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Are you looking for a Baby & Pet Safe Floor Cleaner?

Do you want to find Non-Toxic Floor Cleaning Remedies for Hardwood Floors that are great for babies that are starting to crawl?  These Baby & Pet Friendly Floor Cleaner ideas are perfect.

Pet Safe floor cleaner

Today’s Guest Post Comes from the Author of K Kuchiya’s Clean Up Home blog.   “Do any of you remember Monica from the TV show “Friends?”  Well, I am her; a chef, mother of 10 month old baby and someone that is a bit crazy about cleanliness.  When my baby started crawling, I needed to ensure that my floors are both clean and non-toxic.  Today I wanted to share my ideas…”

DIY pet friendly floor cleaners
When babies start crawling and pets are walking on the floors, it makes you worry a lot about the surface and its cleanliness.   So I did my research and it proved that you could have spotless and child-safe floors by using simple homemade baby & pet friendly floor cleaning remedies out of things that we all have in our homes.

Pet Friendly Floor Cleaner

  1. Cleaning the Floors with Water

When using water to clean, remember the warmer the better.  Water is my greatest ally against stains, dust, bacteria, microbes; you name it.  It’s the reason that steam cleaners work so well – hot water cleans better.

When we use dishwashers or laundry machines, we mix detergents with water.  Detergents are there to help water become more efficient at cleaning. In short, whenever you clean you need to ensure that the water is warm (at least warm.)

Basically, when we heat the water, we accelerate oxygen, and hydrogen particles and these particles (together with their electrons) pierce the fabric and remove stains. So, when you need to clean anything for yourself or your babies make sure that you clean it with hot water.  (Be careful not to let your children near the hot water).

Warmer water will also soften the stains on your floors and carpets and allow you to mop or rub more smoothly.

2. Cleaning floors with Vinegar 

Vinegar has a strong smell, but it is also a natural disinfectant that works wonders on your floors and tiles. And I have a solution for the smell! So here’s what you do:

  • You mix vinegar with hot water (ratio 1:2 ).
  • And then you can add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (per every gallon of water).

The great thing about this method is that you can always experiment with formula. If your floors need a good scrubbing, mix with 1:1 (vinegar: water) ration.

And if the smell is still present, switch essential oils. I always suggest using lavender essential oil to cover any unpleasant scents, including vinegar. I generally use white vinegar or distilled vinegar to clean the floors in my home, but you can experiment with other types too!

3. Cleaning floors with Dish Soap

A lot of people are surprised with this suggestion because dish soap is, after all, a chemical-based cleaner, right? Well, yes and no. We clean our dishes with dish soap, correct? And we consider that a healthy and hygienic deed because we know that dish soaps are mild and safe.

Make sure that the water is hot, but not too hot or boiling! When you heat the water to the desired level, add dish soap. The great thing about dish soap is that it won’t leave that sticky feeling (you don’t want sticky floors for your babies or pets!)

But don’t overuse it: add a few drops and mix and start cleaning. If the mixture isn’t strong enough to clear the stains, you can add a cup of two of vinegar to make it more potent.

4. Cleaning Floors with Baking Soda

Baking Soda is perfect as a homemade remedies. Baking soda is good for cleaning, removing odors and for your health. So, whenever you are making mixtures of water and vinegar, always add baking soda.

Baking soda will boost the cleaning effect of water, but also reduce the unpleasant vinegar odor. And if you have pets, baking soda is excellent for removing pet odors. Note that you can also use baking soda for cleaning carpets.

5. Olive Oil  for adding Shine to laminate Floors

Note that this formula applies to laminate and wood floors only. You will need a mixture of water, vinegar, and olive oil. If you plan to mop the floors, just pour the hot water into a large bucket, add a cup or two of vinegar and a cup of olive oil.

 A picture of olive oil being poured from the bottle into a glass bowl with olives resting around the outside of the bowl.

Ideally, you can add a tiny bit of lemon juice to get that lemony scent you often find in other wood detergents. Olive oil will add elasticity and density to this emulsion. This is what will eventually give your floors that new shine, and you’ll have a piece of mind knowing that the shine is natural and safe.

6. Salt – Vinegar’s Best Friend

A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean everything from upholstery to carpets. You could also add lemon juice (it is best that you squeeze organic lemons and create your juice) to mitigate the scent of vinegar.

A pile of salt on a wooden table with a wooden utensil resting on the salt.

You can also use a mixture of salt and vinegar to remove watermarks.  Salt can also be used for cleaning carpets. Whenever you have fresh stains, put a couple of tablespoons on a carpet and wait for the stain to dry.

When it dries, vacuum it up.  Do not let children or pets near the salt before you vacuum it.

7. Baby-Safe (Green) Detergents

If you don’t want to experiment with the remedies that I outlined, you can look online for chid-safe detergents. Look for those that have high concentrations of organic ingredients and natural oils.   My friend suggested that if I ever search for baby-safe cleaning products, I should always go with all-purpose detergent. They are often milder and less aggressive, and it is reasonable to assume that they won’t be harmful to you, your kids and your pets.

Be Your Own Scientist

The best thing about these remedies is that you can experiment with them and design your own recipes. Why not? You have the tools you need, right? If you don’t have essential oils, just don’t add them to the mix. If you do, you should know that essential oils also have a positive effect on your spirit, but that’s an entirely different story.

These are some simple steps that I take to protect my baby and ensure that they grow up in a safe and healthy environment.

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A little girl  and a woman posing for a picture.About the Author:  Today’s post comes from Rekha: “I’m the wife to a smart engineer and mother to beautiful babies (Aaratrika and Adwit.) We live in India. We are cautious with what we eat and what we use (from shampoos to home remedies), and thus far had little to no health or allergies issues. We’ve also noticed that our home gives away that healthy vibe. So, I decided to share my ideas with other busy mums that are concerned about the health of their family and home.”

 

Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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1 Comment

  1. Acetic acid that can be found on vinegar is a great source of disinfectant. Use a natural home floor cleaner for the safety of your child and pets. Use a commercial home floor cleaner if the dirt is heavy duty. Thank you for your complete information article. It will help me a lot in the future.