Remove unwanted black marks and scuffs caused by winter boots and shoes in an instant
As the season starts to change, heavy shoes and muddy boots are about to launch an assault on our flooring.
Homeowners looking for a quick, safe and effective way to remove scuff marks from wooden floors may have a surprising tool at their disposal. Perfect for playing with the dog or entertaining the kids, the humble tennis ball offers an effective solution for keeping floors clean.
The thick felt surface of a tennis ball is perfect for drawing stains from solid wood flooring, and available for as little as £1 a pop, or even less, this is an affordable way to keep your home looking spotless.
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Scuff marks, often caused by dragging shoes across the floor, can be difficult to remove with traditional cleaning methods. Mopping or using floor cleaners doesn’t always do the trick, leaving nasty black marks on otherwise immaculate flooring.
The cleaning experts at Purdy & Figg recently shared a short clip on TikTok showing how useful this little trick can be. One heavy-footed Dr Martens fan is no match for the cleaning power of a clean tennis ball.
Ensuring it’s a clean tennis ball and not one previously enjoyed by the dog, rub the ball over the scuff mark, applying pressure to ‘erase’ the unsightly stain from the floor.
Using this two-minute trick, the left-behind rubber transfers cleanly from the floor to the surface of the tennis ball. This technique should be safe for use on all kinds of hard flooring, but as always, try a test spot before you really go for it.
If you don’t fancy getting down on all fours to give it a good going over, you could cut an X in the tennis ball and stick it on the end of a broom handle.
Best known for their organic cleaning products and essential oils, Purdy & Figg also share some other useful floor cleaning tips on their blog.
On their website, they say “Lemon juice, warm water and a touch of olive oil is the perfect natural cleaning solution for cleaning wooden floors. By using a mop and a little bit of elbow grease you’ll be able to get the majority of dirt off. For the stubborn pieces, you might need to grab a sponge and clean them a little more aggressively.
“The lemon juice will work to remove dirt and grease and the oil will leave a nice shine. Alternatively, you could also use vinegar instead of the lemon juice, and then to clean the tougher dirt, add a touch of baking soda to the mixture.”
Householders dealing with laminate flooring should remember that they are not designed to be soaked in water. Instead, the experts said: “Before you consider grabbing your bucket and mop, swap it out for your trigger spray and cloth – far more suitable for this type of flooring. Due to the tough material, we love sprinkling baking soda on the floor and then scrubbing it with a vinegar cloth.”
They said: “Simply douse the cloth in white vinegar and get on those hands and knees. It’s the quickest way to cut through all the dirt and grime and lift it. Simply wipe with a clean damp cloth afterwards and you’ll have a sparkling clean floor.”