Which is a better substitute for a cleaning lady?

[Nona]

For ceramic floors, laminate in 1 room, no stairs:

The Bissell vacuum mop or a robot mop e.g. iRobot, Xiaomi?

(We both suck at mopping the floor and hate doing it. But ceramic floors need frequent mopping or they look awful).

Thanks!

[Metalcat]

I have a mopping robot and it's useless for actual mopping, it just kind of drags around a damp cloth. I used the mop setting once, and never again.

I run the vacuum option almost daily though and this keeps my tile and hardwood floors quite clean and they very, very rarely need mopping.

What's building up that your floors need more mopping?

[Cranky]

In our new house, where I currently am not, my dd has purchased the iRobot mop/vacuum. The main floor is hardwood and tile throughout, and it’s pretty big. There are 4 cats and a small child.

It’s... okay. It’s better than nothing. It actually does get sticky stuff off the floor.

You do have to pick up all the junk from the floor. You have to run it twice, once to sweep and once to mop. It usually has to recharge for a while in the middle of that. Two of the people and one of the cats have long hair, and there’s a fair amount of cleaning out required because of that.

It does not get in the corners, IMO. When I am living there full time I will be vacuuming and damp mopping.

The cats find it entertaining.

[Nona]

I have a mopping robot and it's useless for actual mopping, it just kind of drags around a damp cloth. I used the mop setting once, and never again.

I run the vacuum option almost daily though and this keeps my tile and hardwood floors quite clean and they very, very rarely need mopping.

What's building up that your floors need more mopping?

Grime from shoes, especially in the kitchen when the floor gets wet during food prep, dirt from the plants...if we don't mop on a regular basis, ceramic tile shows too many sins. Next house I'll choose something more forgiving.

[BikeFanatic]

I found the swifter to be the best mop very easy to use. I had a robot floor washer, Roombas, may be they were the early versions, but I found there was more work required cleaning them and mantaining them , with the swifter I just spray the floor with vinigar and water mixture from a spray bottle, wash, then I am done.

[Louisville]

Ok, I'll be the dick. You already knew on this forum someone was going to say something like this.

Two old towels and a bottle of spray cleaner (just vinegar and water is sufficient). Get the towels damp, spray the area to be cleaned, and wipe the floor. If you won't or can't get on your hands and knees, just put a towel under each foot and skate around. Takes about 2 seconds per square yard, works better than any machine, and you then just throw the towels in with the rest of the laundry. Nothing to buy or maintain, get a little exercise.

Think it over.

[Metalcat]

I have a mopping robot and it's useless for actual mopping, it just kind of drags around a damp cloth. I used the mop setting once, and never again.

I run the vacuum option almost daily though and this keeps my tile and hardwood floors quite clean and they very, very rarely need mopping.

What's building up that your floors need more mopping?

Grime from shoes, especially in the kitchen when the floor gets wet during food prep, dirt from the plants...if we don't mop on a regular basis, ceramic tile shows too many sins. Next house I'll choose something more forgiving.

Ah, gotcha.
I forget that shoes in the house is a thing in some places.

We have white ceramic tile through half our house and I think I've mopped it twice in the past year.

[Morning Glory]

Can you change into house slippers when you get home, instead of wearing your outside shoes?

I like the shark steam mop for wooden floors because it removes dust and dirt without getting them sopping wet. I wipe up kitchen spills with a rag as they occur, so I don't have to mop that often.

[Papa bear]

I haven’t worn shoes in my house since I was a dirty college kid. Gross.

But then, we mopped our kitchen ceramic floors by spraying directly on the floors from the kitchen faucet and then waking around on old dish towels. Like 3 minutes of work.  Could do the same. 


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[Dee18]

+1 on keeping "outdoor" shoes for outdoors only.  I have a pair of  shoes that I actually only wear inside so I am never tracking in dirt from the outside.  It really cuts down on the need for cleaning floors.

[GuitarStv]

Don't wear shoes in the house!  That's gross and unsanitary.


As far as hard surface floors that aren't hardwood - just get one of those sponge mop thingies.  Dunk it in the bucket of water/vinegar, then squeeze out most of the water and mop.  Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes do to a large section of floor, and should only need to be done every month or so.  (If you drop some food or spill a drink just do spot cleaning in between.)

