I love the idea of dampening several mop heads, this way when the one you are using gets dirty, you can just swap it out for a new one. When you are out cleaning, do you have one box of heads for each house ready to go? I don’t mind the the thought of using one head for my own home, and then going to rinse / wring it when it needs to be freshened. I could almost see using two buckets: one to dip in “dirty”, and one to dip in after that, for cleaner water. Or, one bucket to dip in to get most dirt off, then go to a sink to clean off. What a bunch of extra work, though ! I think I prefer a batch of clean mop cloths that I can use, swap, and clean later . Thank you for these great tips !
I have always dreaded cleaning until I came across your channel in July. By ussing your tips and learning how to do it correctly, I have gotten pretty good at not making cleaning an annoyance as well as not taking the whole day to clean. I love your videos and thank you for all the advice and tips.
Hooray! I think you're saying cleaning can be fun? LOL. It is one of those things we'll be doing for the rest of our lives as long as we have a roof over our heads. So learning the techniques and proper tools can make the job a lot easier. Thanks for watching and for the feedback. I appreciate you. 💛
For slate title you can use the exact same process only plug the steamer in. The steamer on stone is just fine and will remove the impurities, water spots, or other surface gunk.
In just 6 mins I have learned more about my hardwood floor (since moving in last January) Thank you so very much Angela. Your amazing and such a wonderful lady ❤ 💕 💖 ♥ 💗
Hello, I work in the flooring industry installing wood flooring and as a field supervisor I inspect a lot of floors for issues. One issue we see a lot of is cleaners over saturating the floor or also using steam mops which over time break down the finish on the wood floors. On the glue you talked about coming up through the floor if you use to much steam that usually could be some solvent base glue or a water base glue. Most glue we use now on engineered wood flooring is urethane base which once dried turns into more of a rubber/foam wouldn’t seep through once it’s dried. The gluedown vinyl planks mostly use pressure sensitive adhesive which a lot of time are waterbase and the steam could have a heavier effect on those and glue could seep up. Also a lot of what we see is cleaners not changing mop water as much and mop leaving streaks on the floor especially floor with matte finish. (A lot of what we do is new construction which is alot more dusty) Also cleaner have applied polish to the wood floor like bona Polish (this will change the sheen of the wood floor and make it shiny which voids manufacture WARRENTY on the floor since it changes original sheen. If boards have to be replaced due to some kind of damage the new boards will always stand out and look different will never catch up to the sheen of the floor that has already had the polish applied.) A lot of the newer floors have a matte finish or semi matte finish and are not suppose to be shiny like a high glossy finish would as a lot of older floors have. Also if you ever do a post construction clean and Sheetrock dust is on a wood floor best to vac all you can up because if that sheet rock dust gets into the grain of a wood floor and it gets wet it turns into like concrete and you can’t get it out. Then the only thing that can be done is buffing over with some old English to cover the white and then buffing back over with denatured alcohol to cut the rest of the old English off. You have some really good information in this video. My wife is looking into starting a cleaning company we’ve watched several of your videos. Lots of good information. Thanks for the videos
That's what I heard as well. Particularly, if you steam mop your hardwood floors regularly. My concern is that the floor may warp over time from regular steam seeping into the wood.
After total knee replacement and working all day with severely impaired students in schools, I have avoided the floors as I was too overwhelmed. I found Angela and that was the beginning of my inspiration to get started. Now you are the icing on the cake. What you have suggested is so smart and is showing me how to correct all of the mistakes I have been making with the muddy awful horrible hard wood floors. Thank you so much for being an inspiration.
O. M. G. I tried this and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Now I can mop an entire house with virtually any floor surface and I only need one mop and I use these pre-treated mop pads. Turn on the steam for tile and more durable surfaces and turn it off for wood floors and less durable surfaces. The cleaning power is excellent with no scrubbing and it does leave just a little shine. Wonderful!!!
You are amazing. I just started my house cleaning business and have doubled in a month. Your tips keep me professional, knowledgable, and efficient. Thank you so much!
@@karentilley4356 We live in a small town, so word of mouth, and knowing local business owners has helped me with advertising with my business cards in their shops.
I would love to see a video at some point of what your team carries with them into a maintenance clean! I try to keep things as basic as possible and part of the reason I haven’t invested in a steamer yet is because I’m nervous about getting distracted with a bunch of gadgets and gizmos and carrying around to much stuff.
I completely understand. I will answer this and show you in a video exactly what I carry with me to a job. Short version is two cleaning caddies, one with cloths and a steamer and the other with cleaning chemicals and PPE.
Angela!!!! I’ve been watching and enjoying your channel for a long time but this one video literally changed my life! I’m so happy i dont have to carry the heavy bucket of dirty water anymore, this pre-soaking tip is AMAZING, and yet so simple - but ive never thought of it!!! Thank you so much 😭 My floors look so clean and it was so easy for me to do… no longer dreading the floor cleaning day
I am going to try this! My house is like 3 jobs so anything to make life easier! I have always used BONA, but it does seem to leave a slight haze. I typically stear clear of water at all on hardwoods, but this amount seems relatively benign. Besides, your tips have never let me down and are actual life savers! Thanks Angela!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback, I appreciate it! IIt makes me happy to know that my tips have been helpful to you. Thanks for watching! Sending hugs!
I had the same issue with Bona and switched to Rejuvenate which works well and doesn’t haze. But I like that this method uses water and no chemicals. I already have the Bissell steam mop which I use on my tile but not my wood floors. I didn’t think water alone with a tiny drop of Castile soap would clean the wood well enough but now I know it will and I’m going to give it a try.
the castile soap is a chemical, albeit a safer one than many other common household cleaners. water is a chemical too but we know what you meant. it’s amazing what just water can do in terms of cleaning, hot water even more so.
I use Murphy's oil Soap on hardwood floors. Mop should be damp not wet. I use a diluted amount in warm water and use a spray bottle. Usually dries quickly. I have 100 years old floors.
Hi. The mop should be wet and used with some sort of cleaning product. If you find the floors are taking too long to dry after mopping- then the video is saying you probably have too much cleaning product making the floor too wet- so try using less. But you do use some. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching! 😃
I thought you couldn't use a steamer on hardwood floor? We have laminate flooring that looks like wood- the care just says to use diluted vinegar & water on it but I can never seem to get all of everything off & every cleaner says to not use on the finished laminate floor so I'm lost
You are correct that steamers are generally not recommended for hardwood floors, as they can potentially cause damage. However, for laminate flooring that resembles wood, the care instructions may differ. If the care instructions suggest using diluted vinegar and water, it is a suitable option for regular cleaning. If you're having trouble getting everything off, it's best to follow the manufacturer's guidelines or reach out to them for further guidance on suitable cleaning methods for your specific laminate flooring.
So glad I found your channel. Great information. Love the idea of the shoe box and damp microfiber mop head. So simple, but I never would have thought of it!
Great video! Thank you! How long can the microfiber cloths sit in the solution. I just want to do my own floors and don’t want the MFCs to get sour or mildew.
Years ago I was so excited to buy a steam mop. Dumb me listened to the infomercial and used it on my hardwood floors 😩🥺. I steamed the finish right off, after about 3 months the top coat started peeling away. They are wonderful if you have ceramic though! I’m going to try out your tips for the soap and microfiber mop heads, thank you!!
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear this. Yes, much of what you see on infomercials is designed to sell product and the ads are often created by ad teams who specialize in marketing, not necessarily cleaning.
Here is a paid link to my Amazon store: www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-Suds-Biodegradable-Cleaner/dp/B001F0RBRE?keywords=Sal%2BSuds&qid=1637121917&qsid=140-1868926-8138048&s=home-garden&sr=1-4&sres=B0061VV67I%2CB0009MU720%2CB001F0RBRE%2CB00A2F1MBO%2CB005P0TYIY%2CB07GZF5HDQ%2CB002LMI0H0%2CB000CBHXDY%2CB085CNC78S%2CB07L6QSC7N%2CB09158614F%2CB00S0IY8V6%2CB0073LGECW%2CB08K8LDCMK%2CB093QLDBQW%2CB07PW33D7D%2CB07RJWKN5Q%2CB08DJGBL6W%2CB0040MIBBY%2CB001KYVNOW&srpt=CLEANING_AGENT&linkCode=sl1&tag=savvyc03-20&linkId=a515400169516d5009eed12021128a27&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1
What is the purpose for disinfecting the floors? And how does one know if they are properly disinfected? As consumers and cleaning companies we don't have accurate tools that test if an area is disinfected. We have ATP meters that can report the organic load on a surface - but each test strip is $3 go $5 dollars. Let's suppose you "disinfect your floors" and then you open or close a door -- any airborne particles that enter through that door (or an open window) can undo your efforts. Sweeping and mopping the floors in most cases is good enough.
