When you’re selling your home, you want it to look
its best to buyers. Unfortunately, buyers are likely to
notice any cracks or stains on your floor.
Luckily, there are many do-it-yourself solutions to
help make your floors look significantly better.
Let’s start with stains.
If you have carpeting, there are a number of spot
cleaning products on the market. But before you
try one of those, consider this simple remedy.
Sprinkle a little baking soda on the stain and then
add just enough drops of white vinegar to make it
bubble. Wait two minutes. Then, dab carefully with
a paper towel and vacuum the residual. This
method often works.
For hard floors, gentle rubbing with warm water
will take care of most stains. If you have
hardwood floors, don’t let the area remain wet.
Dry it completely.
Ceramic tile floors often have old, discoloured
grout that is an eyesore. Of course, there are
products available to clean grout. But try using an
old toothbrush and water before investing in those
products. Scrub the grout gently. Then mop the
entire area.
If you have minor damage to a section of hardwood
floor or floor tiles — for example, a chip or crack —
the best solution is replacement. Unfortunately, this
isn’t a DIY-friendly job, so unless you’ve done it
successfully before, consider hiring a contractor.
If the crack is minor and you don’t want to replace
the piece, there are sealing products available,
which will camouflage the crack — to some extent
— and prevent it from getting worse.
If you have a flooring crack or stain you’re
concerned about, try these tips. Also, check
out your local home improvement centre for
more ideas.