Mopping a Rubber Floor Correctly: Proved And Easy Steps

Rubber floors are very comfortable and satisfying to use. They give you a soft underfoot and that makes them very popular. But you need to clean and mop them properly. If you’re not scouring the rubber floor correctly, you might cause permanent damage to your floor.

Mopping rubber floors correctly is a little tricky task. You can make some mistakes, and it will only get worse. But the cleaning procedure gets pretty straightforward when you know the right way and follow that path. This article will lead you to that destination.

After going through this step-by-step guide and following it, you will see that mopping a rubber floor is not that hard. Stay with us till the end of the article to get our expert opinion on mopping a floor.

5 Steps To Mop A Rubber Floor: A Time-saving Approach

Rubber floorings are usually used in areas prone to getting some heavy-duty because rubber floors are extra durable. And when I tell you that it is extra durable, it means that it can handle anything and everything you throw at it. But even something as stable as a rubber flooring needs proper care if you want it to last.

Step 1: Remove The Debris

When mopping your rubber flooring, the first thing you want to do is remove all the debris. You can use a vacuum cleaner to dry vacuum the whole floor.

If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, you can always depend on your trusty old broom and dust that debris. Removing the debris will allow you to smoothly move through the whole process, which is great for your floor’s overall health.

Step 2: Preparing The Cleaning Solution

You can prepare a cleaning solution by using dishwasher soap. The usual ratio is 240 mL or one cup to one gallon of water. If you want dish soap or a more natural feel, you can use vinegar as a substitute and apply it with your mop, sponge, or cloth. Chemical Guys made cleaner also be a good option as a rubber floor cleaning solution.

You can do another thing to make your cleaning solution extra fragrant. If you have some essential oils or concentrated fragrances? Add a few drops to the resolution, and it will help you get rid of the vinegar smell. Also, you can use half lime if you don’t have any.

Step 3: Time To Mop

Now grab that mop and soak it in the previously prepared cleaning solution. Now use that mop to start mopping. It is better to withdraw from the farthest corner of the room and gradually work towards the entrance, and this will allow you to leave the newly mopped floor without any footprints on the floor.

Ensure that the mop head is soft and doesn’t have many bristles. The bristles tend to damage the floorings with their brittle and hard texture.

Step 4: Drying

After you are done with your mopping, let the area dry on its own. You can turn on the fans if you want to speed things along. This causes the air circulation to increase, which results in a shorter drying period.

Water can pass through the rubber floor and cause harm to your subfloors. To protect your floor, never let the water stand on them. After thoroughly mopping the floors, you should always let the floor air-dry. You can also turn on the central AC or fans.

Step-5: Buffing Up The Floors

This step is a bit extra. You don’t necessarily have to do this every time you mop. But by doing this every once in a while, you can maintain your floorings’ new and spotless image.

You need a rubber floor conditioner. Take the conditioner on a piece of clothing, and you can polish the floor by hand. You can also use an industry-grade professional buffing machine to complete the whole process.

This significantly lessens the amount of manual labor you need to put in. But make sure the speed isn’t over 350; it risks damaging the floorings.

4 Different Types of Stains You Might Face While Mopping a Rubber Floor

Even though rubber floorings are tough and durable, sometimes they even get stained. They can be pretty scary and troublesome if you don’t know how to get them out. So here we share the essential tips on how you can take out these stains.

1. Water-Based Stains:

Sometimes you can get water-based stains on rubber floors from sweat or beverages. This type of stain is the easiest to remove, and all you need is a one-to-one ratio cleaning solution. But dish soap will also do better.

Soak your rag or sponge in concentrated cleaning formula to start the removal process.

Scrub away at the stained area and keep repeating it.

After a particular time, you will see that the stain has vanished.

2. Paint Stains:

Paint stains are trickier than water-based stains. You need a paint thinner to remove those stains. But before using paint thinner, you need to ensure ventilation in the room. Also, don’t forget to keep children and pets at a safe distance because thinners are toxic.

