Use Area Rugs To Cut Down On Mopping

Floors in high traffic areas can quickly become dirty.  Leaving the dirt for extended periods of time only leads to a bigger headache when you have to mop.  One of the best ways to keep your tile, wood, or laminate floors cleaner is to use area rugs in the key high traffic areas.

Where the dirty dog lies


My dog, or small horse as some call her, always likes to lay in the same spot. Tracking in all of the dirt she collects outside into a small concentrated area.  By the end of the week it is really dirty there, maybe even disgusting.  We were mopping the area every other day to keep it clean, so to cut down on the mopping we placed an area rug to keep the dirt off of our laminate floors. We also put down some runners in our entryway which has also cut down the amount of dirt that collects throughout the downstairs floors. We vacuum the area rugs at least once a week to extend their life. 

Keep Your Area Rugs In Place

Some of the runners were moving all about so to keep the rugs in place I glued a rubber jar lid opener to each corner. You can find the rubber jar openers cheaply at the dollar store.  I got a bunch of the them at a local community business fair for free.  Just use some super glue or double sided tape to fasten the lid openers to the underside of the rug.

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Homemade Squeegee Instructions

Squeegees are great great cleaning tools. I use them on my windows, linoleum, and vinyl floors. You can make a very inexpensive squeegee using an old broom handle and a car windshield wiper. Cut off the broom handle at a right angle at the bottom. Then attach the windshield wiper to the bottom of the broom handle using a screw. You may need to pre-drill a hole in the wiper assembly if it isn't already the correct size. This squeegee work best for outside window washing because you don't need a ladder to get to all the first floor windows.

Remove Stubborn Scuff Marks on your Vinyl Floor!

If you tried out our previous method for removing scuff marks from your vinyl floor and the marks are just too stubborn, here's a stronger cleaner. First, make sure that the floor is indeed vinyl. Then, wet a paper towel with lighter fluid and work the scuff mark out. Once clean, remove excess fluid by wiping up with water and a clean clothe.