Why is it Important to Have Clean Floors?

The easiest way to check whether your floors are clean enough is to perform a so-called barefoot test. Take off your socks, wipe your feet dry and take a walk across the room. Now, lift your foot and inspect your sole. If you are honest, you’d say that it’s probably covered with particles of dirt, dust, hair and food. These are things we can observe with our naked eyes.

But, what about other particles that will presumably pass the barefoot test only because we can’t see them? We can’t see germs, bacteria and other tiny particles of dirt. It has been reported that there are around 800 bacteria found per square inch of the floor. The area in front of the kitchen sink and toilet area has a higher number of bacteria per square inch, around 830.

Luckily, having clean floors is not that difficult at all. We’ll discuss the importance of clean floors and how to achieve that further on in this article.

Your home will be a healthier place

Regular house cleaning is a necessity if you want to spend your time in a healthy environment. Some parts of our home should be wiped and cleaned every two days, some require weekly maintenance while there are also those parts that can be given some TLC once a month. Your floors, for example, require your attention weekly or weekly.  If you vacuum your floors, carpets and mats once a week, you will reduce the percentage of dust, dust mites, pollutants and any other possible allergens. Once a week is usually enough, but if you have the time, you can vacuum even twice a week.

Regular mopping keeps your floor sanitised

Vacuuming is not enough because it only removes dust and other particles, it doesn’t kill germs. We spread germs by walking around the house, so regular mopping is a must. Especially if you have the habit of entering your home without taking your shoes off, mopping should be on your weekly to-do list. Any high traffic area like bathroom, kitchen and living room should be sanitised by mopping once a week. You should mop your halfway or the entrance twice a week because this is probably where you keep your shoes. Any other room that isn’t a high traffic area can be mopped once a month but make sure to vacuum it regularly.

First impression matters

Clean floors contribute to making the right first impression. If you have people coming over, don’t forget to vacuum even if you feel like your floors are clean enough. Taking out a vacuum and going over your floors won’t take long, but the effect will be worth your efforts. We all know that we scan other people’s apartments and notice everything, so make sure your floors are vacuumed, sanitised and clean especially if you’re expecting guests.

The air quality will improve significantly

When dust, germs and other particles build up over time, as a consequence, the air quality will deteriorate. We all know that feeling when we clean our entire home, step out for a while and return to everything shiny and clean. We all know that the air smells better and the room feels more comfortable even if we’ve only vacuumed our floors. So, another great reason to have clean floors is to improve air quality. Especially if you suffer from allergies, you’ll have to have a predefined cleaning schedule so your allergies don’t get triggered by dusty floors.

Your carpets will last longer

When the floors are clean, it means that you won’t spread dust, dirt and germs all over your carpets. This will preserve their appearance, and their colour and the carpets will last longer. Frequent vacuuming, regular mopping and sanitising and spot cleaning all contribute to cleaner floors and extended lifespan of a carpet.

For cleaner floors, trap the dirt before entering the house

Another easy way to preserve the cleanliness of your floors for longer is to trap the dirt outside. According to the data, we carry around 420 thousand bacteria on the soles of our shoes. This means that if we don’t wipe our shoes before we enter our home, we will spread all these bacteria around our house. 

Not to mention dirt, water and other visible signs of dirty shoes. That’s why you should have one of high-quality door mats made of rubber or coir to scrape and brush your shoes before you enter your home.  Ideally, upon entering, you should take your shoes off and place them on a small indoor mat before you wipe the soles and put them away.

Don’t walk around your home with your shoes on because you will spread all the germs and bacteria around your house. The entrance area and the haway should be cleaned more often because that’s where the germs are brought in upon entering.

You will prevent injuries

If you spill something on the floor and forget to wipe the area dry, it can turn into a slipping hazard. Clean floors ensure the safety of everyone living in your home. Your home will be a healthier place, air quality will improve and there won’t be any slipping or tripping hazards. When dirt buildups it can create an unsafe environment for those passing through.

Spot clean to preserve clean floors longer

Spilling or dropping something on the floor is inevitable. Accidents can happen even to the best of us. The most common area where the liquid is spilled and food is dropped is your kitchen. When it happens, you have to spot clean the area to avoid further damage and turning a place into a mess. So, whenever you have to, spot clean your floors to wipe anything that can lead to injuries or simply make the place look dirty and unkempt.

You will preserve hardwood floors

Hardwood floors require adequate care if you want to preserve their beauty and longevity. Vacuuming them regularly helps remove dust and any other particles that can ruin their appearance. If your floors have a shiny finish, dust will be easily seen especially during daylight. Regular vacuuming helps with this. Also, make sure to use a cleaning product that is suitable for your flooring. It will increase the shine, remove germs and make your home healthier.

If you’ve been wondering whether you should clean your floors once or twice a week, we’ve given you nine reasons to maintain clean floors regularly.