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Useless floor washing fluid.

(54 Posts)
mantaray Thu 07-Sept-23 16:04:30

I've been using some floor washing fluid by a well known manufacturer for ages, also some own brand fluid from Waitrose and found both of them pretty useless. One adds half a bucket of hot water to two capfuls of the liquid and they promise the floor will be dirt and grease free and will gleam on drying. I find the only way to cut through the dirt is to add some Fairy Liquid, not too much or it will be very sudsy. Do any of you Gransnetters have the same problem or can you recommend some other product. I used to have good results with a little bit of bleach and a little bit of Fairy liquid!!!!

JackyB Sun 10-Sept-23 10:41:19

I have taken to using two buckets. One with hot water and four or five mop heads (cheap ones that fit my floor mop - all bought when on offer in Aldi or similar). I have squirty bottles filled with home made mixtures for the tiles and laminate flooring. Squirt the floor, squeeze out one mop head and wipe, repeating until mop head starts to dirty the water, then drop dirty mop head in second bucket. That way the water stays clean and I don't have to keep changing it.

Doing it regularly makes it easier - I try to get round once a week.

M0nica Sun 10-Sept-23 10:11:06

I have a nice dark red quarry tiles kitchen floor. I rarely wash it, just sweep or hoover and spot clean with a damp cloth when required.

I think 90% of all cleaning is a wasted effort driven by worries about what other people will think if you do not meet the level expected of Victorian housemaids.

dogsmother Sun 10-Sept-23 09:49:41

Steam mop on porcelain tiles and Vileda spray fibre mop for wooden floors, using warm water and a tiny squeeze of anything going. Steam cloth and Vileda one too straight into washing machine. No problem.

undines Sun 10-Sept-23 07:41:46

Special floor cleaner is a waste of money
I use washing up liquid and get down on my hands and knees with a bit of cream cleanser
Patio doors the same (without the cream cleanser) and then shine the glass with t-towel/ kitchen paper
I think most ‘specialist’ cleaners are just a gimmick
More plastic containers more space in cupboard
I’ve just had a clear out and binned loads including windowlene

Cp43 Sun 10-Sept-23 00:29:42

I have similar problem. Just moved into house with “wood” floors. Previous owner (Male) said he just used luwuid pilish from Wa.tro.e but it just keeps building up stickiness. Looks shiny but feels sticky and grimy.

tictacnana Sat 09-Sept-23 20:09:12

Flash mop and cloths. I can’t be bothered with mop buckets and these Flash mops with disposable cloths are great if you have a dog.

grandMattie Sat 09-Sept-23 20:05:09

I use some washing up liquid and washing soda. The latter cuts through fat and grease.

Oldnproud Sat 09-Sept-23 20:01:22

It's surprising how dirty the water gets even if you just use water with nothing added to it - even if it is cold water!

harrysgran Sat 09-Sept-23 19:52:31

I use zoflora and a squeeze of washing up liquid

Mirren Sat 09-Sept-23 18:18:16

I find the only way to clean any hard floor, no matter what cleaning fluid you choose, is to get on your hands and knees and give it a proper clean.
Mops just seem to push the dirt around.

Onthemoors Sat 09-Sept-23 16:53:42

I used to quite like cleaning floor on my hands & knees, til one day, I couldn't get up then excruciating pain, had put my back out!! Needless to say, have to clean when standing.

Zuzu Sat 09-Sept-23 16:51:59

I'm not a fan of lvt, I know it's the rage and see it in high end properties, but at the end of the day, I feel like we've just put Formica on our floors and granite (etc) on our counters.

Vintagegirl Sat 09-Sept-23 16:40:25

Thanks for feedback Rosie and CC.

Maggiemaybe Sat 09-Sept-23 15:06:03

But yes, every few weeks I get the garden kneeler out and give the floors a good scrub with a capful of all purpose cleaning fluid in a bucket of water. It’s surprising how dirty the water gets. blush

Maggiemaybe Sat 09-Sept-23 15:02:24

Another vote for the Method almond floor cleaner. It smells divine.

Nannashirlz Sat 09-Sept-23 14:44:31

Can’t remember last time I bought cleaning supplies for my floors I also steam clean my floors

Patsy70 Sat 09-Sept-23 14:32:54

nanna8

What do you use for polished wooden floors? I worry that the bleach and disinfectant will damage them. Washing up liquid leaves a bit of a tacky feel.

I use Method wood floor cleaner, squirt & mop, almond plant based.

cc Sat 09-Sept-23 13:41:52

Vintagegirl

Interesting posts here. I am trying to decide on type of flooring for kitchen makeover. Workman wants to do those vinyl planks but I would like porcelain tiles but more work. Present floor is sheet vinyl but never feel it cleans fully as dirt collects in textured finish. I use a steam mop but feel old style scrubbing brush is what is needed.

I'm not so keen on the look of the vinyl planks.
We did our kitchen last year and chose porcelain, enough texture to stop it being slippery but not enough to hold dirt. It's a forgiving colour and not shiny so easy to clean. The bathroom is black and white porcelain, just a small area so doesn't take long though a bit more work than the kitchen.
Topps Tiles do a good range of porcelain, relatively inexpensive and much nicer than you would imagine if you choose with care.

cc Sat 09-Sept-23 13:29:18

I certainly wouldn't use bleach, it's too easy to take colour out of something accidentally. It's banned in our house.
I like Method hard floor cleaner, it's expensive but our floors aren't huge and it works well.

Millie22 Sat 09-Sept-23 13:20:47

Can't believe that people would put bleach on their floors. It should not be mixed with anything else.

bevisp1 Sat 09-Sept-23 13:19:03

I was using pledge wood cleaner for wooden floor and similar. It cleans the floor? Even though alot of dirt shows on floor mop, but I also think it’s add more dirt to the floor, if you get what I mean. Just recently I got on my hands & knees with washing up liquid & warm water and scrubbed the floor with a sponge, this came up so so clean. So every now & then I think this is what I will continue to do. The old fashioned way.

Shropshirelass Sat 09-Sept-23 13:00:06

I use a steam mop, cleans everything. Leaves the floor a bit wet so go over it with a towel with my feet, good exercise!

1summer Sat 09-Sept-23 12:36:50

Another Zoflora user, a few caps in hot water. The smell is lovely. Occasionally I have used washing up liquid but can make the tiles slippy.
For my solid wood floors I use Method almond wood floor cleaner.

Cnash Sat 09-Sept-23 12:31:34

I have very old quarry tiles in kitchen and hall. Old house. Never really look clean but I can’t bring myself to get rid of them?

Sarahr Sat 09-Sept-23 12:21:59

We use a generic cleaner, one capful in the bucket with a named brand mop that looks like strips of dishcloth. Never any problem.