Hi I had a problem with a client hard wood floor I used pledge wood product to shine the floor and it leaves a crystallize stain look like the splash How can I remove this product
Oh no! I am so sorry that happened. I suggest you reach out to SC Johnson, the makers of Pledge, to see what they suggest. Keep me posted on how things turn out. 👍
Wish I had known this trick. Our “former” cleaning person ruined our hardwoods with water. Just spent 6k having them refinished and will take a different approach going forward
So clever! Thank you. I have a large home to clean this week and I know they have beautiful hardwood floors which I have been dreading to do but feel such a weight lifted off my shoulders after seeing this video. Thank you again!
Watch the video again. There is no steam for the hardwood floors. It is being used as a regular flat head mop. Look at the cord in every shot - not plugged in. Only steam on the ceramic tiles.
Where have you been all my life? I have a steam mop that stated even before I bought that it was safe for all floors. Not so!! Now I know why my bathroom linoleum is dull & my hallway tiles are lifting. SMH. Live & learn at great expense. Thank you for this wonderful info.
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this. Thanks for sharing your story. Here's hoping that others will learn from your expensive lessons and not be tricked by fancy advertising. 🙏
Thank you so much for all your videos, especially this one. I’ve been using a similar method with damp microfibre mop pads instead of a bucket. Love how you pre-soak a number of microfibre pads, especially since I am now cleaning a large, NEW home with engineered hardwood EVERYWHERE (except in the bathrooms). Because I have not been able to find clear directions about how to and what products to use for washing engineered hardwood vs “traditional” hardwood/wood flooring, I have just been using water. This has worked well for all of the floors except the most tracked area-the kitchen. Would you recommend using and drop of Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner and water on engineered hardwood? Any thoughts? Suggestions? Again, thank you so much!
Yes, the Sal Suds will work it's magic and if the floors have a sheen to them, this combo will poligh the floors nicely. Let me know how it works for you. One bottle of Sal Suds will last a LONG time.
How many cloths are in the shoe box? In other words, what is the ratio of number of microfiber cloths to water? I need to scale down for a smaller house.
Hi Stef, it's water. So it lasts forever, but you don't want wet soggy mop heads sitting around for a while. 24 hours is usually a safe bet in an airtight container it should be fine. We usually do ours the morning of the clean and then use them throughout the day.
Angela is there a good less expensive way to clean wood flooring? I used a mop with water and Murphy's Oil for the floor. The mop was not real wet. Plus these are not my floors so I need to be careful. Thank you very much. I am watching several of your videos for the answer.
The company I'm with, we use vinegar mixed with water and a little bit of lemon essential oil to take the edge off the vinegar smell. For laminant and tile. Then for hardwood we use bona. We also use the microfiber cloth mops
You had the shoebox of mopheads. You added 2 cups water with a drop of castille soap. Rt after that you said the box held 4 cups. Is it 2 or 4 cups of water? Thank you!
The measuring cup was 2 cups so 2 of those is 4 cups of water. And it doesn't matter if it's a little bit over or under on the water. The key is to get the mop pads wet and absorb water. Depending on how many mop pads you have it may only take 3 cups of water. Does that make sense?
Are you wearing those shoe covers while mopping to prevent footprints? That is my biggest issue when I mop, no matter how much time has gone by, I still leave footprints after I mop. Please advise. I am so happy that I found your channel.
Hi Mika, the shoe covers we buy in bulk (here is the paid link amzn.to/3rN4spv so you can see what I'm talking about) and we wear them in all the customer's homes. It allows us to not track in anything from outside on our shoes, and it allows us to still wear shoes while on the job, which we need for shock absorbing power and arch support which supports our knees, hips, spines, shoulders and neck while working. The white tread on the bottom is a non-slip strip and we wear them 100% of the time on the job except when in the customers bathrooms when we climb in the showers and bathtubs to clean. This prevents us from getting them wet and then tracking gunk out on the bottom of the shoe covers. We take them off right outside the bathroom door and the put them back on when we mop our way out of the bathroom.
To clean up dog pee on a hardwood floor, the best method is to use a mixture of water and vinegar. First, blot up as much of the urine as possible with a dry cloth or paper towel. Then, mix a solution of equal parts water and vinegar and lightly dampen a cloth with the solution. Use the cloth to gently scrub the affected area. Wipe the area with a clean, damp cloth to remove the vinegar solution, then dry the area with a clean towel. If the stain persists or the smell remains, you may need to use a more specialized pet urine cleaner, the one I recommend is Angry Orange (paid link amzn.to/3jE36w1) It is important to clean up dog urine as soon as possible to prevent the stain from setting in and the smell from becoming more difficult to remove.
Angela, curious if you watched the Netflix series...Maid. I kept thinking...Nooo, that's not what Angela would do! Fictional "Value Maids" had horrible practices! LoL
You know, everybody in my Professional House Cleaners FB group was talking about it for a while. I watched the first episode before I bailed. It was SO DEPRESSING I just couldn't justify spending the time. What did I miss?
First off, I love your channel!!! I need your help though. I just purchased a new home that has unsealed hardwood floors. How can I clean them safely without causing damage?
Tracy, Before I advise you, can you contact the company that manufacturers the floors or even the company that installed them and ask them what you should use? I think they would have suggestions on how to maintain the unsealed wood. Using the wrong product could void the warranty.
we have bamboo and then an oak floor (not laminet but but the click flooring). We had been using BONA and the microfiber flat mops and I even got the cheaper Dollar Tree ones that are modular. But I didn't think to do what you did. I ws spraying bona down on the floor and then mopping. I never felt like I got them clean. THEN we have two SMALL bathrooms that have tile and mine has white tile. I used to have a Hurricane spin mop which I loved for my small kitchen and bathroom. .. worked great. I just got an O Cedar spin mop that has a two bucket system. clean and dirty . I wanted to try this cause honestly.. our house has a LOT of obstacles and the flat rectangular mop just doesn't fit around corners. BUT I was beside myself about the actual cleaner!. WE have some Sal Suds. I actually tonight just sprayed some BONA into the water for the main floor nad then bought a tiny bottle of the lemon fabulosa cause I have heard endless things and seen everyone use them. We will see. BUT I think I will try your system... My boyfriend is extremely sensitive to ANY smell. Can tolerate lemon ajax but we do have Sal Suds sooooo I will see if that works! :).. Thanks (can that work for the bathroom through?)
The Sal Suds plus water on the mop pad is all you need for all the floors you mention. Try the damp mop method vs. the spray on the floor and mop method. The spraying on the floor doesn't go on the floor evenly, often too much product is applied to the floor, doesn't get the floor clean enough and / or leaves streaks or sticky residue on the floor.
But how does this kill germs? It seems like it’s just spreading dirt and gunk and germs around. I would not clean my countertops with just water. Not a criticism - I want to understand. Yours is not the only site that recommends water only on wood floors. Cleaning without a cleaning product doesn’t seem like cleaning to me, though, so the idea makes me cringe a bit. Can you explain, please? Are there any studies that show plain water cleans wood as well as water with a cleaning product (more than a small drop)? Again, I am not trying to criticize. I want to trust the water method.
Great questions. The answer lies not in the chemicals but the microfiber mop pads you use. Here is an article from Microfiber Wholesale (a favorite mop wholesaler for professional cleaners) on how microfiber removes germs with nothing but water. www.microfiberwholesale.com/blogs/blog/how-microfiber-can-help-in-the-cold-flu-season
I would love to know more about castile soap? There are so many options on Amazon from face and body cleaners, peppermint sent, unscented. Any other uses. Thank you for these valuable videos
Lisa Bronner (from the maker of Sal Suds) was on the show a while back. th-cam.com/video/gZxQE-QMx4E/w-d-xo.html it's amazing soap that has SO MANY uses and is safe for people, plants and pets.
I use a Bona Mop, minus the Bona spray solution(I do not like the way the floors haze over). I wet the microfiber pad, wring it out, and use my own formulation of cleaner. For wood floors I use water diluted with Murphy’s oil. Laminate and tile I use either water and Pine Sol, or water and vinegar.
I love all your cleaning tips! Thank you so much! I am hooked on watching your channel😊 Used your tip of using steamer on wood floor and absolutely worked on my stubborn stain! Thank you! Wanted to ask, is there anything I can use to shine my bamboo floors once in a while? They are not as shiny but also not to dull...
Hi Maria, Thanks for the kind words and for watching. The same technique with the damp microfiber mop pre-wet with one drop of Sal Suds will serve you best for bamboo flooring for a great clean and an awesome shine. No water and no steam. 👍
Hi Angela. Thank you for the useful information you provided on your video about cleaning hardwood floors. How many mop pads do you have in that bucket and how big is the container?. I need to make sure that I have the right amount of mop pads for the suggested water amount for the damping process. Thanks a lot!
