Your Cleaning Questions Answered on Hardwood Floors - Pro Cleaning Tips

[@rachelrose20]

Angela has inspired me to buy a floor steamer. It came today! My life has changed! Thank you Angela, thank you 🙏 Love from England ❤️ xx

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I Love this! Keep me posted on how you use it. I'm here cheering you on. Go, Rachel. Love from the USA! 💛

[@Lucky20231]

I feel like I called called on by a celebrity! 😅 Thanks so much for answering my question! Right now I show up with my mop bucket, caddy and vacuum which I can do all in one trip. (For the clients who want me to use my vacuum, but I am switching to using theirs, and thankfully several are buying my recommendation!) I am part of the savvy cleaner network, where do I watch for the training on specifics on what you carry? Thanks for all your videos, I feel like I have been able to avoid so many pitfalls in my business cuz you have tipped me off to them-and I feel like only a year in I’m presenting myself with so much more confidence, validity and value that some of my competitors because I appear to be knowledgeable and professional; so thank you so much!!

[@timvandermey4792]

Which vacuum do you recommend they buy?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Willow, Thanks so much for watching the show. Login to see the courses available at Savvy Cleaner Training. savvycleaner.com/my-account/

[@saturdaisy8576]

Can you use original Castile soap for the floor mixture or it has to be the sal suds?

[@rb288097]

I've used both regular Castile and sal suds. The sal suds seems to do a better job, the regular ones and scented ones make it duller, at least on my floors.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I prefer the Sal Suds. It works so well, there is no need to try other types of castile soap. Find what works and stick with it. 👍

[@sislertx]

All the postive things for sure but cooking..cleaning And fixing things....seriously..nest chefs...best organizers and cleaners...

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment, I appreciat it!

[@rebeccacook9313]

I have a customer with six dogs. Hardwood throughout the house. How do I clean the floors properly and safely? She has checked with a white cloth to see if they are fully clean. I find it very difficult and time consuming. Any tips??

[@AskAngelaBrown]

This sounds like the expectations need to be reset. Any home with six dogs is going to have dogs coming in and out of the house all day to stretch their legs and take bathroom breaks. Unless she trains the dogs to wipe their feet upon re-entering the home there will always be doggy prints, dirt, and mud tracked in on her beautiful floor. Mop, inspect your work and your job is done - what happens after that is the responsibility of the homeowner.

[@jeffreybailey5490]

Hi Angela! I was curious about bona ((cleaning)) spray too clean some vinyl floors. Would you say bona is just as effective as sal suds too also give it a shine? Thank you!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Sal Suds would be a good cleaner for many things. Here is a link to the Bona website where you can learn about the many different types of floor cleaners and polishes: www.bona.com/en-us/homeowner/ Also, there are tips for luxury vinyl flooring on the Bona site. Reading about Bona might help you decide which would be best for your floors.

[@SJ-ev6by]

Great information!! My kitchen floor is 30-year-old vinyl-you know, the kind that comes in 12’ rolls. Will this Castile soap and water combination work for this type of floor? Also, I won’t need all those cloths-is there a way to scale down the recipe for small jobs?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes, the combination will still work. If you need to scale back you can just wet the mop pads you'll need. The recipe is water with 1 drop of soap. If you're not sure you can use fewer pads and less water. (Worst case scenario you use too much water and then you'll have to wring out the mop pad so it's not dripping wet.) After one mopping or so, you'll know the right combination for your kitchen. You've got this. 😍

[@lenkahnizdova836]

I believe that mopping using the s-pattern / figure 8 from cleanest corner to dirtiest corner gives a much higher chance to actually remove dirt, while mopping back and forth just moves the dirt around.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Great tip. Thanks so much for sharing this. It's great to hear from you. :-)

[@cultural.attache]

Hi Angela, love your videos :) This may be a weird question, but how do I get rid of the dusty/fuzzy/linty residue off of my kitchen appliances? For reference, I have stainless steel appliances and a ceramic cooktop. I use microfiber towels but sometimes it feels like I'm just moving residue around rather than picking it up in the cloth. Does this mean my towels are old or maybe I don't wash them properly?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

