Things You'll Need:
- White distilled vinegar
- Wet mop and mop bucket
- Ice
- Plastic putty knife
- Mineral spirits
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Step 1
Prevent residue on floors by using entrance mats or carpet runners. You can also prevent residue by dust-mopping the floor regularly to remove grit, which can actually act like sandpaper and scratch the surface of the floor.
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Step 2
Clean up spills and residue off the floor as quickly as possible. A liquid spill can cause permanent staining if it is allowed to dry on the floor. Excessive dirt and other residue left on the floor might be tracked around the room and cause the floor to become scratched.
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Step 3
Remove gum that is stuck to the floor by lightly scraping it away with a plastic putty knife. Place some ice cubes in a plastic bag and put the bag on top of the gum. When the gum is cold enough, it should just pop off when scraped lightly with a plastic putty knife. A soft cloth, dampened with mineral spirits, will remove any remaining gum on the floor.
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Step 4
Clean hardwood floors by preparing a solution of one cup of distilled white vinegar to one gallon of water in a mop bucket. Place a clean cotton mop into the solution and wring all the water out so the mop does not drip when removed from the wringer. Too much water can cause a wood floor to warp.
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Step 5
Remove film on a hardwood floor by mopping it with mineral spirits. The mop should be barely damp with the mineral spirits to do the job effectively. Mineral spirits can also revive the original shine.