[Cranky]

People are horrified when I say this, but I hand wash floors. It does a better job than mopping and dries faster and takes no longer.

I sit on my comfortably padded behind and just scoot myself across the floor since I have terrible knees. I was my kitchen floor weekly - it’s in the middle of the house and gets a lot of use.

[Frankies Girl]

Agree with no shoes in the house. They make nice shoe mats/racks and training your family to remove them when they come in is really easy if everyone hates cleaning the floors. I have some outdoor slip-ons near a backdoor for quick trips to the garage or backyard.

Get some rugs and position them at entry points. Shake them out outside weekly. I actually enjoy this as I slam them against a brick column in my backyard and it's kind of cathartic sometimes. ;) 

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

I have a pretty basket that lives in my kitchen (on a shelf so you can't see right inside it) that contains cut up old teeshirts/socks into squares. We grab one and wipe up any spills and use them for general cleaning. Use it, toss it into the laundry. Takes like 10 seconds.

We have off white ceramic tile in our kitchen and wood floors in the rest of the house and it looks fine. I mop maybe every week if I'm feeling bored, and I just use a regular a regular mop with a detactable cloth I can throw into the washing machine, and spray bottle filled with either bona cleaner or glass & surface cleaner (I make my own out of alcohol/ammonia). I run a robot vac (roomba) about 3-5 times a week. We have pets, some plants and I cook daily, and our floors look fine.

[Nona]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

[Metalcat]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

Again, this would be solved by not wearing dirty shoes inside.

[Cranky]

Anyway... the answer to your original question, I think, is that a robot mop is not a substitute for a cleaning lady, but unless the cleaning lady is coming in every day after dinner, your problem is inexpensively solved by:

(1) taking your shoes off in the house, and

(2) buying a swiffer and quickly damp mopping the kitchen after dinner.

[lilactree]

I have a pretty basket that lives in my kitchen (on a shelf so you can't see right inside it) that contains cut up old teeshirts/socks into squares. We grab one and wipe up any spills and use them for general cleaning. Use it, toss it into the laundry. Takes like 10 seconds.

I like this basket idea, especially the detail of being on a shelf so you can't see the inside easily. Quick question, may I ask if you have a good spot in the kitchen to toss the dirty square, or do you trek to a hamper in another room?

[Metalcat]

I have a pretty basket that lives in my kitchen (on a shelf so you can't see right inside it) that contains cut up old teeshirts/socks into squares. We grab one and wipe up any spills and use them for general cleaning. Use it, toss it into the laundry. Takes like 10 seconds.

I like this basket idea, especially the detail of being on a shelf so you can't see the inside easily. Quick question, may I ask if you have a good spot in the kitchen to toss the dirty square, or do you trek to a hamper in another room?

I keep a bucket in one of the cupboards right by the kitchen.

I use bamboo paper towels and keep them in one of the cutlery drawers. We use them as dish cloths and as paper towels.

I have my whole house engineered so that anything I'm likely to need or use is nearby. So no, I would never have it so that I need to go to another room to toss rags I use daily.

[draco44]

I have a pretty basket that lives in my kitchen (on a shelf so you can't see right inside it) that contains cut up old teeshirts/socks into squares. We grab one and wipe up any spills and use them for general cleaning. Use it, toss it into the laundry. Takes like 10 seconds.

I like this basket idea, especially the detail of being on a shelf so you can't see the inside easily. Quick question, may I ask if you have a good spot in the kitchen to toss the dirty square, or do you trek to a hamper in another room?

I do the same thing as @Frankies Girl using rags in the kitchen to wipe up spills as they happen. In my case, the layout of where I live is such that the laundry machine is less than 15 ft. from the kitchen sink, so I don't even keep the rags in the kitchen.  When a spill happens I walk over to the laundry area closet, grab one, swab the decks, and then put the rag directly in the laundry machine. I keep the hatch of the laundry machine ajar when not running to make it easier to toss rags in, and to let the rags dry out a bit until they are washed. Whatever load is laundered next will have a few rags in there, maybe 3-4 tops.

I don't know if how much of a difference it actually makes to put the rags in the laundry machine rather than the hamper, but in my head I have the idea that though I'm fine washing everything together, I don't want to add damp rags to my hamper and have them sitting directly on my clothes until I next do a load. Also, after I'm done wiping things down but before I add the rag to the laundry machine, I rinse the rag off quickly under the tap in the kitchen sink to get food particles off, and then squeeze out excess water. Works for me, but YMMV.