Using hand gloves, pour the necessary amount of paint thinner on a piece of cloth or rag.

Use a piece of fabric to rub at the paint stains. It will result in the paint being transformed into dust that will come off the floors.

When all paint comes off the floorings, you can sweep all paint flecks off the flooring.

3. Oil Stains

The removal of oil-based stains requires turpentine. It is best to note that turpentine releases a toxic fume into the air that is highly toxic to an average human. So, don’t forget to wear hand gloves. Children, pets, and people with respiratory issues should be far away.

Take approximately 15 mL of turpentine in a small cup.

Use your rag to soak some of it and dab it on the stain. If you continue dabbing, the oil stains give away bit by bit.

Once you have gotten the stain out, take the cleaning solution and dab or wipe it to remove the turpentine.

4. Urine Stains:

If there is any specific type of stain that is common yet hard to combat using conventional methods, it would be urine stains. You can’t just rinse it away with a cleaning solution, and it will inevitably leave a mark and never mind the foul odor.

The only way to overcome this hurdle is to use toothpaste. Take plenty of toothpaste and smear it all over the stained area.

Then you let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, you scrub the layer of toothpaste off.

While cleaning it off, remember to use clean and warm water, which should cover the stain.

If not, please use this technique repetitively until the stain has been thoroughly removed.

4 Mistakes You Should Avoid While Mopping a Rubber Floor

Rubber floors are sensitive due to their texture and materials. Mopping them correctly is essential for maintenance and durability. But any severe mistake during the mopping process can spoil the floor for good. Here I am going to tell you about five such deadly mistakes:

1. Using Cotton Equipment

Cotton equipment is not suitable for rubber floors. Because their lint is sticking to the bottom. As a result, the foundation will damage frequently and ruin the floor’s natural look.

2. Mopping Right After Installation

You should not start to mop the rubber floor right after installing it. Use the foundation for a few days. You can make a schedule on your calendar for the regular cleaning, which will be fruitful.

3. Mopping Too Harshly

You need to clean the rubber floor, but without damaging the surface, you need to do that. Mopping too harshly on new rubber floors leads to scratches that will stay forever. So, sweep gently with the cleaning solution. If there are stains, you know how to remove them.

4. Irregular Mopping

The texture of the rubber floor is different from other rigid floors. If you don’t mop the floor regularly, cleaning it will be impossible without leaving a scratch after a certain period. So mark your calendars and mop regularly.

5 Tips For Mopping Rubber Floors Efficiently:

After all of these step-by-step guidelines, mopping the rubber floors is bound to be more accessible. But even so, keeping the floorings in top-notch condition requires some extra precaution. Here are some tips that can help you in your quest to maintain great flooring.

Tip 1: Wait For Three Days

If you have just finished installing the rubber floorings, you better rein in your enthusiasm. You can’t wash the floor unless three days have passed after the whole installation process. It is to help the rubber tiles sit. Otherwise, the water and cleaning solutions will hinder the binding process.

Tip 2: Maintain A Schedule

Maintaining a strict cleaning schedule is very important. Mopping the floor after a fixed interval can minimize the damage it takes every day. If you want to go the extra mile, you can use a vacuum cleaner or a broom to clean the floor every day.

So when you are mopping after a while, it would significantly lessen your burden as you will have to spend less time removing the debris. It also helps maintain the temper of the floorings.

Tip 3: Use A Mild Cleaning Agent

Always use mild cleaning agents while cleaning the rubber flooring. Potent cleaning agents like bleach or acids are known to burn or melt the rubber surface down. Make sure your cleaner is pH-neutral. Never use steel wool or scouring pads for cleaning. They can be pretty abrasive.

Tip 4: Avoid Cotton

While using soft material is excellent for your floorings, you should avoid cotton equipment. Cotton cloth has long fibers in it, and it will leave lint all over the place. This makes your floor look worn and untidy. Instead, use microfiber cleaning clothes or nylon mops.