A damp microfiber cloth should polish them without leaving streaks, dust, fuzz or any other trace of fingerprints or spills. It could be the way the cloths are washed - maybe you need some new ones. Microfiber cloths are designed to attract and trap fuzz, not leave it behind. 🤔

[@denisereiland8458]

Why didn’t I think of this? Seriously!! I never thought to do a charging thing for jobs or even at home! I used to use a steamer, but I didn’t like it. I should try again, since they have been improved over the years. I need that apron for work as a janitor.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Give it a try, you might like this method. Here's the link to the apron - Supply Maid Apron - amzn.to/3nrdbMy

[@thehustlenetwork]

Microfiber steamer that you have linked, can I use that to do the floors with the Castile soap or should I get the Bissell?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

This is the steamer I'm using amzn.to/32m4xH1 and yes, it's a Bissell. The castile soap goes on the pads, it doesn't go in the steamer itself as the steamer is not plugged in for hardwood floors. Just wanted to clarify that. Thanks for watching. 😄

[@debfrysinger]

Does anyone know what the difference is between Dr. Bonner's Sal Suds, and Dr. Bonner's regular castile soap?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Great question. Here's the contact info for Dr. Bronner's team www.drbronner.com/contact/ let us know what you find out. I'm all ears.

[@tammyb8742]

I can't tell you how many referrals I've gotten from the driveway! I don't carry a swiffer but they see the mop, vacuum, etc. I have a different mopping setup but I'll try the Castille soap 👍

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I LOVE this! The secret is to keep business cards with you or have extra worksheets you can pass out when neighbors come calling.

[@MyViolingirl]

Thank you! I love your videos- omg you are so organized!! I need to watch the previous video about the floors!! Thanks again Angela (if only I could get you for my house cleaner !!!)

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Oh wow, that is so nice of you to say. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement and support and for spending a few minutes of your day here with me. You just made my day. :-)

[@hollz1843]

Thank you so much for this! My boss has tried a lot of diff things for us to get hardwood floors clean without the streaks!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Streaks are usually caused from one of two things - dirty water or too much product on the floor. This process will resolve both of those possibilities. Let me know if you give it a try.

[@diggityd5856]

I have a pull along steamer that I really like. I think I’m going to give your tip a try and see how well it works on all floors in my house. I like to “experiment “ in my own home first before I use it in a clients home.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes, keep me posted, I'm eager to hear your experience. Thanks for keeping me in the loop. :-)

[@diggityd5856]

@@AskAngelaBrown I absolutely will! 😁

[@jo-annemurphy2921]

Great tips I don't know how I missed your previous video but I'm going to go watch it right now!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy the previous one too. 🙂

[@bonraerieger]

One drop of Castile soap to 4 cups of water. Brilliant! I’d like to try on our LVP floors

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes, it will give them a great shine.

[@momtomany]

Thanks! You have restored my enthusiasm about cleaning my house.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Hooray! Keep me posted and let me know how it's going. I'm here rooting for you. :-)

[@momtomany]

@@AskAngelaBrown There are places that I “do it the hard way.” It has really pumped my enthusiasm to just change a few things. I’ve always been a cleaning enthusiast, but I’m not as young and energetic as I once was.

[@ancientofways]

My steamer pooped out on me, way too quick to bother getting another. Do you use distilled water? My handle snapped off, but I made due... but then the steam holes clogged. Do you clean immaculate houses, because my experience has been to having to use multiple towels safety pinned around mine, to not just keep pushing dirt around. In my first 9 years, I was strictly hands on me knees, but then got a mop, but some places, even doing 2-3 times a week, the mops were not doing a good enough job in my opinion. I'm the one who hates swiffers, unless you change the head every 6 feet. Too wet and streaky, then just plain ole nasty. thx B

[@AskAngelaBrown]

For mopping just tap water with a drop of Sal Suds Castile soap. What kind of steamer were you using that pooped out on you and the handle busted off? Most steamers have at least a 1 year warranty and should replace it for you.