[TrMama]

People are horrified when I say this, but I hand wash floors. It does a better job than mopping and dries faster and takes no longer.

I sit on my comfortably padded behind and just scoot myself across the floor since I have terrible knees. I was my kitchen floor weekly - it’s in the middle of the house and gets a lot of use.

I do something very similar.

1. No shoes in the house. I vacuum frequently, but rarely have to wash.
2. When the floors finally need to be wiped I put several damp rags in a bucket. Wipe the floor with a rag till it's dirty. Toss the dirty rag in a laundry basket. Grab a clean rag and repeat till the floor is clean. At the end, toss all the rags in the wash. Not having to rinse and wring out the rags actually saves a ton of time and effort. The washing machine can take care of that part.
3. Get a commercial sized mop. The household ones are only 12" wide so it takes forever to clean a larger house. The commercial mops are 18"+ so it takes way fewer "swipes" to get the job done.

[therethere]

You make no shoes in the house sound like a no brainer. We've attempted this but it never sticks. How do you deal with multiple entrances that are used regularly? We have a front and rear door that are both used daily. And will pack things from the garage (in the back) bring through the house, to pack in the car out front. Do you honestly go in the back. Take off your shoes. Carry them to the front door (with whatever else you've got). Then put your shoes back on? Rinse and repeat? Do you have a pile of shoes both in the front and back of your house? This would drive me absolutely batty.

Seems ridic to me. Then again I rent and my floors are terrible as is so IDGAF.

For what it is worth I've had the Crosswave to fix my dirty floor problems. I thought I was unsure about it. Until it broke last month. Now my floors are gross and I'm shopping for a replacement one. I got a refurbished one from ebay 3 years ago for $100. Trying to get the same price.

[ToTheMoon]

You make no shoes in the house sound like a no brainer. We've attempted this but it never sticks. How do you deal with multiple entrances that are used regularly? We have a front and rear door that are both used daily. And will pack things from the garage (in the back) bring through the house, to pack in the car out front. Do you honestly go in the back. Take off your shoes. Carry them to the front door (with whatever else you've got). Then put your shoes back on? Rinse and repeat? Do you have a pile of shoes both in the front and back of your house? This would drive me absolutely batty.

Seems ridic to me. Then again I rent and my floors are terrible as is so IDGAF.

For what it is worth I've had the Crosswave to fix my dirty floor problems. I thought I was unsure about it. Until it broke last month. Now my floors are gross and I'm shopping for a replacement one. I got a refurbished one from ebay 3 years ago for $100. Trying to get the same price.

I live in Western Canada and in my forty years on earth I have never been in a single home where wearing your shoes inside would be considered okay. In fact, I would consider it supremely rude!

Yes, those odd occasions where we need to go through the house we pop off our shoes, carry them, and put them back on...but usually we just go around the home rather than through it. If we have lots of stuff from the garage that needs to get into the car, we move the car around back and load it there. Not rocket science, just a change in routine from what it sounds like you are doing.

There are four of us (two being boys under twelve) and one dog who lives here and frequent other animals visiting.  We sweep/vacuum a couple of times a week and mop rarely. Springtime is when our floors are the dirtiest and more mopping is required as the dog tracks in the wet. We have taught her to "wipe her paws" by doing a circle on the mat when she comes in, but it is pretty fruitless!

[Metalcat]

You make no shoes in the house sound like a no brainer. We've attempted this but it never sticks. How do you deal with multiple entrances that are used regularly? We have a front and rear door that are both used daily. And will pack things from the garage (in the back) bring through the house, to pack in the car out front. Do you honestly go in the back. Take off your shoes. Carry them to the front door (with whatever else you've got). Then put your shoes back on? Rinse and repeat? Do you have a pile of shoes both in the front and back of your house? This would drive me absolutely batty.

Seems ridic to me. Then again I rent and my floors are terrible as is so IDGAF.

For what it is worth I've had the Crosswave to fix my dirty floor problems. I thought I was unsure about it. Until it broke last month. Now my floors are gross and I'm shopping for a replacement one. I got a refurbished one from ebay 3 years ago for $100. Trying to get the same price.

