How to Scrub Floors by Hand

Scrubbing floors by hand allows you to get a deep clean that many people believe is far superior to mopping. Even though it requires getting down on your hands and knees, hand-scrubbing floors gives you the opportunity to clean hard-to-reach areas that a mop misses, as well as clean the baseboards around the floors.

Always test the cleaning solution on a small, out-of-sight area of the floor.

Step 1

Move items -- such as chairs and rugs -- off the floors. Wipe the floors with a clean, dry dust mop to remove dust, hair and other debris.

Step 2

Pour 1 gallon of lukewarm water into a plastic bucket. Add 1/4 cup of borax, and stir until it is dissolved. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar into the cleaning solution to remove odors trapped in the floors and kill fungus. Fill a second 5-gallon bucket with cool water.

Step 3

Start at the end of the floor farthest from the entrance. Submerge a sponge into the cleaning mixture, and wring out the sponge to remove the excess liquid.

Step 4

Scrub a 2- to 3-foot section of the floor in back-and-forth or circular motions while moving slowly toward the entrance. Submerge the sponge into the mixture when it becomes dry or soiled, and continue scrubbing until you have thoroughly cleaned that section of the floor.

Step 5

Submerge a clean sponge into the bucket of water, and wring out the excess. Rinse the cleaning solution residue off the section of the floor you just cleaned. Dry the floor with a towel.

Step 6

Repeat Steps 4 and 5 while moving toward the entrance until you have thoroughly cleaned, rinsed, and dried the entire floor.