Blog highlights:
- Walnuts can be used to hide scratches on hardwood floors
- You can actually use baby oil to help keep vinyl floors looking shiny and brand new
- If you do not have a wet and dry vacuum, you can use salt to soak up the stain and moisture so you can use a regular vacuum to clean the area afterwards
- 6 teabags and a quart of boiled water can help make your old, dark, hardwood floors get a livelier color
- WD-40 can help remove scuffs on floors and it can also be used to remove some carpet stains
Experts say that you can actually use common household items to produce unexpected results when it comes to cleaning floors.
The floor typically gets a lot of dirt due to foot traffic, spills, and even pet accidents. All these will make the floor look dull over time, but experts say that there is actually no need for you to buy expensive cleaning solutions.
There are times when common household items can be used to remove spots out of your carpets, and even give your vinyl, wood, or hard-surface floors some shine. So the next time you have to clean your floors, you might want to try the following DIY hacks instead:
1. Fix floor scratches with Walnuts
You can actually use shelled walnuts to repair shallow scratches on hardwood floors. You can rub the Walnut on the floor to release its natural oil and help make the scratches less visible.
If you don’t have any Walnuts around, you can use a quarter instead. Scratch the damaged area gently with its edge, apply paste wax, and then buff it with a soft cloth to help hide the marks on the floor.
2. Use baby oil on vinyl floors
Over time, vinyl floors can look dull. But by cleaning it with a cup of apple cider and one gallon of hot water, and then by applying baby oil afterwards, you can actually get a floor that looks brand new.
3. Getting rid of glue and gum with ice
Gum and glue can be very hard to remove especially on hard-surface floors. But by using ice, you can freeze it, then chip it away easily with a plastic card or scraper. This hack can also work on stubborn adhesives.
4. Deal with carpet spills with salt
Carpet spills can be difficult to clean up especially when you do not have a wet or dry vacuum. To deal with spills, you will need to soak up the liquid with some salt, and then use paper towels to blot out deep stains. You can then use a regular vacuum afterwards to get rid of the salt crystals.
5. Clean grout with lemon juice and shaving cream
Mix lemon juice and shaving cream to create a cleaning solution that you can use to clean grout in between the tiles. You can spray it on then leave it for a few minutes so you can scrub the dirt and the stains easily afterwards.
You can also use this formula for the stubborn spots on your carpets. Just spray it on the stain and let it soak for 10 minutes. Rinse the area with cold water after.
6. Restore hardwood floors with teabags
Use teabags and boiling water to give dark hardwood floors a nice shine. You can steep six teabags in a quart of boiling water, let it cool afterwards. Dip a soft cloth into the cooled tea and wipe it on the floor. You can also put the mixture into a spray bottle so you can apply it easily. Avoid using too much, and never let the tea sit on the floor especially if it is unfinished. Make sure that the floors are wiped right away so you can avoid damaging the wood floor because of the moisture.
7. Buff linoleum with toothpaste
Toothpaste can help clean your teeth and it can also be used to buff scuffs out of linoleum tiles and parquet floors.
You can also use a pencil eraser, the soles of your rubber shoes, and even a tennis ball, if you don’t want to waste your toothpaste.
8. WD-40 for scuffs on vinyl floors
Vinyl floors can easily get scuffs especially from black heels, but by using WD-40, you can actually get rid of these stubborn marks easily. You can also use jojoba oil to do the trick, put some on a towel and rub the area until the scuffs disappear. Clean the area afterwards with a water and vinegar solution so you can get rid of the excess oil.
You can also use WD-40 to remove cosmetics on your carpets.
Do you have your own DIY hacks when it comes to cleaning floors? Share it with us at the comments section below!
