Basic floor-cleaning tools that make cleaning easy

Available at any hardware store or home centre and at many supermarkets, this combination of inexpensive tools can take on the majority of floor-maintenance tasks you are likely to meet.

Broom:

• Low-tech tool for quick cleanup of wood and resilient floor coverings.
• Natural brooms are shorter-lived than synthetics but more effective.
• Hang for storage to keep a crisp edge.
• When soiled, dip in sudsy water, rinse and dry with a rubber band around bristles to straighten.

Dry mop:

• For dry mopping bare floors between vacuum cleanings.
• Push across the floor to avoid raising dust, following the grain if floor is wood.
• Vacuum or shake mophead into a closed paper bag after each use.
• Hang to store.
• Wash by hand in hot sudsy water, rinse and air-dry. Or place detachable mop head in a net bag and machine wash and dry.

String mop:

• Use damp, not wet, to remove dirt and grime from washable resilient floors, and only after sweeping or vacuuming excess.
• For light jobs, use clear water.
• For dirtier surfaces, add detergent and rinse with a second mop and pail.
• Wash in hot, sudsy water after each use, rinse thoroughly, shake to separate strings and hang or turn upside down to dry and store.
• Never keep a damp mop on the floor or in a bucket, as it will soon take on odour.

Sponge mop:

• An alternative to the string mop; it follows the same general washing rules.
• Most sponge mops come with a simple-to-use self-wringing attachment on the head or handle.
• Sponge mops are not suitable for rough-textured floors.
• Wash and rinse sponge head after each use, then stand mop upside down to dry.
• Moisten sponge to soften just before each reuse to prevent cracking.
• Replace head as it wears thin to avoid scratching the floor.

Scrub brushes:

• Effective for cleaning rough surfaces, heavily soiled resilient flooring and outdoor porches.
• Scrub by hand or attach it to the end of a long pole; wash with long strokes.
• Rinse thoroughly.
• Wash bristles in hot, sudsy water after each use. Rinse in clear water; shake and let dry with the bristles down.

Sponge:

• For all washable surfaces.
• Dip into hot or warm, sudsy water and squeeze thoroughly.
• Rub surface with firm strokes.
• Use separate sponge for rinse water.
• Clean sponges in hot, sudsy water; rinse and squeeze dry. If especially dirty, put cellulose sponges in net bag and machine wash with a general load.
• Dry naturally — not in a hot dryer.

Bucket:

• A bucket with a wringer works well with a string mop, which is hard to wring by hand.
• Two buckets — for wash and for rinse — are better than one.
• Rinse thoroughly after each use.
• Air-dry rubber, plastic and galvanized-metal buckets.
• Check handle from time to time for firmness.

By keeping a full arsenal of cleaning tools around your home, you'll be able to handle any mess on your floors with ease.