How to clean without leaving streaks
I often see people asking on social media how to clean their floors without leaving streaks. They usually share photos of the famous floor that we see in colorful colors or where we see footprints. And people respond with an industrial quantity of personal miracle recipes. Please, put aside the bleach, vinegar, baking soda, and the mop! Here's a complete article on the simple way to clean without leaving streaks!
Why are there these marks on the floor?
And yes, when floors are stained or have shoe or foot prints on them, it is generally due to one of these reasons:
- The floor is cleaned with a dirty mop, week after week
- Too many "miracle recipes" have been used
- Product dilution is not respected
- A product was used that was not suitable for the type of flooring
- It's also possible that all these improper procedures have permanently damaged your floor. And despite your best efforts, the surface has been permanently damaged. Some floor coverings are unforgiving of these mistakes.
What kind of dirt is this?
It's just as important to understand the type of flooring as it is to understand the type of dirt on the floor. Generally, it's not necessary to use very strong products to clean effectively; quite the opposite is true! However, there are a few exceptions:
- If you are in a commercial kitchen, for example, and the floor is slippery, it is very likely because the floor is covered in grease from food. This is a type of dirt that will not come off with a simple neutral cleaner.
- You are on a construction site which has only been swept the entire time of the construction site. Vacuuming the dust before anything else will save you a lot of time and headaches! Indeed, if you wash the floor after sweeping only, it may not be enough and your wet mop will only spread the dust even more!!! So, vacuum and then you can wash.
- THE floor looks dusty even though you washed it? This is most likely because the cleaning product was not diluted correctly.
- You bought a house and despite your good washing care, the traces of your footsteps remain on the groundVery often, people clean with too much product unnecessarily or even clean with the same “mop” week after week, year after year!
What type of flooring is this?
Do you know the difference between these types of coatings?
- Vinyl tile and linoleum
- The difference between ceramic, marble, porcelain or stone tiles?
- A cork or bamboo floor
- Marquetry and hardwood
You will find 2 infographics on hard floors and resilient floors in this blog post
What is THE RECIPE to clean without leaving any traces?
There is no magic formula; you need to first assess the problem based on the elements given above. So, here are my magic formulas:
- Dust accumulation: Sweep, mop, or vacuum depending on the level of dirt and its extent. Use microfiber mop pads. My personal favorite is the one made by Rubbermaid, which I find very effective. They come in all standard sizes.
Rubbermaid Green Microfiber Mop - Accumulation of products: Rinse to remove excess product or product mix that should never be done.
- Or fat accumulation: Clean with a degreaser approved for the food industry (if commercial or industrial). Or, alternatively, a simple degreaser. It is not important to use a highly alkaline degreaser. A degreaser with a pH of 8 to 9 should be sufficient. Also, preferably, favor the use of a mini scrubber in the case of a commercial kitchen.
- At home: Cut your old mop to a flat mop which you can wash in the washing machine after each cleaning. Rinse first and clean with a neutral cleaner only. A neutral cleaner has a pH of 7. And above all, respect the dilution.