It might take a time or two before you get it right with the size flooring you have. There is no exact science. You can also mix up a gallon of water and put in 2 drops of Sal Suds, then dip in your clean mop pad and wring it out for the same effect if you are only using one or two mop pads.
I have quite a few dogs and wood floors throughout. I’d go through several mop heads just to clean one of the main rooms my floors get so dirty. I’d be switching out the mop cloths every two minutes because they’d be black. I wash my floors once a week (I’m lucky to have time for just that) so if I’m not rinsing the dirt out regularly all I’m doing is spreading the dirt around. I’ve been using a mop that I can rinse then spin most of the yuck out before moving on to the next part of the floor. In your experience is that too hard on wood floors?
Using this mop type is generally fine for wood floors as long as you're not leaving them too wet; just make sure the mop is only damp to avoid any water damage👍
😞 I need to refinish my real wood floors. We have no mud room no Awning over back door and dogs bring in mud snow and poop .How much do professional refinisher cost for 10 ft by 5 ft in front of slide door? Estimate
That is a great question and I wouldn't know that off the top of my head. My recommendation is to find a refinisher in your area who would know the going rates and be able to give you an accurate quote based on time and products needed to do the job properly.
Yes, every flooring type has slightly different coating on top or is installed a slightly different way. With those considerations in mind, this is an excellent tool - used slightly differently for the various flooring types.
Im so confused about wood flooring. I hear so many different ways to clean that sound legitimate. I even remember one episode where you discussed your favorite steamer for wood floors so I started doing that until a flooring company told me never to steam wood floors unless you want a law suit. Would you say this is the tried/true way to clean hardwood floors for professionals ?? Also what about bona?
I still use a steamer for all my hardwood floors - but as a damp mop. If you have something that just won't come up you can remove it with steam but use steam as a last resort. For wood flooring think of it as a big piece of wood furniture. You don't spray chemicals or put water or steam on wood furniture in most normal situations. You use a duster or a damp microfiber cloth. And most hardwood floors in the last 15-20 years have a protective coating on them that just needs to be wiped clean. A damp microfiber cloth will do just that (or in this case, a damp microfiber mop head.) Ps. If you use a damp microfiber cloth you don't need Bona.
Great advice, except for the part where you said that wood floors were delicate and you said to steam only on deep cleaning days and then that it's okay if you find gross stuff stuck on. Actually, you should be bringing something natural, like Simple Green, to clean in those areas. Because the glue on the floor can come off! You don't want that to happen. Think if you were the home owner, that seal on those floors should last at least twenty years.
We have bamboo flooring in our house. We're told to not let water just stay on the floor. Just to wipe it. I'm going to try your drop of castile soap, water and floor pads sitting in that mixture.
Thank you Angela for your many wonderfully helpful cleaning videos! How would I remove grime or gunk from the grooves of a finished maple wooden floor? Would there be a soft brush and/or cleaner I could use to safely eliminate the appearance of the dark lines between boards? My floor space is too large to manually clean the grooves individually. I do not want to steam floors for a long period of time to remove grime for fear of ruining finish on top and along sides of boards. Any help would be appreciated!
You are so welcome! 😊 It sounds like you have a big job on your hands. I hear your hesitation about steam cleaning for long periods but could you use one to just help soften the grime, then hand scrub in the grooves with a soft bristle brush, wiping up the residue so it doesn't affect the finish? If not, you might have to apply a lot of elbow grease and hand scrub the floor, wiping as you go to protect the finish. Best of luck! 🤗
Too much work to just wipe up floors, like my simple spin mop, its quick and easy. Not sure what to do with this Crosswave all in one, I just need to clean one area rug, I only need a small little gadget that stores easily.
We don't have any guarantee with castile soap (or any soap for that matter) that we've removed covid. But two years into the pandemic we are hearing fewer reports of people catching covid from their hardwood floors.
It looks like I'm using the right mop for my own wood floors, but I should add no dish soap or Murphy's oil (can't remember the name) and use just enough water. 9 years later!
What do you do with a really really animal hairy house when it comes to mopping a floor. I fear having to use my own mop and then having dog/animal hair in my washing machine and attaching to other items that I later wash. Also using my own vacuum in a smelly animal hair filled house and then having to use that vacuum in the next house which is a non-pet owner's house and noticing the smell that emits from the vacuum. What would be your solution?
For this reason I recommend using the customer's vacuum. Empty the vacuum before and after you use it and leave it onsite. You can still use your regular mop pads, but you may decide to wash them in a load by themselves (soak them in a bucket (or a gallon jug) until you are ready for that load of wash, and don't cross contaminate them with other laundry. Here is a video I made about washing microfiber cloths using mesh bags to prevent this very problem. th-cam.com/video/WsqaogBa8aU/w-d-xo.html
Hi Steven, I use two steamers, both for different things and the one shown here in this video is the Bissell Steamer - and here is the paid link amzn.to/3qQ00pn.
There are two steam mops that I use but this one is my favorite it is the Light 'N' Easy Steam Mop amzn.to/3i6rpCr (paid link) and I like it because it is free standing and can be used as a dry dust mop, (just use it without plugging it in or wetting the mop pad.) You can use it as a damp mop (just wet the mop pad, squeeze it out and start mopping) or as a steam mop (wet the mop pad, squeeze it out, and plug in the cord).
Technically you can - nobody is going to stop you. But many hardwood floor manufacturers now will void the warranty on your flooring if you use vinegar. By itself, vinegar is a 2.5 on the pH scale. And with hardwood floors you want a pH neutral floor cleaner - something around a 7. The castile soap is a safe bet if using only one drop. Keep it simple.
The same rules apply, dampen the microfiber mop head and squeeze it out really tight so there is no water left on the floor after mopping for more than a second or two.
Angela. I see you use a steamer for hardwood floors. I have hardwood engineering floors made of a veneer I believe. I am afraid to steam as you said is not safe . Why use the steamer machine to clean this floors? Also how you remove streaks left from shoes . I have use bona hardwood cleaner tirelessly and they won't come off. Please help 🙏
Instead of having multiple tools, we have the steamer on jobs with us anyway - and it has a mop head, so we use the steam mop without the steam when just doing a damp mop. You can use any mop you like. The pre-wetting system works the same way.
Great question. It's not spraying it on the mop head that works, it's that the mop pads are already pre-wet - It's the difference between eating a sandwich and eating the crumbs. Try it both ways and you'll know what I mean. And sure, you can do it, it's just that your results will be different. Tell me which you like better. 👍
Any vacuum that picks up dust, crumbs, hair and pet fur. They pretty much all work. For me I prefer Shark or Dyson because they work on both carpet and hardwood without switching heads or attachments. And now vacuums come in easy to empty canisters.
Angela! ...i need to know how i would get a cement floor clean!...recently i had a new client need a deep clean...well, the floor in the kitchen was just a painted cement floor...that just so happened to of a few days before have the bathtub back up and cover it as well as the bathroom floor with the backed up water......they had it dried up but the floor was still pretty bad from the incident ...plus grime from before that happened....i tried everything i could think of to get this floor clean....unfortunatley i was not able to get it completely clean....even though the client was happy ..it was definately not to my satisfaction at all....i ended up even resorting to using "method plant based heavy duty degreaser " and even" scrubbing bubbles foam "....soooo...how do i get a floor clean that is just painted on cement floor!
To be honest, there are certain factors to consider. Has the floor been sealed? Is the paint water resistant? Will cleaning chemicals peel the paint or seep thru to the concrete floor and damge it. Here are a few links that talk about cleaning concrete floors: *simplegreen.com/cleaning-tips/rooms/living-room/floors-concrete/ *www.hunker.com/12348454/how-to-clean-painted-concrete-floors
Do you have a good way to clean microfiber mop heads and rags? If you put them in the washer, is there a better soap than another? Do you air dry them?
Hi Susan, yes, here is a video I made about that very topic th-cam.com/video/WsqaogBa8aU/w-d-xo.html and for the paid link to the mesh laundry bags amzn.to/3M0Sxg9 (I see they are on sale this week a few dollars off - I may have to get another set. LOL)
The process is the exact same process here only you will plug in the steamer. Steam on travertine is completely safe and will remove the dry poop and pee and leave the area clean and sanitized.
Ms. Brown, do you have a solution for critters? specifically centipedes? I HAAAAAATTTTTEEEEE them. I don't care what they are good for I just dont want to see them. Im from Minneapolis, MN where I saw them a few times a year...then I moved to Albuquerque where I never saw one. Now I live in Collegeville, PA and have already seen two. Please, let me know. Also, our finished basement is full of spiders. Any advice? Thanks for all you do. God bless you!