[@sidneybristow815]

I accidentally spilled a bottle of isopropyl alcohol on an old linoleum floor (think Old Aunt BerthaI’s). It sat for a few minutes, but it removed icky sticky ground in dirt that nothing else ever removed. Shocked! May dull, but fixable.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Oh Wow, Yes, Molecular grade isopropyl alcohol is neutral. However solvent grade isopropyl alcohol is about a pH of 8. So if you are going to use it on an old linoleum floor, you may want to monitor it closely for dwell time. And use it first on an inconspicuous area first. Thanks for sharing this.

[@alyssagunderson6137]

Hi Angela! How do you keep the steam mop heads looking fresh? After one use mine have turned a brown ish color and I’ve tried multiple spot treatments with no luck. They just won’t get back to the nice white color. Thanks!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

When you are done mopping you can soak them in a gallon container of water with 1/3 cup of Oxi-Clean.

[@deborahsmith3103]

What brand do you use to polish hardwood floors? How often is this necessary. Mine are sealed. Thanks!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

How to Clean Hardwood Floors - kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5_bZWZ_r7GsnqM Bissell Steamer - amzn.to/3ozSq0p Microfiber Professional Mop - amzn.to/3wX3rwH Supply Maid Apron - amzn.to/3nrdbMy Sal Suds Soap - amzn.to/38Ljky4

[@wendyoliver1565]

Hi Angela, my question is can the charging system/ bucket be use with the flathead microfiber mops I get from microfiber wholesale the same way you are using the steamer microfiber mop heads?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes, if you're using the 18" or 24" mop pads you'll need an industrial charging bucket amzn.to/3nKKHNM rather than a shoebox. 😂 Both work off the same premise and process.

[@joycebrassard9545]

My client wanted me to use rejuvenate to help restore hardwood floors but it isn’t holding up, what do you suggest using to mop the floor to leave it shiny ?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

+Joyce Brassard I specifically recommend this particular procedure where you use a pre-wetting system for your mop pads and one drop of Sal Suds for the floor. This will leave the floor super shiny and very clean and not sudsy and no rinsing. Keep me posted I’m eager to hear how it goes for you. 👍

[@shoppergirl8904]

Hey, Angela! What are you doing to protect customers against cross contamination in this age of covid? I get the washing and using mop heads for each home, but do you sanitize your sniffer or other tools? Ty!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

The Swiffer has a disposable head that is disposed of at the end of each job. NOT to be taken to another customer's home. The handle is wiped off with a disinfecting wipe or a cloth sprayed with a disinfectant spray. We have a paid course in the library called Equipment Cleaning and Sanitization savvycleaner.com/equipment-cleaning and that covers all the steps you take to clean your equipment between jobs.

[@curtweigel8460]

This episode was money!! :) I asked about your caddy a year ago !!!?? Lol

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thanks for continuing to watch my videos, I appreciate it!

[@diggityd5856]

I have a question for you . What is the quickest way to clean a house? What room do you start in ? Especially if you are alone doing the cleaning.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I always start in the messiest room(s) first. And if no one is at home I start in the kitchen, that way if family comes home and starts cooking or making lunch while I'm still cleaning I'm finished in there and out of their way.

[@diggityd5856]

@@AskAngelaBrown that’s a good tip! Thank you so much! I too like to get the kitchen done and out of the way because I find it’s the room that can take the longest sometimes.

[@janallen541]

Love your videos....where do you buy the Castile(is that how you spell it?) soap for the hardwood floors? Thanks!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I used Sal Suds, you can find it online. And just so you know a little goes a log way.

[@jenniferrumsey9887]

I love watching your channel for myself (I love to keep a very clean home). I also have an interior design business where I specify all sorts of items and need to know the best way to clean those items. When I meet the housecleaner or commercial cleaners they are always surprised that I believe their job is of utmost importance - I specify products but they must maintain the investment. Have a great day!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

I love your style. Thanks for sharing this and thanks for watching. :-)

[@sidneybristow815]

Swiffer on quick draw, like a six shooter in the old West!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

LOL. I just used a Swiffer moments ago. You must have been reading my mind. 😂

[@linsue6737]

Great, timely video ... getting different living space. TFS👍

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching! Best of luck in your new place.

