Reasons to Choose Vinyl Flooring

Top Tips for a Spring Clean

A lot of people take the opportunity offered by the Easter and May Bank Holidays to spend some time on home improvement projects, such as giving the house a good spring clean. Here Xylo Flooring trace the history of spring cleaning, outline some timesaving tips, and explain why having quality vinyl or laminate flooring can help.

The History of Spring Cleaning

Some have traced it back to the Persian New Year, on March 21. Whereas others say it’s a Jewish tradition, which takes place in preparation for the Passover festival. In Catholic cultures, they clean the church altar and everything associated with it on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday.

More generally, in colder climates such as Northern Europe and North America, the practice stuck because it was warm enough to open doors and windows, but not so warm that insects were tempted into the house.

In all cases, the cleaning took place in mid-to late March or early April, so now is definitely a good time to do it.

Have a Plan

As with so many projects, the old adage ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ is true. So make sure you tackle it room by room, and then item by item, including all those items which aren’t cleaned on a regular basis. Ideally, set yourself a target and don’t make it too unrealistic because you probably won’t get it all done in one day.

Work from the Top Down

If you start dusting from the ceiling downwards, any debris or grime which is dislodged only has one way to go – down. Leaving the floor until last saves you having to re-clean anything. So if you have a vacuum with an extension hose, look upwards rather than downwards, getting rid of any cobwebs and dust on the ceilings. Then dust your furniture and other fixtures and fittings. Only when you are done, should you start on the floor.

Don’t Forget the Walls and Windows

These can easily be forgotten, but need some TLC just like the furniture. A damp towel should be used to wipe down the walls and blinds, again starting from the top and working downwards.

The insides of windows should be cleaned using warm, soapy water, but don’t use too much washing-up liquid, as too many bubbles will leave residue marks. Use a clean lint-free microfibre cloth and change the water regularly so you’re not smearing on dirt. This will also help avoid any unsightly streaks.

Once that is done, clean the windows using a glass cleaner, or one part distilled vinegar with one part warm water if you’d like to make your own solution. Spray this directly onto the glass and use a soft paper towel to rub it off.

Think Green

Everyone should be trying to be more sustainable these days. So try to avoid harmful chemicals which can be found in some cleaning products. You may also be particularly vulnerable to a negative reaction to these if you are prone to allergies or respiratory problems.

One way of avoiding any problems is to use a steam cleaner as these use hot water vapour and therefore 100% natural. These can be used on microwaves, tiles, kitchen appliances, bathrooms and even outdoor areas. If you don’t have a steam cleaner or can’t afford one, then consider white distilled vinegar, baking soda and water.

Once you’ve finished, it’s a good idea to put some flowers in a vase. This may disguise the more pungent aromas of any products you have used.

Save Time on the Floor

If you have quality vinyl, laminate or wooden flooring installed you will save time on the vacuuming and floor cleaning. This is because you don’t have to worry about dirt and grime getting stuck deep in any carpet fibres. A quick session with a dustpan and brush, or an occasional wash or wipe with a cloth is enough to keep them clean. However any spillages or leaks should be dealt with as quickly as possible.

Quality Wooden, Vinyl and Laminate Flooring from Xylo Flooring

Developers, shopfitters and interior designers know the best place to get some quality wooden, vinyl or laminate flooring is through Xylo Flooring. We have a range of stockists throughout the UK. To find your nearest one email us at sales@xyloflooring.com.

At Xylo we also supply a range of accessories, including several OSMO maintenance products, to provide more long-term protection. These include a selection of wax cleaners, oils and repair kits.

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