A home pest spray (here is a paid link amzn.to/3eyLgrN) for spiders, roaches, ants, fleas, will also eliminate critters like silverfish and centipedes. You can spray every 3 months to keep them at bay. And make sure when choosing an in home spray that you use one that is odorless and colorless so it doesn't stain the baseboards or skirting boards.
how do you get the smell of pets out of wood floors? not pet urine, but just pet odor in general? i bought a home and even though it's clean, i can't get rid of the pet smell from pets living in the home before i moved here
Thank you for your question! You can tackle that pet odor by mixing some white vinegar and water, then give your floors a good cleaning with it. If the smell persists, sprinkle some baking soda, let it sit for a bit, and then vacuum it up. That should help freshen things up! Always remember to try cleaning products and solutions on a small area first to make sure they don't damage your floors!
Sal Suds is castile soap. We've tried other versions of Dr. Bronners but we all come back to this specific version of castile soap. Don't know why but Sal Suds wins the shine the hardwood floors contest.
If the floors are super dirty do you still use the steam mop? Or do you change the pad out or do you do a wet mop at all first then the steamer? I would assume after the whole house the pad gets dirty then the floor starts to look fogy from just using 1 mop head?
Great question! Is the dirt something that could have been swept or vacuumed up prior to mopping (like crumbs)? If it’s dried spills or normal floor grime then you will need to change the mop bonnets when they get too dirty. I hope this helps with cleaning your floors. Keep me posted on how your floors turn out : )
@@AskAngelaBrown Thank you for your quick reply. I had another question regarding Krud Kutter. For wooden blinds, do you spray the 'undiluted' solution on the cloth before wiping the slats?
I have been using this method for months since I started watching your videos. I bought the same steam mop and pre soak the heads with a drop of sal suds… just like you show. Suddenly my clients hardwood floors are incredibly slippery. Have you ever heard of this? I thought they must’ve used something in between my cleans but they say they have not and believe it to be residue from not drying it afterwards so they have asked me to used a Swiffer dry mop after I mop.. I’m confused and have never had this problem before. The floors dry naturally and quickly with this method so I didn’t think me allowing it to air dry would be the issue. I’d love to know your thoughts on this.
If you are using just one drop of Sal Suds, you should have shiny floors but not slippery floors. The floors are just clean. Is the "slippery" part because the floors are wet?
@@AskAngelaBrown they are slippery when dry... And yes, I am only using one drop per 4 cups just like you show.. the floors dry very quickly so there is no standing water.
I should also I add. I use this method at my own home and another clients and don’t have any issues. But both me and the other client have original wood flooring whereas this particular clients has engineered hardwood. I really am confused as to how the floors are so slick. they are both older clients too so it poses even more of a risk if they fall.
Is the oil caused from previous cleaning chemicals? Or is this a varnish on the floors? Wood flooring should be treated like wooden furniture and wiped with a slightly damp cloth/microfiber pad.
I have two dogs and two cats, they track all kinds of things onto the floors from the outside and litter box, not to mention the dogs lick the floors a lot! Just water with a drop of cleaner will clean the germs and bacteria off the floor? I’ve been using a mopnado microfiber mop with a small amt of dish soap and a small amt of vinegar mixed in to the hot water on my three year old hardwood floors. The mop is nearly dry when spun out and it has a separate area for the dirty water/clean water. Vinegar is a good disinfectant which is why i use it. Should I stop adding it? Your prepared method looks like a time saver, I may switch over to it. Thanks for any advice.
@@AskAngelaBrown Thanks, I appreciate the vid. The video is saying vinegar and engineered floors don’t mix well due to the engineered floors being not wood and having a finish baked-in. What about new REAL hardwood floors? Is vinegar okay to use in cleaning them? Again, very small amount diluted in warm water with a small amount of Dawn and a very spun-dry mop. Thanks.
What if you don’t need to use that many mop replacements. You have a lot in the container, but what if you only need to use three of those how would you dispense the water and the Castile soap?
following.. for cleaning own house. does this have to be freshly mixed/done before mopping or can i leave the unused mops soaked in the container until the next time. I dont mop everyday. thanks!
I love the idea of dampening several mop heads, this way when the one you are using gets dirty, you can just swap it out for a new one. When you are out cleaning, do you have one box of heads for each house ready to go?
I don’t mind the the thought of using one head for my own home, and then going to rinse / wring it when it needs to be freshened. I could almost see using two buckets: one to dip in “dirty”, and one to dip in after that, for cleaner water. Or, one bucket to dip in to get most dirt off, then go to a sink to clean off. What a bunch of extra work, though ! I think I prefer a batch of clean mop cloths that I can use, swap, and clean later .
Thank you for these great tips !
Thank you for your tips!👍
I have always dreaded cleaning until I came across your channel in July. By ussing your tips and learning how to do it correctly, I have gotten pretty good at not making cleaning an annoyance as well as not taking the whole day to clean. I love your videos and thank you for all the advice and tips.
Hooray! I think you're saying cleaning can be fun? LOL. It is one of those things we'll be doing for the rest of our lives as long as we have a roof over our heads. So learning the techniques and proper tools can make the job a lot easier. Thanks for watching and for the feedback. I appreciate you. 💛
That's brilliant and I'm kind of wondering why I never came up with that idea!🤭
Glad you think so! Thanks for watching the video.
Good video and tips
Thank you so much!
What an I use for slate tile?
For slate title you can use the exact same process only plug the steamer in. The steamer on stone is just fine and will remove the impurities, water spots, or other surface gunk.
😷🙂
Thanks for tuning in!
Thanks Angela. How many mop heads to that amount of water?
You can do 7-8 mop heads. But if you want to test it out, try it out at home and see what works best for you.
In just 6 mins I have learned more about my hardwood floor (since moving in last January) Thank you so very much Angela. Your amazing and such a wonderful lady ❤ 💕 💖 ♥ 💗
You are so welcome, glad it was helpful!
Hello, I work in the flooring industry installing wood flooring and as a field supervisor I inspect a lot of floors for issues. One issue we see a lot of is cleaners over saturating the floor or also using steam mops which over time break down the finish on the wood floors.
On the glue you talked about coming up through the floor if you use to much steam that usually could be some solvent base glue or a water base glue. Most glue we use now on engineered wood flooring is urethane base which once dried turns into more of a rubber/foam wouldn’t seep through once it’s dried.
The gluedown vinyl planks mostly use pressure sensitive adhesive which a lot of time are waterbase and the steam could have a heavier effect on those and glue could seep up.
Also a lot of what we see is cleaners not changing mop water as much and mop leaving streaks on the floor especially floor with matte finish. (A lot of what we do is new construction which is alot more dusty)
Also cleaner have applied polish to the wood floor like bona Polish (this will change the sheen of the wood floor and make it shiny which voids manufacture WARRENTY on the floor since it changes original sheen. If boards have to be replaced due to some kind of damage the new boards will always stand out and look different will never catch up to the sheen of the floor that has already had the polish applied.)
A lot of the newer floors have a matte finish or semi matte finish and are not suppose to be shiny like a high glossy finish would as a lot of older floors have.
Also if you ever do a post construction clean and Sheetrock dust is on a wood floor best to vac all you can up because if that sheet rock dust gets into the grain of a wood floor and it gets wet it turns into like concrete and you can’t get it out. Then the only thing that can be done is buffing over with some old English to cover the white and then buffing back over with denatured alcohol to cut the rest of the old English off.
You have some really good information in this video. My wife is looking into starting a cleaning company we’ve watched several of your videos. Lots of good information.
Thanks for the videos
Thank you so much for sharing this information and all the tips! Wishing your wife the best and lots of success!!
That's what I heard as well. Particularly, if you steam mop your hardwood floors regularly. My concern is that the floor may warp over time from regular steam seeping into the wood.
After total knee replacement and working all day with severely impaired students in schools, I have avoided the floors as I was too overwhelmed. I found Angela and that was the beginning of my inspiration to get started. Now you are the icing on the cake. What you have suggested is so smart and is showing me how to correct all of the mistakes I have been making with the muddy awful horrible hard wood floors. Thank you so much for being an inspiration.
Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you find the show inspiring. 😊
Wow! 3000 - 6000 square feet homes. The first thing I think of is how many more dogs I could adopt with a house that size.🥳 💟🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕💟🥳
Hahaha...too funny! Thanks for watching!
O. M. G. I tried this and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
Now I can mop an entire house with virtually any floor surface and I only need one mop and I use these pre-treated mop pads. Turn on the steam for tile and more durable surfaces and turn it off for wood floors and less durable surfaces. The cleaning power is excellent with no scrubbing and it does leave just a little shine. Wonderful!!!
Awesome. I'm so thrilled to hear it works for you as well as it works for me. Hooray! 👏👏👏
You are amazing. I just started my house cleaning business and have doubled in a month. Your tips keep me professional, knowledgable, and efficient. Thank you so much!