[@purerawhoney7294]

. . . You always have the best tips! Can you make a video on how to clean slate tile floors? Thank you in advance.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

With slate floors you can use the exact same method using your steamer as a regular mop, or, you can also use the steam from your steamer if you like that method better.

[@JohannaGodisGracious]

Can you use a steamer on engineered hard wood floors? It may be a no Brainer I'm just not sure lol.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Use this method here where you use the steamer as a mop. If you absolutely must use the steamer on a trouble spot - you can, but avoid heat and steam when possible on engineered wood flooring.

[@chelo3510]

How do you know how much water to use to pre soak?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

1 drop of soap to 4 cups of water. If you don't have 8 or 10 mop pads you can just wet them in the sink and squeeze them out. It is the same concept. The goal is to have damp mop pads when you are ready to mop - not soggy wet. And you are using water so it's easy. Damp not wet mop.

[@chelo3510]

Got it, thank you!!

[@chelo3510]

Sorry last question! I bought Sal suds soap thinking I would follow your method. Since I only need 2-3 pads how do I add the soap since I wouldn’t use the bucket method? So I just soak with 1 drop of soap and squeeze out the mop? Your help and insights is greatly appreciated!

[@gilld4700]

Love the videos. How should i clean a painted engineered wood floor?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Here is a video I made about that - kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5XCpJqDYtV2hLs

[@anitaparsons7929]

I clean a school can you use the sal suds on all floors or is there different types for different floors ?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes you can! Sal Suds is a biodegradable castile soap so you can use it on most all types of flooring. And since you're using one drop you won't have a soapy residue that you have to rinse after mopping.

[@NovelNovelist]

Thank you for making this informative video, Angela!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thanks for taking the time from your day to watch and drop me a line. It's great to have you here. :-)

[@thehustlenetwork]

If I use one pad, do I still need 4 cups 1 drop of Castile? Also could I use Dr Bronner's castile soap?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

+The Hustle Network It’s actually easier than that. If you only have one pad you can just wet it in the kitchen sink. Wring it out and then put it on the bottom of your mop. There’s no need to put it in a pre-wetting system. 👍

[@BoholanaMama]

Could I use the Salsud soap for vinyl too?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Yes, it would be safe on LVP flooring as well.

[@mikejw58]

I might have missed it but what would be the shortest time you need to leave the pads to charge in the shoe box? Would it be safe to say its when there is no more visible water sloshing around in the container and all the pads feel damp?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

There is no special time, you can use the pads immediately after they are wet or you can use them later in the day if you've wet them at the top of the job. And yes, like you said, when the water is not sloshing around is when they are absorbed into the fabric pads.

[@mikejw58]

@@AskAngelaBrown You are amazing! Thank you

[@carolhensley3857]

Angela are your restroom cleaners and supplies seperate from your other supplies?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Do you mean in my house or my cleaning caddy? I carry all my cleaners with me in the same 2 caddies, including my bathroom cleaners.

[@carolhensley3857]

@@AskAngelaBrown i meant in the caddy. I guess it really doesn't matter if they are carried together but at work we have to have everything separate and labeled restroom cleaners. But we are BRC/OSHA required.

[@trimericbark2755]

Is this the fastest way to clean

[@AskAngelaBrown]

When cleaning professionally yes, because there is no mop bucket, no running water, no dumping water out and cleaning out your mop bucket - you just have a few prepped mop pads that you carry on the job site with you.

[@tigq1430]

Been using in video Castile soap 16 years in my business! Love it!💜

[@AskAngelaBrown]

It's great. Thank you for sharing your feedback on castile and thanks for watching, I appreciate it! 🤗

[@MountainsnVallies]

@@AskAngelaBrown can you use lavender scented Castile soap?

[@marthafloresss9200]

Good 😁gracias por los consejos yo tambien cargo 2 cubetas thank you God bless you 🙏🙏🙏🦋

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Que bueno Martha!! Bien hecho. Gracias por commentar y por ver el video. 😊

[@flags7712]

❤️🧡💛

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thanks for watching!