Tip 5: Treat the Floor Gently

The older your rubber flooring is, the less it is susceptible to damage. Again, your newly installed tiles are more prone to injury. So for the first year, try treating your tiles with utmost care. Using the best and most tender cleaning agents and equipment will take them along.

How Do You Clean Stains On A Rubber Floor?

To clean this type of stain on the rubber floor, you can use a mixture of one cup of white vinegar to a gallon of lukewarm water. One can use this solution with any cleaning tool to get the stain out of the rubber floor.

There are various other types of staining, and they all require different kinds of approaches. There are different types of stains, and depending on their nature, the method to get rid of them varies.

How Do You Buff Your Rubber Floor?

You can always use some buffing machines that rotate fewer than 350 times per minute. Don’t use more than 350 minutes if you want to protect the floor. To add some extra shine, use a rubber floor conditioner before using the buffing machine.

You can also use a cloth or sponge and do it by hand. Even if you use industrial-grade devices, you should probably tone down their usage frequency. Also, you should try to buff it by hand for the first year if you can, and it will be suitable for your tiles.

Can You Clean Rubber Floor with Dish Soap?

If you want to go for an inexpensive substitute for rubber floor cleaner, you can use dish soap. But keep in mind the dish soap has to be without bleach or oils. And it is because bleach is a harsh substance, and fat might leave stains.

You can be perfectly content using a mild soap detergent. It will also assist in your cleaning without causing any harm to your flooring. Clean the floor regularly, and you will have nothing to worry about.

What Is A Good Cleaning Solution For Rubber Floors?

You can easily make a good cleaning solution at home. You need to add 240 mL of dish soap or vinegar to one gallon of water. The water should be lukewarm for the best results. Then the solution can be used for cleaning.

It is beneficial if you don’t want to use anything store-bought. But if you are using something from a store, please ensure that the cleaning solution is pH neutral and has no abrasive component.

How To Get Rid Of Rust On Your Rubber Floor?

Getting rid of the rust is pretty straightforward. To get rid of rust, you have to take clean and soft cloth water-displacing spray on the cloth. You might want to rub the rust stain in a circular motion until the spots on the rubber floor disappear.

Removing rust from the rubber floor is easy, but you need to be very careful. Notice whether cleaning the rust is causing any discoloration. In that case, leave the rust as it doesn’t cause any damage to your floor.

Can You Clean Rubber Floor Algae?

You can use any regular solution from the market for rubber floor algae, or we can use an expensive one made at home. The homemade solution consists of white vinegar of one cup in a gallon of lukewarm water.

You can apply this solution with your choice of cleaning tools. The slight acidic properties of vinegar exclude hydrogen ions in the water, and it works wonders in killing off the algae.

Is Bleach Safe For Rubber Floors?

Bleach and similar potent cleaning agents cause permanent damage to the rubber tiles. Bleach causes the rubber tiles to have discoloration. If you keep using bleach, you will find that your floor has become faded within a short time.

A little use of bleach might not do much harm at first glance. But the repetition of use or using it in significant volumes might cause damage to the rubber floor. And these damages will be there for good.

Can You Remove Oil Stain From Rubber?

You can remove the oil stain from the rubber floor by using turpentine. Press turpentine with your cleaning rag to remove the oil stain from the rubber. If you keep dabbing the cloth into the floor, it will help transfer the dye into the fabric.

Turpentine is a toxic chemical. So before using it, make sure that you have taken enough safety measures. You can use hand gloves and press turpentine with your cleaning rag. In this way, it will be easier for the rag to soak in the oil molecules.

Final Words:

Mopping a rubber floor is a daunting task many times. But if you break down the task into simple steps, it will become easier. Also, knowing or learning what you are about beforehand is a huge plus point.

If you have read the article correctly, you have nothing to worry about. Be careful with the common mistakes, follow the steps correctly, and don’t forget. After doing it a couple of times, you will most certainly become a pro at this.