| Author | Content |
Pinita
Annandale, VA
June 22, 2006
1:51 PM Post #2420753
| Does anyone have a suggestion about keeping the kitchen floor clean without having to sweep or map every day?
My kitchen floor, specially in the area where we are preparing for cook, the stove and the refrigerator is always dirty or wet after we finish to prepare meals. I have to sweep or map everyday otherweise will be very dirty.
I thought it was the kind of flooring that I had. I had a vinil and changed for ceramic. Now is more dirty than before. I certainly I will appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks
Rosa
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ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
June 22, 2006
3:42 PM Post #2421106
| My only thought on how to keep the kitchen floor clean without having to clean it is don't use the kitchen! Or if you do, make sure not to drop anything! Seriously though, if you use the kitchen a lot you're either going to have to clean regularly or learn to live with a dirty floor, the best you can do is install a floor that shows dirt as little as possible and is as easy to clean as possible. Vinyl and ceramic are probably some of the easier surfaces to keep clean, personally I think vinyl is easier because with ceramic tile you have the grout that can take more effort to keep clean. If you don't mind that the floor is dirty and all you want is not to see the dirt as much, you could try a different color of flooring, something that's maybe a little darker colored with speckles/uneven color might be less likely to show dirt than something that's a lighter solid color. |
Pinita
Annandale, VA
June 23, 2006
2:02 PM Post #2424619
| Thanks ecrane.
It appears that I have to clean every day. I just changed the vinyl floor to ceramic two months ago and of course I am not prepared to change it again. The floor is beautiful when in clean but it takes a lot of me every day. I made a mistake to change from vinyl to ceramic. You are right about that. I changed because I thought it was dirty and now is worst. I guess I have to learn to live with it. Thank you for answering.
Rosa |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
June 23, 2006
2:11 PM Post #2424665
| You could also look for easier ways to clean that would be faster--sometimes I've found if somethings spilled you just wipe it up quick with a rag or a paper towel or something rather than pulling out the mop. I don't use my kitchen a ton, but when I do cook there is usually stuff on the floor afterwards but I can pick it all up in a minute or two and get the floor looking like it's clean. Then once a week or so get out the mop and give it a good cleaning. |
Pinita
Annandale, VA
June 23, 2006
3:59 PM Post #2424998
| Thanks Ecrane:
Today I learned that using vinegar and water leave the ceramic floors nice and clean. They do not clarify if you must use white or any kind of vinegar. I must guess that is white vinegar. Do you know?. I will have to go and buy white vinegar. I only use apple cider vinegar for cooking.
I appreciate your effort. Have a nice weekend.
Rosa |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
June 23, 2006
4:19 PM Post #2425070
| I think white vinegar would probably work better, apple cider vinegar might leave the floors sticky. But vinegar isn't going to help keep the floors from getting dirty or keep you from having to clean every day which is I thought what you were looking for in your original question. If all you're looking for is suggestions on good cleaners for ceramic tile I'm sure there are lots of other options as well besides the vinegar. I have a Clorox Ready Mop which works well for quick cleanups, and a Hoover Floormate for weekend cleaning (my whole house is ceramic tile, if it was just the kitchen then I wouldn't need the Floormate) |
Pinita
Annandale, VA
June 24, 2006
2:20 PM Post #2428304
| Ecrane:
What is a Hoover Floormate? Is it a vacuum cleaner or is a mate for the floor?
The basement is half ceramic and half carpet. I also have ceramic in the bathrooms.
Thanks
Rosa |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
June 24, 2006
3:17 PM Post #2428473
| It's sort of like a vacuum, but it's for hard floors. The main thing it does is squirt liquid on the floors and has scrub brushes that clean, but it can also be used on a different setting to vacuum up crumbs, and when you're done it has a wet vacuum setting that sucks up the liquid from the floor so it doesn't take too long to dry. It's nice but there's a bit of setup and cleanup afterwards, so I don't recommend it unless you have a lot of tile (you have to fill it with hot water to start, add in some of their special cleaner, then when you're done you have to empty out the dirty water that you've picked up off the floor). Unless your basement and bathrooms are huge I think something like the Ready Mop is quicker and a better use for your money (the Floormate costs ~150, depending on what model you get). They have them at Target, Home Depot, and lots of other places if you want to look at them. |
Pinita
Annandale, VA
June 26, 2006
3:49 PM Post #2436129
| Ecrane3
Thank you for the information. I will look this week for one of those and think about it . You may be right though that probably I do not have enough tile in the house to buy one. I will go and see if I find a bargain. I will let you know if I decide to buy one.
Let's keep in touch
Rosa |
Ivy1
Mystic, CT
(Zone 6b)
August 9, 2006
3:49 PM Post #2604200
| I may be too late but-
I like the clorox mop a lot. You can pull it out easily and mop up any spills or water and then put it away. It is light and easy to use. Then you can mop for real at the end of the week. The only drawback for me is that it is a bit of a pain when you have to refill, which happens more often than I would like! It isn't hard to refill, but I notice that the part where the liquid comes out pops off more and more often lately.
I redid my bathroom in white tile. NEVER NEVER do this! Every hair or towel fuzz that drops shows on this floor. |
LooneyLinda
Mantua, UT
(Zone 4b)
August 30, 2006
6:11 PM Post #2676382
| I have a plain cream-colored tile in my bathrooms and it is a pain. I bought a large rug to put on it and it has helped.
I have tile in my kitchen also and it has a lot of variation in color. The attributes of a good kitchen floor are: "You could drop a whole chicken on it and never see it." Mine isn't quite that good, but close.
The problem with my floor is that I put it in myself (a first attempt at tiling) and I didn't have a thick enough base under it. Now the floor is cracking in several places. The tile was done 11 years ago.
We are thinking about redoing our 30-year-old kitchen so I need to know everyone's opinion of whether to do tile again or a laminate like Pergo.
Whatever is done, I will not do it. That ceramic tile job just about killed my back and my knees. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
August 30, 2006
7:53 PM Post #2676614
| I think it's really up to you--which do you like the look of better? Or which fits better in your budget? Either type of floor could work, and if you have a professional install the tile then you shouldn't end up with the cracking problems that you're having now. Pergo has the advantage of not having grout lines in it that you have to keep clean but since you've had tile for a while now you know what you're getting into if you put it in so maybe cleaning grout is OK. |
Ivy1
Mystic, CT
(Zone 6b)
September 5, 2006
10:54 AM Post #2693646
| I have been doing research on floors for 2 or 3 years now, and if you go with a wood-look product, Pergo is about the last one suggested by any professional we spoke to. Apparently, though they started the trend, their product has not kept up with other companies who are making a better product. I hesitate to mention any brand names because the quality may have changed since we looked at them. Get several opinions on which is the best for your area and the way you use your kitchen. |
Happy_1
Fort Lauderdale, FL
(Zone 10b)
September 5, 2006
4:06 PM Post #2694706
| Pinita,
I have a very washable rugs in front of my sink, stove, and ref. That takes care of about all heavy spills. It's easier to wash the rugs than the floor...LOL
LL, I have a stone/slate looking tile in my kitchen. It's called French Quarter. I love it and it doesn't show anything. I can go centuries without washing...
Hap |
