How to Clean an Earth Floor

Floors made from earth have been around for thousands of years. Earthen floors may sound like they would be very dirty, but they are not at all. An earth floor is usually packed very hard and has a finish of linseed oil. Because the earth is packed and oiled, cleaning an earthen floor is really quite easy. Here are a few tips to help you clean an earth floor.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Lift chairs and table off the floor. Moving the table and chairs by dragging them can cause gouges in an earth floor. Remove any furniture or heavy objects by lifting if possible. If you find gouges or scratches, they can easily be repaired with a patch of more earth.

2. Sweep the floor with a soft bristle broom; either a nylon bristle broom or an old broom. If you prefer to vacuum the earth floor, remember to turn off the beater bar of your vacuum. A stick vacuum without a beater bar works very well to keep your earth floor clean.

3. Fill a bucket with warm, but not hot, water. Add a small amount of soap or detergent to the warm water. Lightly mop the earth floor with a string mop or soft mop. Avoid using a sponge mop on earth floors, as it can gouge the floor if too dry. By using only a small amount of soap, you won't have to rinse the floor and your floor will be nice and clean. Take care not to drag the bucket across the wet floor.

4. Allow the earth floor to totally dry after you've cleaned it. Don't walk on the wet earth floor or put the furniture back on it until it's dry. If the earth floor is still damp, the furniture can leave marks on the floor.

Resources

• Visit the Design Coalition for more help with maintaining earth floors.
• Visit Willamette Week for more information about cleaning earth floors.