I live in Western Canada and in my forty years on earth I have never been in a single home where wearing your shoes inside would be considered okay. In fact, I would consider it supremely rude!

Yes, those odd occasions where we need to go through the house we pop off our shoes, carry them, and put them back on...but usually we just go around the home rather than through it. If we have lots of stuff from the garage that needs to get into the car, we move the car around back and load it there. Not rocket science, just a change in routine from what it sounds like you are doing.

There are four of us (two being boys under twelve) and one dog who lives here and frequent other animals visiting.  We sweep/vacuum a couple of times a week and mop rarely. Springtime is when our floors are the dirtiest and more mopping is required as the dog tracks in the wet. We have taught her to "wipe her paws" by doing a circle on the mat when she comes in, but it is pretty fruitless!

Not wearing shoes in the house is pretty common in most places in the world, that's why it's such a huge joke internationally that Americans wear their shoes in the house.

I actually wear shoes in the house all the time, but I have clean indoor shoes for that. Lol.

OP: as for piles of shoes at the door, well, where do you keep your shoes when you aren't wearing them? What do you do with your shoes when they're wet, or snowy, or muddy?

In Canada, it would be insane to wear winter boots around the house, so it's just automatic that most of the year we take them off at the door.

I keep slippers at the door for guests, a habit I picked up from my Japanese friends.

[GuitarStv]

Wearing shoes in the house is exactly like pooping and then not washing your hands.  Sure, it's possible that your hands are still clean after careful wiping . . . but . . . eww.

So, when you're saying you've attempted to enforce washing hands after pooping but having trouble making it stick . . . it just doesn't make sense to me.  If you want it to happen, it'll stick.  If you don't care, it won't.

[Papa bear]

You make no shoes in the house sound like a no brainer. We've attempted this but it never sticks. How do you deal with multiple entrances that are used regularly? We have a front and rear door that are both used daily. And will pack things from the garage (in the back) bring through the house, to pack in the car out front. Do you honestly go in the back. Take off your shoes. Carry them to the front door (with whatever else you've got). Then put your shoes back on? Rinse and repeat? Do you have a pile of shoes both in the front and back of your house? This would drive me absolutely batty.

Seems ridic to me. Then again I rent and my floors are terrible as is so IDGAF.

For what it is worth I've had the Crosswave to fix my dirty floor problems. I thought I was unsure about it. Until it broke last month. Now my floors are gross and I'm shopping for a replacement one. I got a refurbished one from ebay 3 years ago for $100. Trying to get the same price.

Just walk through with your shoes on for 2 minutes.  Shouldn’t be every day, all the time.  I’m in the middle of a construction project. I walk with my shoes in between the doors where I have my equipment set up.  But omg I put down a towel. Lord almighty that’s hard. 

When I’m done, wipe up that floor. It effects like 15 sf of space.  Don’t wear your shoes the rest of the place. 

And if I have a house party and everyone wears shoes? I know I’m going to have to mop.  But this isn’t an every weekend type thing. 


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[TrMama]

If you're carrying something from the garage in the back to the car in the front either go around the outside of the house, so you don't track dirt through the inside, or pull the car around to the back to load there.

I'm also Canadian and am horrified at the idea of shoes in the house. Even my kid's 800 student school makes all kids bring an extra set of indoor runner to keep at school. The kids have to change shoes every time they go in/out for recess. If they wore their wet boots inside all day the school would turn into a swamp. I've even been to dentists that had a similar set up. Leave your wet boots on the tray at the door. You walked to the exam room in your socks.

If the people you live with won't take their shoes off then your job of cleaning the floor becomes easy. Just make the shoe people wash it. They'll get the idea real quick. Not only does wearing shoes in the house make the floors dirty, it also wears them out a lot faster. All the dirt acts like sandpaper.

[Cranky]

We have a chair by the door and a shoe rack, so it’s not too complicated. I do keep a pair of slip one by the front door in case I need to step outside but we don’t usually go in and out that door. I taught at a school that required indoor shoes. It’s just a habit you can learn.

[Metalcat]

If you're carrying something from the garage in the back to the car in the front either go around the outside of the house, so you don't track dirt through the inside, or pull the car around to the back to load there.