Go, Ashlee. Congratulations on your new cleaning business. I'm so happy for you. Keep me posted on your progress. I'm here rooting for you. 👏👏👏
Ashlee how did you double?
@@naomi8097 It was a mixture of marketing, mainly using word of mouth from clients and advertising locally, and honing my skills to set myself apart.
What marketing? Where did you advertise locally? Thank you!
@@karentilley4356 We live in a small town, so word of mouth, and knowing local business owners has helped me with advertising with my business cards in their shops.
I would love to see a video at some point of what your team carries with them into a maintenance clean! I try to keep things as basic as possible and part of the reason I haven’t invested in a steamer yet is because I’m nervous about getting distracted with a bunch of gadgets and gizmos and carrying around to much stuff.
I completely understand. I will answer this and show you in a video exactly what I carry with me to a job. Short version is two cleaning caddies, one with cloths and a steamer and the other with cleaning chemicals and PPE.
Following on this topic I’m on the same boat 🙀
Willow Hall! Yes, I totally agree! I’d like to see that video too. Less is more.
Yes
I cannot get enough of your videos; but especially with genius technique tutorials like this! 💕
Wow, thank you! I'm so glad that you enjoy them. Thanks for taking the time to write this comment, I appreciate it! 🤗
Angela!!!! I’ve been watching and enjoying your channel for a long time but this one video literally changed my life! I’m so happy i dont have to carry the heavy bucket of dirty water anymore, this pre-soaking tip is AMAZING, and yet so simple - but ive never thought of it!!! Thank you so much 😭 My floors look so clean and it was so easy for me to do… no longer dreading the floor cleaning day
+xyz Hooray! I’m so happy for you. Mopping floors was never meant to be a chore. 🥰
I am going to try this! My house is like 3 jobs so anything to make life easier! I have always used BONA, but it does seem to leave a slight haze. I typically stear clear of water at all on hardwoods, but this amount seems relatively benign. Besides, your tips have never let me down and are actual life savers! Thanks Angela!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback, I appreciate it! IIt makes me happy to know that my tips have been helpful to you. Thanks for watching! Sending hugs!
I had the same issue with Bona and switched to Rejuvenate which works well and doesn’t haze. But I like that this method uses water and no chemicals. I already have the Bissell steam mop which I use on my tile but not my wood floors. I didn’t think water alone with a tiny drop of Castile soap would clean the wood well enough but now I know it will and I’m going to give it a try.
the castile soap is a chemical, albeit a safer one than many other common household cleaners.
water is a chemical too but we know what you meant. it’s amazing what just water can do in terms of cleaning, hot water even more so.
I use Murphy's oil Soap on hardwood floors. Mop should be damp not wet. I use a diluted amount in warm water and use a spray bottle. Usually dries quickly. I have 100 years old floors.
Awesome...good to know! Thank you for watching the video and for sharing your cleaning tip!
Why in the world are you wearing a mask alone in your own house? Your judgment suspect, if you think this is a good idea.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. 👍
I was watching I still dont understand how the microfiber mop wasn't wet can u explain in more detail
Hi. The mop should be wet and used with some sort of cleaning product. If you find the floors are taking too long to dry after mopping- then the video is saying you probably have too much cleaning product making the floor too wet- so try using less. But you do use some. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching! 😃
I thought you couldn't use a steamer on hardwood floor? We have laminate flooring that looks like wood- the care just says to use diluted vinegar & water on it but I can never seem to get all of everything off & every cleaner says to not use on the finished laminate floor so I'm lost
You are correct that steamers are generally not recommended for hardwood floors, as they can potentially cause damage. However, for laminate flooring that resembles wood, the care instructions may differ. If the care instructions suggest using diluted vinegar and water, it is a suitable option for regular cleaning. If you're having trouble getting everything off, it's best to follow the manufacturer's guidelines or reach out to them for further guidance on suitable cleaning methods for your specific laminate flooring.
So glad I found your channel. Great information. Love the idea of the shoe box and damp microfiber mop head. So simple, but I never would have thought of it!
Right! Let me know if you give it a try, I'd love to know how it goes. Thanks for taking the time to comment. :-)
Great video! Thank you! How long can the microfiber cloths sit in the solution. I just want to do my own floors and don’t want the MFCs to get sour or mildew.
Great questions! Probably no more than 24 -48 hours, definitely not something that can sit around for days. Thanks for watching!
@@AskAngelaBrown thank you for replying. I LOVE your videos!
Years ago I was so excited to buy a steam mop. Dumb me listened to the infomercial and used it on my hardwood floors 😩🥺. I steamed the finish right off, after about 3 months the top coat started peeling away. They are wonderful if you have ceramic though! I’m going to try out your tips for the soap and microfiber mop heads, thank you!!
Oh no, I'm sorry to hear this. Yes, much of what you see on infomercials is designed to sell product and the ads are often created by ad teams who specialize in marketing, not necessarily cleaning.
Amazing! What size box is that and how many mop heads do you put inside? Thanks for the awesome cleaning tips!!
Thank you for watching and for your kind words! Here is a link to the box I use Shoebox with latch lid for mop charging station - amzn.to/3Hrw1Lp
vandra??? How you spell the name of liquid.
Here is a paid link to my Amazon store: www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-Suds-Biodegradable-Cleaner/dp/B001F0RBRE?keywords=Sal%2BSuds&qid=1637121917&qsid=140-1868926-8138048&s=home-garden&sr=1-4&sres=B0061VV67I%2CB0009MU720%2CB001F0RBRE%2CB00A2F1MBO%2CB005P0TYIY%2CB07GZF5HDQ%2CB002LMI0H0%2CB000CBHXDY%2CB085CNC78S%2CB07L6QSC7N%2CB09158614F%2CB00S0IY8V6%2CB0073LGECW%2CB08K8LDCMK%2CB093QLDBQW%2CB07PW33D7D%2CB07RJWKN5Q%2CB08DJGBL6W%2CB0040MIBBY%2CB001KYVNOW&srpt=CLEANING_AGENT&linkCode=sl1&tag=savvyc03-20&linkId=a515400169516d5009eed12021128a27&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1
Thanks so much Angela! I always trust your recommendations.
Glad to be helpful!
What about disinfecting the floors? I just don't feel my floors are clean unless I disinfect them. Do you have a go-to for doing this?
What is the purpose for disinfecting the floors? And how does one know if they are properly disinfected? As consumers and cleaning companies we don't have accurate tools that test if an area is disinfected. We have ATP meters that can report the organic load on a surface - but each test strip is $3 go $5 dollars. Let's suppose you "disinfect your floors" and then you open or close a door -- any airborne particles that enter through that door (or an open window) can undo your efforts. Sweeping and mopping the floors in most cases is good enough.
Hi I had a problem with a client hard wood floor
I used pledge wood product to shine the floor and it leaves a crystallize stain look like the splash
How can I remove this product
Oh no! I am so sorry that happened. I suggest you reach out to SC Johnson, the makers of Pledge, to see what they suggest. Keep me posted on how things turn out. 👍
Good idea I’ll do that
Thanks 🙏
Hi Angela! I love starting my day here in VA with your videos! You have awesome tips and information!❤❤❤
Thanks Jean for watching and for your kind words, you made my day. :-)
Wish I had known this trick. Our “former” cleaning person ruined our hardwoods with water. Just spent 6k having them refinished and will take a different approach going forward
Oh no...sorry to hear that! I hope no one else ruins your floors. Thanks for tuning in!
So clever! Thank you. I have a large home to clean this week and I know they have beautiful hardwood floors which I have been dreading to do but feel such a weight lifted off my shoulders after seeing this video. Thank you again!
You are going to do a great job. I’m routing for you! 🤗
Thank you for helping us and answering our questions!! I subscribed awhile back knowing I could trust you in what you suggest and tips you offer! 😁😘🤗🌺
You're welcome! And thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment, I appreciate it! 🤗
That type of steam cleaning will remove the varnish on your wood floors.
Watch the video again. There is no steam for the hardwood floors. It is being used as a regular flat head mop. Look at the cord in every shot - not plugged in. Only steam on the ceramic tiles.
Where have you been all my life? I have a steam mop that stated even before I bought that it was safe for all floors. Not so!! Now I know why my bathroom linoleum is dull & my hallway tiles are lifting. SMH. Live & learn at great expense. Thank you for this wonderful info.
