(An Almost Pin Test Tuesday)

One of the joys of having two dogs is watching them happily run (and sometimes roll) around the backyard together. On the flip side, I get to watch them just as merrily carry dirt into the house. They’re definitely challenging me to up my game on keeping the floor clean.

When it was just Gary and me, I could get away with overlooking sweeping for a day or too… as long as I wore socks or flip-flops on the tile floor. Our dogs are not allowed into the bedrooms, so the carpeted areas aren’t much of an issue. The living room and foyer are another story however. Now that Baby G is here, the thought of her crawling on dirty floors is more than enough motivation to make some changes. Though she’s not crawling yet, I’m already making it a priority to keep the floors as clean as possible. Today I woke up prepared to sweep and mop.

Unfortunately, I also woke up with a shooting pain in my shoulder when I moved. As the day went on, the pain started to improve enough for me to tackle sweeping, but I promised Gary that I wouldn’t overdo it by mopping. I was a little disappointed that mopping would have to wait another day. Luckily, I remembered an idea I read about in Real Simple Magazine (not an affiliate link) about a simple, hands free way to spot clean/mop your floors. I actually tried this for the first time two weeks ago, and decided it was the perfect solution for a way to clean the floors without lifting a mop!

So, today’s review is more of a Magazine Advice Test than a Pinterest Pin Test.

The Easy (and Frugal) Way to Spot Clean Your Floors:

The article in Real Simple pointed out that we have more strength in our legs than in our arms, so scrubbing the floor is nearly effortless when we let our legs do all of the work!

Materials:

• A pair of old socks (The thicker the better. Since I didn’t have any thick socks, I doubled up with two pairs)
• A spray bottle
• Vinegar or cleaning solution (*vinegar is not recommended for wood floors as it can strip them)

*I chose to use vinegar for two reasons: It’s an extremely cheap, natural cleaning solution (read more here), and though the smell isn’t the most delightful, with Baby G in the house I prefer it to the harsh chemical odors from cleaning solutions. Some people add essential oils to help with the odor, and to give it extra cleaning power. I still haven’t worked essential oil into my budget, so I used plain distilled white vinegar.

The Process:

1. Start by putting on your socks, the thicker the better. Since I didn’t have a pair of thick socks, I doubled up with an old pair of mismatched socks. (As a bonus use of my time, I decided to moisturize my feet just before slipping on the socks since socks can help seal in the moisture)
   

   Mismatched socks and some moisturizer.

2. Fill your spray bottle with the vinegar or cleaning solution.
3. Spray noticeably dirty spots (Though in this picture I’m leaning close to the floor, for the rest of my time cleaning I sprayed from a standing position. So simple!)
4. Have fun skating around in your socks, rubbing the dirtier areas until all spots disappear.
5. Remove socks and throw them in some soapy water to soak, or straight into the wash!

Pass or Fail:

Though it won’t completely replace mopping for me, it passed the test as an effective and easy options on the days when I don’t have time, or the ability, to mop. I love that it’s a cheaper option than a Swiffer Wet Jet (which I used to use to spot clean), and a more effective way to get tough spots! Your feet do become a bit damp, though mine have never become dirty in the process (just the socks!).  Depending on the size of the area being mopped, and how dirty the floor is, you may choose to change socks during the process. I mopped our entire kitchen, dining area, living room and hallway and didn’t need to change. It was such a relief to have a clean floor. Now, I think I’ll go relax my shoulder with my DIY microwavable heating pad and admire my work.

What tips have you learned that help you clean with ease?