England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland
Interiors
Spring cleaning hacks to avoid, according to a flooring expert
There’s nothing more satisfying than a clean and tidy home so with spring cleaning season upon us, Alex Heslop from Flooring Superstore shares their expert advice on how to make your floors sparkling, and some of the cleaning hacks which are best avoided.
Flooring Superstore
Steam mopping floors
“Steam cleaning floors is a fantastic way to loosen and remove stubborn dirt and you can buy specialist mops which releases water vapor for this method. But, while tempting, steam cleaning should not be used on every type of floor.
“Avoid using steam on hardwood, laminate, vinyl and natural stone floors, including marble, as it can cause lasting damage. Steam mops work particularly well on ceramic and porcelain tiles and is therefore an effective way to deep clean bathrooms.
“Bathrooms, being typically damp and warm, are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and even mould, so this room should be your first port of call when it comes to a deep steam clean to eliminate germs and leave your floors sparking clean.”
Mopping floors with laundry pods
“Mixing hot water and laundry pods to clean your floors is one of the more recent TikTok cleaning trends, but not every hack should be followed. Laundry pods are specifically designed for cleaning clothes and use for washing machines only, so contain chemicals that can do more harm than good to your flooring.
“Homeowners should be wary of mixing cleaning products containing different chemicals which aren’t designed to be used together, as in some circumstances, this can cause chemical damage to surfaces and even let off dangerous fumes.”
“Hardwood and laminate flooring shouldn’t be cleaned with very hot water as this can impact the finish and warp the boards. Abrasive cleaners could also scratch and dull the finish or even leave a residue which dulls the finish and makes it slippery to walk on. And it’s not just the chemical content of laundry detergent to be wary of, these products can contain hard fragments like salt which could scratch your floor beyond repair. Stick to a regular vacuuming schedule and avoid over-wetting and soap-based detergents when it comes to hardwood and laminate flooring.”
Carpet scraping
“There’s one cleaning hack that has blown up on TikTok – home improvers cleaning their carpets and rugs by scraping them. A typical video will see a carpet scraper pulled across a carpet or rug to reveal the dirt, fibres and dust that have collected over time. While it’s no doubt satisfying to watch, you are in fact causing damage to the carpet by removing the fibres, which over time will cause balding.
“Carpet scraping, even just once a year, will cause lasting damage. Investing in a good quality vacuum cleaner and having a routine clean each week should be enough to keep your floors fresh and avoid a build-up of dust and dirt. For a more thorough spring clean a once-over with a household carpet cleaner or a specialist carpet steam cleaner should be considered, depending on the condition of your carpet, but scraping tools should be avoided at all costs.”
Fabric softener to freshen up carpets
“Freshening up your carpets with fabric softener is a trend made popular by several cleaning influencers, but it can actually have the opposite effect and make your carpets and rugs even dirtier.
“While some influencers advocate mixing fabric softener with washing gel and warm water and dabbing this onto your rug with a clean cloth – this can negatively impact the flame retardancy of the flooring and also leave behind a greasy residue, which can make more dirt cling to the fibres. For a deep spring clean, a professional clean of your carpets will help maintain the look of your carpet for years to come.”
Alex Heslop