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this. Thanks for sharing your story. Here's hoping that others will learn from your expensive lessons and not be tricked by fancy advertising. 🙏
Thank you so much for all your videos, especially this one. I’ve been using a similar method with damp microfibre mop pads instead of a bucket. Love how you pre-soak a number of microfibre pads, especially since I am now cleaning a large, NEW home with engineered hardwood EVERYWHERE (except in the bathrooms). Because I have not been able to find clear directions about how to and what products to use for washing engineered hardwood vs “traditional” hardwood/wood flooring, I have just been using water. This has worked well for all of the floors except the most tracked area-the kitchen. Would you recommend using and drop of Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner and water on engineered hardwood? Any thoughts? Suggestions? Again, thank you so much!
Yes, the Sal Suds will work it's magic and if the floors have a sheen to them, this combo will poligh the floors nicely. Let me know how it works for you. One bottle of Sal Suds will last a LONG time.
How many cloths are in the shoe box? In other words, what is the ratio of number of microfiber cloths to water? I need to scale down for a smaller house.
4 cups of water will wet 8-10 microfiber mop heads.
Hi! How much in advance can you make the bin of mop heads? How long does it last?
Hi Stef, it's water. So it lasts forever, but you don't want wet soggy mop heads sitting around for a while. 24 hours is usually a safe bet in an airtight container it should be fine. We usually do ours the morning of the clean and then use them throughout the day.
Great tip with soaking the mop heads… going to do this over night the day before I do floors next time with my Shark steamer. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! Keep me posted on how the floors turn out next time you use your Shark steam mop : )
Angela is there a good less expensive way to clean wood flooring? I used a mop with water and Murphy's Oil for the floor. The mop was not real wet. Plus these are not my floors so I need to be careful. Thank you very much. I am watching several of your videos for the answer.
Hi Paula, Any flat head mop with a washable microfiber mop head will do. Here's a pretty durable one for under $30 amzn.to/3JWOT5h
The company I'm with, we use vinegar mixed with water and a little bit of lemon essential oil to take the edge off the vinegar smell. For laminant and tile. Then for hardwood we use bona. We also use the microfiber cloth mops
Thank for sharing!
You had the shoebox of mopheads. You added 2 cups water with a drop of castille soap. Rt after that you said the box held 4 cups. Is it 2 or 4 cups of water? Thank you!
The measuring cup was 2 cups so 2 of those is 4 cups of water. And it doesn't matter if it's a little bit over or under on the water. The key is to get the mop pads wet and absorb water. Depending on how many mop pads you have it may only take 3 cups of water. Does that make sense?
Are you wearing those shoe covers while mopping to prevent footprints? That is my biggest issue when I mop, no matter how much time has gone by, I still leave footprints after I mop. Please advise. I am so happy that I found your channel.
Hi Mika, the shoe covers we buy in bulk (here is the paid link amzn.to/3rN4spv so you can see what I'm talking about) and we wear them in all the customer's homes. It allows us to not track in anything from outside on our shoes, and it allows us to still wear shoes while on the job, which we need for shock absorbing power and arch support which supports our knees, hips, spines, shoulders and neck while working. The white tread on the bottom is a non-slip strip and we wear them 100% of the time on the job except when in the customers bathrooms when we climb in the showers and bathtubs to clean. This prevents us from getting them wet and then tracking gunk out on the bottom of the shoe covers. We take them off right outside the bathroom door and the put them back on when we mop our way out of the bathroom.
@@AskAngelaBrown Thank you Angela.
I have 3 dogs. While I'm at work sometimes they may have an accident in the house. What is the best way to clean up dog pee on a hardwood floor?
To clean up dog pee on a hardwood floor, the best method is to use a mixture of water and vinegar. First, blot up as much of the urine as possible with a dry cloth or paper towel. Then, mix a solution of equal parts water and vinegar and lightly dampen a cloth with the solution. Use the cloth to gently scrub the affected area. Wipe the area with a clean, damp cloth to remove the vinegar solution, then dry the area with a clean towel. If the stain persists or the smell remains, you may need to use a more specialized pet urine cleaner, the one I recommend is Angry Orange (paid link amzn.to/3jE36w1)
It is important to clean up dog urine as soon as possible to prevent the stain from setting in and the smell from becoming more difficult to remove.
I Have a wood job tomorrow, help please! Use Neutral cleaning products but still need tips! Thank you 😊 Love your channel
I’m routing for you, good luck with your wood cleaning project tomorrow.
How many microfiber cloths are in the mop bucket with the 4 cups of water and teaspoon of Castile soap?
Hi. There were 8 in there. Hope that helps! Thank you so much for watching. 🙂
Angela, curious if you watched the Netflix series...Maid. I kept thinking...Nooo, that's not what Angela would do! Fictional "Value Maids" had horrible practices! LoL
You know, everybody in my Professional House Cleaners FB group was talking about it for a while. I watched the first episode before I bailed. It was SO DEPRESSING I just couldn't justify spending the time. What did I miss?
First off, I love your channel!!! I need your help though. I just purchased a new home that has unsealed hardwood floors. How can I clean them safely without causing damage?
Tracy, Before I advise you, can you contact the company that manufacturers the floors or even the company that installed them and ask them what you should use? I think they would have suggestions on how to maintain the unsealed wood. Using the wrong product could void the warranty.
we have bamboo and then an oak floor (not laminet but but the click flooring). We had been using BONA and the microfiber flat mops and I even got the cheaper Dollar Tree ones that are modular. But I didn't think to do what you did. I ws spraying bona down on the floor and then mopping. I never felt like I got them clean. THEN we have two SMALL bathrooms that have tile and mine has white tile. I used to have a Hurricane spin mop which I loved for my small kitchen and bathroom. .. worked great. I just got an O Cedar spin mop that has a two bucket system. clean and dirty . I wanted to try this cause honestly.. our house has a LOT of obstacles and the flat rectangular mop just doesn't fit around corners. BUT I was beside myself about the actual cleaner!. WE have some Sal Suds. I actually tonight just sprayed some BONA into the water for the main floor nad then bought a tiny bottle of the lemon fabulosa cause I have heard endless things and seen everyone use them. We will see. BUT I think I will try your system... My boyfriend is extremely sensitive to ANY smell. Can tolerate lemon ajax but we do have Sal Suds sooooo I will see if that works! :).. Thanks (can that work for the bathroom through?)
The Sal Suds plus water on the mop pad is all you need for all the floors you mention. Try the damp mop method vs. the spray on the floor and mop method. The spraying on the floor doesn't go on the floor evenly, often too much product is applied to the floor, doesn't get the floor clean enough and / or leaves streaks or sticky residue on the floor.
But how does this kill germs? It seems like it’s just spreading dirt and gunk and germs around. I would not clean my countertops with just water. Not a criticism - I want to understand. Yours is not the only site that recommends water only on wood floors. Cleaning without a cleaning product doesn’t seem like cleaning to me, though, so the idea makes me cringe a bit. Can you explain, please? Are there any studies that show plain water cleans wood as well as water with a cleaning product (more than a small drop)? Again, I am not trying to criticize. I want to trust the water method.
Great questions. The answer lies not in the chemicals but the microfiber mop pads you use. Here is an article from Microfiber Wholesale (a favorite mop wholesaler for professional cleaners) on how microfiber removes germs with nothing but water. www.microfiberwholesale.com/blogs/blog/how-microfiber-can-help-in-the-cold-flu-season
I would love to know more about castile soap? There are so many options on Amazon from face and body cleaners, peppermint sent, unscented. Any other uses. Thank you for these valuable videos
Dr. Bronner's liquid castille soap is excellent and a little goes a long way. Comes in several scents or unscented. My favorite is almond.
Lisa Bronner (from the maker of Sal Suds) was on the show a while back. th-cam.com/video/gZxQE-QMx4E/w-d-xo.html it's amazing soap that has SO MANY uses and is safe for people, plants and pets.
I use a Bona Mop, minus the Bona spray solution(I do not like the way the floors haze over). I wet the microfiber pad, wring it out, and use my own formulation of cleaner. For wood floors I use water diluted with Murphy’s oil. Laminate and tile I use either water and Pine Sol, or water and vinegar.
Thanks so much for sharing this tip. 😊
Don’t you have to rinse the Murphy’s oil? Is a tiny bit of vinegar okay? I have to go back to Angela’s tape.
@Vivian Swim I do not mix Murphy’s Oil with vinegar.
I love all your cleaning tips! Thank you so much! I am hooked on watching your channel😊 Used your tip of using steamer on wood floor and absolutely worked on my stubborn stain! Thank you! Wanted to ask, is there anything I can use to shine my bamboo floors once in a while? They are not as shiny but also not to dull...
Hi Maria, Thanks for the kind words and for watching. The same technique with the damp microfiber mop pre-wet with one drop of Sal Suds will serve you best for bamboo flooring for a great clean and an awesome shine. No water and no steam. 👍
@@AskAngelaBrown Thank you so much!! I will try ☺️
Hi Angela. Thank you for the useful information you provided on your video about cleaning hardwood floors. How many mop pads do you have in that bucket and how big is the container?. I need to make sure that I have the right amount of mop pads for the suggested water amount for the damping process. Thanks a lot!