[@9liveslisa]

Love your videos. I never thought about using my steam mop unplugged on my hardwood floors Great idea. And I like the Sal Sud's tip too! Thanks!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

You're welcome! Thank you for your feedback and thanks for watching, I appreciate it! 🤗

[@elizabethb3270]

Such a resource!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Glad you think so, thanks for watching!

[@roses609]

Always great tips

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Glad you think so! Thanks for watching. I appreiate the feedback! 🙂

[@debs1427]

How many mop heads do we need for each job?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

It depends on the size of the job and how quickly the mop heads get dirty. Having 3-4 extra mop heads on hand is always a good idea

[@debs1427]

@@AskAngelaBrown thank you!

[@debs1427]

Thank you!@@AskAngelaBrown

[@wiseowlgal]

How can I clean chandeliers? Brass and crystal ones to be specific?

[@AskAngelaBrown]

+wiseowlgal Are the chandeliers yours? Or do they belong to a client? We recommend tat professional house cleaners don’t clean chandeliers because it’s very time consuming to do and it’s not very cost effective to the cleaning business owner or the homeowner. There are people that just do chandelier cleaning. I would recommend that you outsource the job. NOTE: Depending on the type of chandelier, brass will be treated with brass cleaner. Crystal will be treated with some kind of a soap cleaner and vinegar. And you may have to take all the little charms off the chandelier or get a ladder and clean them each by hand. 🤪

[@arkrainflood]

HOW I CLEAN WOOD FLOORS: 1) fill one side of a double bucket with hot water (the other side is for rinsing out the sponge mop with a built in rinse squeezer) 2) lightly spray a section of the wood floor with floor cleaner 3) mop that area with a damp mop. 4) rinse out the mop into the empty side of the double bucket 5) dunk the mop into the hot water side and rinse out into the other 6) perform steps 3 to 5 twice, then move on to the next section and start at 2) the mop avoids sopping up dirty water vs the typical mopping with dunks the mop back into dirty water. when the hot water side is nearly empty i dump the bucket into a toilet. i will have to refill the bucket 4x to do the entire floor. the rinse out side is murky/mucky! confession, i mop only 6x a year, its just me, no pets. i have had poor results using any floor cleaner that puts down a shine...it looks good for a week but then turns cloudy/dingy. so i removed it with full strength ammonia. i rely on the engineered wood floors natural shine.

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Wow! That is quite a process. How long does this system take you?

[@arkrainflood]

@@AskAngelaBrown maybe an hour, but i play music so it does not feel that long

[@carolpolhill606]

What mop bucket is this? Does the mop come with it, with a head that can be cleaned?

[@arkrainflood]

@@carolpolhill606 its a double bucket, got it on amazon. use a regular sponge mop with squeeze rinser

[@aqeelaansari921]

What is Sal suds mean

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Sal Suds is a cleaning product.

[@sallydavidson4471]

Hi Angela! Thanks for this video as it is so informative! My question for you is how do you clean your microfiber mop heads? I had read that we are not suppose to use any soap or fabric softener on them as it will cause them to lose their streak free properties! Any insight would be extremely helpful!! 🙂

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Hi Sally, for our mop heads (pads) we use OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover amzn.to/3oMlXUF in the detergent pocket in the machine and 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the fabric softener pocket for release on the last spin.

[@sallydavidson4471]

@@AskAngelaBrown thank you soooooo much! I have been watching your videos for a long time on all kinds of different subjects! I don't own a cleaning business (I work at Costco) but if I did - the knowledge you share would be so beneficial! Thanks for sharing and helping so many that are just starting out or thinking of going into business for themselves! The world needs more people like you that help others - especially other women! I truly believe women are much better at helping lift each other up, instead of putting each other down.

[@jilliebean2574]

Another great video, Angela!!!! Thanks!!!

[@AskAngelaBrown]

Thank you for your feedback and thanks for watching, I appreciate it. 🙂