When my husband and I bought our home a few years ago, I first experienced “old wood floor” heaven. Beneath the previous owner’s horribly nondescript grey-blue carpets were the original oak planks of our Tudor revival house, built in the 1920s. As soon as the ink dried on the contract, we removed the carpeting and had those gorgeous floors sanded, stained a warm shade of walnut, and sealed with a polyurethane satin varnish. And after we were given the green light by our contractor to move into our house, the first thing I did was to lie in the center of the living room floor and bask in the beauty of old wood.
Over the years, we’ve gone through every painstaking renovation and improvement project big and small, and I’ve lost sleep over the materials we’ll use. Terracotta tiles for the basement family room? Granite for the kitchen countertops? Though I’ve often made my decisions based on impulse, one question that I try to keep in mind is, “How would I clean it?”
Whether you’re researching materials for your next home improvement project or curious to know exactly how to care for that poured concrete countertop in your kitchen, these facts will shine some light on how to care for many types of surfaces in your home.
Wood
For wood floors, use a dust mop like a Swiffer for daily cleaning, and once or twice a week, use a damp mop with only water. Be sure to go over the entire floor twice.
For more rigorous cleaning, use a neutral Ph cleaner like a wood wash (Scott’s Liquid Gold is a good one) that’s biodegradable. Low pH cleaners such as vinegar-based solutions won’t be able to cut grease or dirt; high pH cleaners can dull the floor finish as well as harm your skin.
Butcher blocks, countertops, and tables made of wood are usually not sealed. Oil the surface regularly with mineral oil, a transparent and colorless by-product of petroleum distillation. Mineral oil can penetrate the wood grains to keep it resistant to stains. Always try to clean up spills as soon as they happen to avoid stains. Due to the porous nature of wood and its ability to absorb bacteria, try to clean it after every use with a heavily diluted liquid dish soap and water solution. Never use scouring cleaners or scouring pads—use only a soft cloth or sponge.
If you place raw meat or poultry on top of a butcher block or wooden countertop, apply a mixture made of one-tablespoon bleach and one-gallon warm water to it regularly to kill bacteria. To remove food odors, sprinkle baking soda over the surface immediately after use. Use a sponge moistened with warm water to wipe down the counter, and rinse away any excess baking soda.
Vinyl or Plastic
For linoleum or vinyl tiles, use an all-purpose cleaner and non-abrasive mop, and be sure to rinse thoroughly. Avoid vinegar-based cleaners as vinegar will cause the floor to become dull over time. Use a floor wax or a sealant periodically to maintain the shine.
Pergo floors should never be waxed, polished, sanded, or refinished. Cleaning it should entail a daily dry dust mopping and damp mopping with just water once a week. Any cleaners—even as mild as liquid dish soap—may dull the finish.
On Formica and other laminate type countertops, you only need to use a clean, damp, non-abrasive cotton cloth and a mild liquid detergent or household cleaner. Rinse with clean water, using a clean, non-abrasive cotton cloth. Do not flood the laminate, especially near seams, since water can penetrate and cause the substrate to swell. Dry the surface with a soft, clean, non-abrasive cotton cloth.
Marble and Granite
Natural marble (as opposed to cultured marble, a manmade material that’s basically plastic) and granite floors should be dry dust mopped daily. If the floors are protected with a floor finish, the finish should be buffed or burnished and should be replaced at regular intervals.
