Floor Care Tips

20 tips, hints, and tricks especially for floors

Flattened Shag Carpeting

Raise flattened spots in your carpeting where heavy furniture has stood by using a steam iron. Hold over the spot and build up a good steam. Then brush up the carpet

Candle Drippings

For spilled wax on carpet, use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax

Dog Stains

Blot up excess moisture with paper towel. Pour club soda on the spot and continue blotting. Lay a towel over the spot and set a heavy object on top in order to absorb all the moisture

Rug Care

When washing and drying foam-backed throw rugs, never wash in hot water, and use the "air only" dryer setting to dry. Heat will ruin foam.

Crayon Marks on Floors

Use silver polish to remove crayon marks from vinyl tile or linoleum

Spilled Nail Polish

Allow to almost dry, then peel off of waxed floors or tile.

Tar Spots 

Use paste wax to remove tar from floors. Works on shoes too.

Dusting Floors

Stretch a nylon stocking over the dust mop and discard when used.

Varnished Floors

Use cold tea to clean woodwork and varnished floors.

Spilled Grease

Rub floor with ice cubes to solidify grease. Scrape up excess and wash with soapy water.

Quickie Shine

Put a piece of waxed paper under your dust mop. Dirt will stick to the mop and the wax will shine your floors.

Unmarred Floors

Put thick old socks over the legs of heavy furniture when moving across floors.

Wood Floor Care

Never use water or water-based cleaners on wood floors. Over a period of time, warping and swelling will develop.

Floor Polisher

When cleaning the felt pads of your floor polisher, place the pads between layers of newspaper and press with an iron, to absorb built-up wax.

Garage Floors

In an area where a large amount of oil has spilled, lay several thicknesses of newspaper. Saturate the paper with water and press flat against the floor. When dry, remove the newspaper and spots will have disappeared.

Basement Floors

Sprinkle sand on oily spots of basement floors, let it absorb the oil, and sweep up. Also try cat liter.

Shellacking Rugs

If throw rugs curl and wrinkle, try applying several coats of shellac to the backs of them. Be sure they are dry before putting back on the floor.

Limp Rugs

Brush a strong liquid starch over the back of shag throw rugs to give them new body if they have become limp from too many washings

Dustless Dustpan

Dampen the inside of your dustpan before sweeping piles of dirt and dust into them. The dirt will not scatter.

Black Heel Marks

Stubborn black heel marks can be removed from floors with lighter fluid or a pencil eraser.

Carpet Grease Spots

Pour baking soda or cornmeal over grease spots and brush through the pile of the rug. Leave overnight, then vacuum out.