5 easy solutions for stunning floors

The floors in your home really can take a beating, These easy tips will help you keep them looking shiny and new in no time.

• Scuff marks dulling your bathroom? Arm yourself with these tools to bring back the shine.
• First, try squeezing a little toothpaste (the non-gel, non-whitening kind) onto an old toothbrush.
• Scrub the marks gently and wipe up the paste with a damp cloth.
• If that doesn't do the job, dab some baby oil or petroleum jelly onto a dry cloth and rub the mark, then remove any residue with a rag or paper towel.

• Need to move heavy furniture out of the way to clean? Rearranging the living room for a big party?
• Protect your precious hardwood floors — and save yourself the trouble of dealing with scratches later — by pulling heavy socks over furniture legs and securing them with masking tape. This trick will also make it easier to push heavy furniture around.
• For everyday floor protection, consider putting adhesive bandages or moleskin patches on the bottom of furniture legs.
• If you have a rocking chair, affix a long strip of masking tape to the bottom of each rocker to help keep hardwood floors unmarred.

If you wax a vinyl or linoleum floor, you know all too well how wax builds up over time. Here are two easy ways to remove it:

• For vinyl: Working in sections, pour a little club soda onto a vinyl floor and scrub it with the abrasive side of a kitchen sponge. Let the soda sit for five minutes, then wipe up the loosened wax with a wad of cheesecloth or panty hose.

• For linoleum: Mop a linoleum floor with a solution of 750 millilitres (three cups) water to 250 millilitres (one cup) rubbing alcohol. Use a sponge mop to scrub it in well, then rinse it thoroughly.

They're often the least thought-of floors in (and out) of the house, but garage and unfinished basement floors take a lot of hard knocks on a daily basis.

Never mind your car; if you store your lawn mower, leaf blower or string trimmer in this space, you're bound to experience all manner of oil and grease spills here. And if your floor is made from porous, unsealed cement — and it probably is — the surface will absorb odours like a brand-new sponge.

• The simplest way to remove odours is to head to the nearest pet supply shop and pick up a large pail of non-clumping kitty litter.
• Blot any oil or grease from the surface with newspaper; the floor should be fairly dry.
• Spread a healthy amount of kitty litter on the stain and using a broom, sweep it over the area until it's covered.
• Let stand for 24 hours, and sweep or vacuum up the litter. Magic!

• Vinyl floors are highly susceptible to heel marks, especially from rubber heels. An easy way to wipe the marks off?
• Just spray them with an all-purpose lubricator, let sit for five to six minutes, then rub the marks with a soft cloth.

These five secret solutions will keep the floors in your house looking clean and blemish-free.