent that works well to clean many hard surfaces around the home, including your floors. This makes vinegar perfect for use in kitchen areas where food is constantly present, and also works well to deodorize floors that have come into contact with pet accidents. An added bonus is the low price of vinegar. You can clean your floor for just a few cents per cleaning.
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Types of Floors That Can be Cleaned with Vinegar
White vinegar works well on practically any hard floor surface, including all types of wood, laminate, linoleum and tile. The key is to dilute the vinegar enough to hold its cleaning power but reduce the acidity that can cause damage to some types of flooring. Avoid the use of vinegar on marble and granite as it can eat away at the stone finish.
Using Vinegar as a Floor Cleaner
To use the vinegar, dilute about one cup white vinegar into one gallon water. This will make it safe for any the floor surface while keeping it strong enough to hold its cleaning power. Dip your mop into the cleaner, wring out the mop and wipe over your floor surface. Let the floor air dry, as this vinegar solution dries clear and streak-free, leaving behind no sticky residue.
Why Avoid Commercial Cleaners?
Many detergent-based and wax-based cleaning products leave behind an unattractive film on your floor. Also, commercial cleaners often contain chemical ingredients. While these chemicals are typically effective when it comes to cleaning, they can leave behind harmful vapors and residue that you do not want to breathe in or ingest. This makes it especially important to stay away from chemically based cleaners when you have babies or pets in the home that could come into contact with the cleaners.