Whether you’ve got hardwood, tile, or carpet, all floors must be cleaned of dirt and debris tracked in from outside. Check out unconventional tricks that will help you get them cleaner than ever.
Use Diapers for a Change
Cloth diapers are both soft and absorbent—if you think about it, their primary responsibility depends on it. These qualities also make them excellent for buffing after a deep clean of your hardwood. So, when they’re not wrapped around your babies’ bottoms, save a few of those (clean!) cloth diaper prefolds and fabric inserts for use wiping up around the house.
Iron Out Dents in Hardwood
Like stiff wrinkles in clothes, dents in your hardwood floor can actually be ironed out with a little steam. Just apply a wet cloth or damp paper towel over the dent, and move the iron (on high heat) in a circular motion over the area for several minutes. Do not use this fix on floors that are waxed or you’ll get a white halo around the area, and always test an inconspicuous area first.
Hide Scratches with Tea
Lighter scratches in your hardwood floors, on the other hand, can be covered up with a strong brew of tea. Set a black tea bag in a cup and let it steep in only a couple of tablespoons of water; the longer you wait, the darker finish it can match. Then apply the brew to your scratches using a cotton swab, with a few extra swipes if your floors are dark, and let the stain dry.
Erase Scuffs with a Tennis Ball
Maintenance crews in commercial buildings have used this trick for years: Say goodbye to black scuffs on your floors by rubbing them out with a tennis ball. If these sort of scuffs are a regular problem for you, cut a slit in the tennis ball and pop it onto the end of a broomstick or mop, then store your newly double-duty tool in the broom closet for future use.
Squeegee Pet Hair from Carpets
Don’t let pet hair in your carpets drive you bonkers. When even the top vacuums won’t suck up the matted or fine fur flying about, run a squeegee over your carpets instead. You’ll be surprised—and maybe grossed out!—by how much you collect this way.
Shoe Polish Your Grout
Grout cleaning is a perennial challenge. If you’ve tried all the usual methods and your grout still doesn’t look as white as you’d like, fake it with a little bit of white shoe polish (the liquid type in the bottle with a sponge top will be easiest to use). Apply and let it sit overnight, then wipe the polish off the tiles in the morning and your grout will appear refreshed.
Vacuum the Safe Way
When vacuuming under furniture and in other areas you can’t see clearly, stretch a piece of nylon pantyhose over your hardwood attachment. Dust and dirt will still be swept up and held on this meshy covering, but Legos and loose change will not.