It might take a time or two before you get it right with the size flooring you have. There is no exact science. You can also mix up a gallon of water and put in 2 drops of Sal Suds, then dip in your clean mop pad and wring it out for the same effect if you are only using one or two mop pads.
3-6000 square feet? Where in the world do you work? Huge houses.
It's true. The homes are large! Thanks for watching and joining the conversation!!👏
Yessss! Another video from lovely Angela 🤸♂️ She always lifts me up. Thank you Angela, love from England ❤️ xx
You're so welcome! Thank you so much for the kind words and love! Sending hugs to England! 🤗😊💗
I have quite a few dogs and wood floors throughout. I’d go through several mop heads just to clean one of the main rooms my floors get so dirty. I’d be switching out the mop cloths every two minutes because they’d be black. I wash my floors once a week (I’m lucky to have time for just that) so if I’m not rinsing the dirt out regularly all I’m doing is spreading the dirt around. I’ve been using a mop that I can rinse then spin most of the yuck out before moving on to the next part of the floor. In your experience is that too hard on wood floors?
Using this mop type is generally fine for wood floors as long as you're not leaving them too wet; just make sure the mop is only damp to avoid any water damage👍
😞 I need to refinish my real wood floors. We have no mud room no Awning over back door and dogs bring in mud snow and poop .How much do professional refinisher cost for 10 ft by 5 ft in front of slide door? Estimate
That is a great question and I wouldn't know that off the top of my head. My recommendation is to find a refinisher in your area who would know the going rates and be able to give you an accurate quote based on time and products needed to do the job properly.
I didn’t know about the vinyl floors ty
Yes, every flooring type has slightly different coating on top or is installed a slightly different way. With those considerations in mind, this is an excellent tool - used slightly differently for the various flooring types.
Im so confused about wood flooring. I hear so many different ways to clean that sound legitimate. I even remember one episode where you discussed your favorite steamer for wood floors so I started doing that until a flooring company told me never to steam wood floors unless you want a law suit. Would you say this is the tried/true way to clean hardwood floors for professionals ??
Also what about bona?
I still use a steamer for all my hardwood floors - but as a damp mop. If you have something that just won't come up you can remove it with steam but use steam as a last resort. For wood flooring think of it as a big piece of wood furniture. You don't spray chemicals or put water or steam on wood furniture in most normal situations. You use a duster or a damp microfiber cloth. And most hardwood floors in the last 15-20 years have a protective coating on them that just needs to be wiped clean. A damp microfiber cloth will do just that (or in this case, a damp microfiber mop head.) Ps. If you use a damp microfiber cloth you don't need Bona.
@@AskAngelaBrown thank you Angela. I appreciate you so much. Please don’t stop handing out all this awesome education.
Great advice, except for the part where you said that wood floors were delicate and you said to steam only on deep cleaning days and then that it's okay if you find gross stuff stuck on. Actually, you should be bringing something natural, like Simple Green, to clean in those areas. Because the glue on the floor can come off! You don't want that to happen. Think if you were the home owner, that seal on those floors should last at least twenty years.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions on the video topic.
We have bamboo flooring in our house. We're told to not let water just stay on the floor. Just to wipe it. I'm going to try your drop of castile soap, water and floor pads sitting in that mixture.
Alexandra, Keep me posted on how that method works for cleaning your bamboo flooring. 👍
Thank you Angela for your many wonderfully helpful cleaning videos! How would I remove grime or gunk from the grooves of a finished maple wooden floor? Would there be a soft brush and/or cleaner I could use to safely eliminate the appearance of the dark lines between boards? My floor space is too large to manually clean the grooves individually. I do not want to steam floors for a long period of time to remove grime for fear of ruining finish on top and along sides of boards. Any help would be appreciated!
You are so welcome! 😊 It sounds like you have a big job on your hands. I hear your hesitation about steam cleaning for long periods but could you use one to just help soften the grime, then hand scrub in the grooves with a soft bristle brush, wiping up the residue so it doesn't affect the finish? If not, you might have to apply a lot of elbow grease and hand scrub the floor, wiping as you go to protect the finish. Best of luck! 🤗
Too much work to just wipe up floors, like my simple spin mop, its quick and easy. Not sure what to do with this Crosswave all in one, I just need to clean one area rug, I only need a small little gadget that stores easily.
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!👍
What am I missing? How does one drop of soap clean an entire house of hardwood floors? What about Covid and sanitizing?
We don't have any guarantee with castile soap (or any soap for that matter) that we've removed covid. But two years into the pandemic we are hearing fewer reports of people catching covid from their hardwood floors.
At 5:42....May I ask why you’re wearing a mask if you are not using any chemicals?
I had someone else with me that was helping record the video. Thanks for watching!
It looks like I'm using the right mop for my own wood floors, but I should add no dish soap or Murphy's oil (can't remember the name) and use just enough water. 9 years later!
That'a awesome! Thanks for watching!
What do you do with a really really animal hairy house when it comes to mopping a floor. I fear having to use my own mop and then having dog/animal hair in my washing machine and attaching to other items that I later wash. Also using my own vacuum in a smelly animal hair filled house and then having to use that vacuum in the next house which is a non-pet owner's house and noticing the smell that emits from the vacuum. What would be your solution?
For this reason I recommend using the customer's vacuum. Empty the vacuum before and after you use it and leave it onsite. You can still use your regular mop pads, but you may decide to wash them in a load by themselves (soak them in a bucket (or a gallon jug) until you are ready for that load of wash, and don't cross contaminate them with other laundry. Here is a video I made about washing microfiber cloths using mesh bags to prevent this very problem.
th-cam.com/video/WsqaogBa8aU/w-d-xo.html
What do u use 4 shine?
As house cleaners, we are only responsible for cleaning the floors not restoring shine. Thank you for watching! 🙂
Hi, i like your tips , could you plz tell me how many mop pads do you use , 1000 sqm house ?
2-3 and maybe a separate one for the bathroom(s).
Can you recommend a steamer with microfiber head? There are so many out there. I’d love to purchase the one that you use.
Hi Steven, I use two steamers, both for different things and the one shown here in this video is the Bissell Steamer - and here is the paid link amzn.to/3qQ00pn.
Smudging dirt around the floor instead of vacuuming it up? And all that prep. Why not use a wet mop with a vac.
Thank you for watching the show and leaving a comment.
I did not get the one drop of????? With water in the bucket. Could you spell it out and tell me where you buy it?
It's one drop of Dr. Bronner's - Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner - amzn.to/3FE81TJ
How do I make that cleaning solution for just my home(1300sq.ft.)?
If you have a small floor, you can just wet the mop head in the sink. Squeeze it out before putting it on the end of the mop. Use a damp mop.
This is a really great method! Would you be able to link or recommend the mop and microfiber mop heads that you use?
Thanks so much!
There are two steam mops that I use but this one is my favorite it is the Light 'N' Easy Steam Mop amzn.to/3i6rpCr (paid link) and I like it because it is free standing and can be used as a dry dust mop, (just use it without plugging it in or wetting the mop pad.)
You can use it as a damp mop (just wet the mop pad, squeeze it out and start mopping)
or as a steam mop (wet the mop pad, squeeze it out, and plug in the cord).
Can you substitute something like a diluted Pinesol/vinegar mix for your Castille soap mix?
Technically you can - nobody is going to stop you. But many hardwood floor manufacturers now will void the warranty on your flooring if you use vinegar. By itself, vinegar is a 2.5 on the pH scale. And with hardwood floors you want a pH neutral floor cleaner - something around a 7. The castile soap is a safe bet if using only one drop. Keep it simple.
I'm only cleaning my home at this point. How much water do i use for my microfiber mop?
The same rules apply, dampen the microfiber mop head and squeeze it out really tight so there is no water left on the floor after mopping for more than a second or two.
We’re we can by the sop you just pot in the mop’s I am interested in by
This is the soap I used: Dr. Bronner's - Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner - amzn.to/3FE81TJ
Angela. I see you use a steamer for hardwood floors. I have hardwood engineering floors made of a veneer I believe. I am afraid to steam as you said is not safe . Why use the steamer machine to clean this floors?
Also how you remove streaks left from shoes . I have use bona hardwood cleaner tirelessly and they won't come off. Please help 🙏
Instead of having multiple tools, we have the steamer on jobs with us anyway - and it has a mop head, so we use the steam mop without the steam when just doing a damp mop. You can use any mop you like. The pre-wetting system works the same way.
@AskAngelaBrown thank you Angela .
The skid marks won't come off. Any suggestions ?
Will the Sal Suds cleaner make vinyl floors slippery?
