How do you keep them clean??? I sweep once, usually twice a day. This is manageable because the main floor is relatively small. Our old vacuum -which used to perfectly suit our carpet needs- doesn't cut it on these floors. I keep thinking if only I had the right tool, they would stay cleaner. I use a dust mop and water with a tiny bit of all purpose cleaner about once a week.
Of course, every time (daily) I sweep up a big pile of grass and dirt I think about how that could be buried in my carpet. So I am thankful for the small things (not being in my carpet).
Ideas?
Posts
11 comments:
we've had hardwood at our last two homes and i love our miele carina vacuum. kind of pricey but so great on hardwood (not the best if you mainly have carpet).
as for cleaning, two words: cuban mop.
http://www.dollardealshopping.com/pd-wooden-cuban-mop.cfm
i'm a bit amused that that link sells it for 8.99. it costs about 99 cents around here. but i'm sure you are lacking in cubans in your neck of the woods so you could easily make one.
i just grab a rag, wet it, ring it out and then push it around the floors with this and a bit of water/vinegar solution. cheap and cleans beautifully.
I've heard some pretty amazing things about the shark, but haven't personally used it. My mom raves about it & so does her friend.
I dust mop (with a little pledge on the dust mop) and sweep and mop with Murphy's Oil soap. I like the vinegar and water idea, though, as I'm transitioning to more natural cleaners, so I'll probably try it when I finish my current bottle of Murphy's. EM
We have a dog, so we have hair and not as much dust...
I vacuum using a bare floor attachment (which is small, so it takes longer) once or twice a week, and then follow up with a swiffer dust mop (sometimes I just put an old cloth on my swiffer dust mop...). Hope that helps... I haven't decided which is easier to keep clean, hard wood or carpet...
since our WHOLE house is hardwoods (or tile since we ripped out the carpet that was covering the 60's tile in the bathroom... really, carpet in the bathroom? ewwwwwwww!) we had no need for a vaccuum. i just swept. once a day in the kitchen, dining, and family areas. then on woot.com deal of the day there came a wonderful sight. a dyson mini vac. perfection. it is great on hardwoods and tile and our two tiny rugs. but mostly i still sweep. once a day. and sometimes twice.
I suggest you just keep reminding yourself about all that stuff previously being in your carpets - and the fact that you all lived through it just fine.
In the meantime, get some kid-sized brooms and reward the child with the fullest dust pan.
And I want one of those cuban mops.
And a Dyson. And kids who spill less and wipe their feet more.
Love!
MOM
brite. SWIFFER. just the original, dry swiffer. you can even put a washable microfiber rag thing on it if you don't want to use the disposable thingys that you're supposed to use with it (which, btw, you can use several times). it's perfect. it's light, doesn't take up much space when you store it, AND the handle can be taken apart and made smaller for little children. all THREE of your children can use it...and it's fun for them. seriously, brite, SWIFFER.
For daily cleaner of our hardwood floors, I have a swiffer sweeper that I've made a new cloth head for instead of buying the reuseable cloths.
http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2010/03/tutorial-reusable-swiffer-sweeper.html
I second the swiffer. It gets more than a traditional broom. I even have the swiffer vac which is like, awesome.
(And the wet one, too. Use that sometimes with my own cleaners and their swiffer wet pads)
I "third" the Swiffer recommendation. It's the only thing that kept me sane in our last home which was completely hardwood.- They work like a charm! Good luck...
Oh, almost forgot: I'm having a Fall Friendship Swap over at Windy Poplars. Sign ups end tomorrow. Thought you might enjoy participating since you're such a crafter! Have a great day~
I know this is coming late but I was very interested to hear what everyone had to say. I'm new to the hardwood scene as well and have been sweeping with a broom and then mopping at least once a week. My best friend had a swiffer and would just run it over her floors once a day (or even more some times). My only hesitation about the swiffer was the disposable pads that seem to only add trash but now everyone has these great ideas for covers. So maybe I'll have to break down and get one!
Post a Comment