No, you are only using one drop of soap in 4 cups of water. Your floors will be shiny, but not slippery.
With the sal suds & steamer mop heads… could I use the sal suds Castile soap in a spray bottle diluted? And just spray on mop pad when needed?
Great question. It's not spraying it on the mop head that works, it's that the mop pads are already pre-wet - It's the difference between eating a sandwich and eating the crumbs. Try it both ways and you'll know what I mean. And sure, you can do it, it's just that your results will be different. Tell me which you like better. 👍
How many microfiber cloths per 4 cups of water? Thank you.
For the size of house I'm cleaning in this video (3,000sq ft, 6 for the hardwoods and 3 for ceramic tile bathrooms. - 9 total in the pre-wet charger.)
What is your favorite vacuum cleaner for hardwood flooring? Thank you
Any vacuum that picks up dust, crumbs, hair and pet fur. They pretty much all work. For me I prefer Shark or Dyson because they work on both carpet and hardwood without switching heads or attachments. And now vacuums come in easy to empty canisters.
Angela! ...i need to know how i would get a cement floor clean!...recently i had a new client need a deep clean...well, the floor in the kitchen was just a painted cement floor...that just so happened to of a few days before have the bathtub back up and cover it as well as the bathroom floor with the backed up water......they had it dried up but the floor was still pretty bad from the incident ...plus grime from before that happened....i tried everything i could think of to get this floor clean....unfortunatley i was not able to get it completely clean....even though the client was happy ..it was definately not to my satisfaction at all....i ended up even resorting to using "method plant based heavy duty degreaser " and even" scrubbing bubbles foam "....soooo...how do i get a floor clean that is just painted on cement floor!
Also used my steam mop and hand scrubbed with a scrub brush...! Nothing worked all the way
To be honest, there are certain factors to consider. Has the floor been sealed? Is the paint water resistant? Will cleaning chemicals peel the paint or seep thru to the concrete floor and damge it.
Here are a few links that talk about cleaning concrete floors:
*simplegreen.com/cleaning-tips/rooms/living-room/floors-concrete/
*www.hunker.com/12348454/how-to-clean-painted-concrete-floors
Do you have a good way to clean microfiber mop heads and rags? If you put them in the washer, is there a better soap than another? Do you air dry them?
Hi Susan, yes, here is a video I made about that very topic th-cam.com/video/WsqaogBa8aU/w-d-xo.html and for the paid link to the mesh laundry bags amzn.to/3M0Sxg9 (I see they are on sale this week a few dollars off - I may have to get another set. LOL)
What are your methods for cleaning travertine floors that are completely saturated with dry pet urine and left over feces ?
The process is the exact same process here only you will plug in the steamer. Steam on travertine is completely safe and will remove the dry poop and pee and leave the area clean and sanitized.
Ms. Brown, do you have a solution for critters? specifically centipedes? I HAAAAAATTTTTEEEEE them. I don't care what they are good for I just dont want to see them. Im from Minneapolis, MN where I saw them a few times a year...then I moved to Albuquerque where I never saw one. Now I live in Collegeville, PA and have already seen two. Please, let me know. Also, our finished basement is full of spiders. Any advice? Thanks for all you do. God bless you!
A home pest spray (here is a paid link amzn.to/3eyLgrN) for spiders, roaches, ants, fleas, will also eliminate critters like silverfish and centipedes. You can spray every 3 months to keep them at bay. And make sure when choosing an in home spray that you use one that is odorless and colorless so it doesn't stain the baseboards or skirting boards.
@@AskAngelaBrown I will look into it. Thank you so much. I appreciate the info and your time!
@@AskAngelaBrown By the way, that link you sent is a link to Terry cloths
My back would never hold up bending over like that! I use the Norwex system and the pole is long so no need to bend over.
That's great, thanks for sharing!
Genius idea! I have a bissell steam mop for tile but never thought to use it "unplugged"!
It's fantastic. Let me know how you like it. I'm curious to hear your take. Thanks for watching. :-)
@@AskAngelaBrown I have one that goes back and forth no steam but unplugged sounds good.
how do you get the smell of pets out of wood floors? not pet urine, but just pet odor in general? i bought a home and even though it's clean, i can't get rid of the pet smell from pets living in the home before i moved here
Thank you for your question! You can tackle that pet odor by mixing some white vinegar and water, then give your floors a good cleaning with it. If the smell persists, sprinkle some baking soda, let it sit for a bit, and then vacuum it up. That should help freshen things up! Always remember to try cleaning products and solutions on a small area first to make sure they don't damage your floors!
Hi Angella, it is one drope of Sal Suds or Castile soap? Thank you!
Sal Suds is castile soap. We've tried other versions of Dr. Bronners but we all come back to this specific version of castile soap. Don't know why but Sal Suds wins the shine the hardwood floors contest.
If the floors are super dirty do you still use the steam mop? Or do you change the pad out or do you do a wet mop at all first then the steamer? I would assume after the whole house the pad gets dirty then the floor starts to look fogy from just using 1 mop head?
Great question! Is the dirt something that could have been swept or vacuumed up prior to mopping (like crumbs)? If it’s dried spills or normal floor grime then you will need to change the mop bonnets when they get too dirty. I hope this helps with cleaning your floors. Keep me posted on how your floors turn out : )
I use vileda mop and pinesol on my laminate wood floor. I think it’s laminate
Good to know, thanks for sharing!
Angela. Thank you for your videos. I'm learning so much. Would you use the dry mop method on SPC flooring?
Yes I do! Depending on what the floor needs, dry and damp mopping work well.
@@AskAngelaBrown Thank you for your quick reply. I had another question regarding Krud Kutter. For wooden blinds, do you spray the 'undiluted' solution on the cloth before wiping the slats?
I have been using this method for months since I started watching your videos. I bought the same steam mop and pre soak the heads with a drop of sal suds… just like you show. Suddenly my clients hardwood floors are incredibly slippery. Have you ever heard of this? I thought they must’ve used something in between my cleans but they say they have not and believe it to be residue from not drying it afterwards so they have asked me to used a Swiffer dry mop after I mop.. I’m confused and have never had this problem before. The floors dry naturally and quickly with this method so I didn’t think me allowing it to air dry would be the issue. I’d love to know your thoughts on this.
If you are using just one drop of Sal Suds, you should have shiny floors but not slippery floors. The floors are just clean. Is the "slippery" part because the floors are wet?
@@AskAngelaBrown they are slippery when dry... And yes, I am only using one drop per 4 cups just like you show.. the floors dry very quickly so there is no standing water.
I should also I add. I use this method at my own home and another clients and don’t have any issues. But both me and the other client have original wood flooring whereas this particular clients has engineered hardwood. I really am confused as to how the floors are so slick. they are both older clients too so it poses even more of a risk if they fall.
Hey from NC! I didn’t realize you lived down here
Yes, we are neighbors. Hello back from NC! 👋
I feel with water won’t do much!!! How about kitchens the floors are oily ? What should I use ? And they are wood floors?
Is the oil caused from previous cleaning chemicals? Or is this a varnish on the floors? Wood flooring should be treated like wooden furniture and wiped with a slightly damp cloth/microfiber pad.
what about oil splatters from cooking?
I have two dogs and two cats, they track all kinds of things onto the floors from the outside and litter box, not to mention the dogs lick the floors a lot! Just water with a drop of cleaner will clean the germs and bacteria off the floor? I’ve been using a mopnado microfiber mop with a small amt of dish soap and a small amt of vinegar mixed in to the hot water on my three year old hardwood floors. The mop is nearly dry when spun out and it has a separate area for the dirty water/clean water. Vinegar is a good disinfectant which is why i use it. Should I stop adding it? Your prepared method looks like a time saver, I may switch over to it. Thanks for any advice.
Jo, I appreciate you reaching out. Check out this video on vinegar and hardwood floors: th-cam.com/video/Rd0urO7LhPY/w-d-xo.html
@@AskAngelaBrown Thanks, I appreciate the vid. The video is saying vinegar and engineered floors don’t mix well due to the engineered floors being not wood and having a finish baked-in. What about new REAL hardwood floors? Is vinegar okay to use in cleaning them? Again, very small amount diluted in warm water with a small amount of Dawn and a very spun-dry mop. Thanks.
What if you don’t need to use that many mop replacements. You have a lot in the container, but what if you only need to use three of those how would you dispense the water and the Castile soap?
Is this for professional house cleaning or just cleaning your own house?
following.. for cleaning own house. does this have to be freshly mixed/done before mopping or can i leave the unused mops soaked in the container until the next time. I dont mop everyday. thanks!
Are steam mops or robot vacuum good !
Here is a video on robot vacuums: th-cam.com/video/X9O3Zg7Ei-8/w-d-xo.html
It might help you make your decision on whether or not to get one.