I'm also Canadian and am horrified at the idea of shoes in the house. Even my kid's 800 student school makes all kids bring an extra set of indoor runner to keep at school. The kids have to change shoes every time they go in/out for recess. If they wore their wet boots inside all day the school would turn into a swamp. I've even been to dentists that had a similar set up. Leave your wet boots on the tray at the door. You walked to the exam room in your socks.

If the people you live with won't take their shoes off then your job of cleaning the floor becomes easy. Just make the shoe people wash it. They'll get the idea real quick. Not only does wearing shoes in the house make the floors dirty, it also wears them out a lot faster. All the dirt acts like sandpaper.

Okay, now I'm curious. Are indoor shoes in schools not a thing everywhere???

OP, I'm sorry if you are truly committed to wearing shoes in your house and the rest of us have just kind of rendered your thread useless for you.

I really, really encourage you to at least try not wearing indoor shoes in your kitchen at least. It would drive me absolutely batty to have to mop my kitchen floor every time it gets a little wet while we're in there.

I honestly never mop my kitchen floor, and I'm a total neat freak. Water spills on my white tile floor too, obviously, but it just evaporates and never leaves any marks.

I run the robot vacuum almost daily too, so there's no dirt or dust buildup for the water to blend with, which really helps.

I have the same tile at my front hallway, where we do walk with outside shoes, and it is always visibly much dirtier than the kitchen with the same tile. I do Swiffer mop that small section about once a week.

It's unreal what a difference there is. Outdoor shoes are filthy.

[Cranky]

Not only are there places where it is not customary to change your outdoor/indoor shoes, there are people who are deeply offended by the idea that one should do that.

[draco44]

Sorry OP!

Okay, I'm invested: tell me more of this indoor/outdoor shoe rule concept specifically for schools. I've attended schools on three continents and somehow have never heard of this this idea! Private homes and religious sites, sure, that's common in my experience, but schools? Mind blown! Is this only for small children, or do certain universities have this policy too? If it's a school with uniforms, does everyone have to have both the same indoor and outdoor shoes? So many questions...

The closest thing I've encountered is in areas with winter, you'd have a locker and wear snow boots to school, then many kids would put them at the bottom of the locker and change into non-waterproof "indoor" shoes there. But that was just a choice; no one was making students do it. But in warm weather? Same shoes everywhere. Also, you'd be expected to have movement-appropriate shoes for gym class. So if you wore sandals or whatever to school that day, It'd be on you to change for that one class.

[Metalcat]

Not only are there places where it is not customary to change your outdoor/indoor shoes, there are people who are deeply offended by the idea that one should do that.

Other than the US? Do tell. I'm curious. I've only ever heard wearing shoes indoors referred to as an American thing.

[Metalcat]

Sorry OP!

Okay, I'm invested: tell me more of this indoor/outdoor shoe rule concept specifically for schools. I've attended schools on three continents and somehow have never heard of this this idea! Private homes and religious sites, sure, that's common in my experience, but schools? Mind blown! Is this only for small children, or do certain universities have this policy too? If it's a school with uniforms, does everyone have to have both the same indoor and outdoor shoes? So many questions...

The closest thing I've encountered is in areas with winter, you'd have a locker and wear snow boots to school, then many kids would put them at the bottom of the locker and change into non-waterproof "indoor" shoes there. But that was just a choice; no one was making students do it. But in warm weather? Same shoes everywhere. Also, you'd be expected to have movement-appropriate shoes for gym class. So if you wore sandals or whatever to school that day, It'd be on you to change for that one class.

Just primary schools where I live. All children at primary schools I'm familiar with here have indoor and outdoor shoes that are typically kept in cubby holes. They change their shoes to go out for recess. Middle and highschool students don't have these rules.

However, in the winter, most students at highschool and university will change their shoes and leave their boots in their locker.

Growing up, my mom always bought my indoor shoes large so that they could transition to being my outdoor shoes the next year. Since I was just wearing them in class, it was okay that they were a bit big.

[Christof]

Not only are there places where it is not customary to change your outdoor/indoor shoes, there are people who are deeply offended by the idea that one should do that.

Other than the US? Do tell. I'm curious. I've only ever heard wearing shoes indoors referred to as an American thing.

Germany is similar... It depends on the weather and age, tough. Old people here find it rude to be forced to take off shoes when it is not snowing or raining outside. Walking without shoes is inappropriate to them, and walking with indoor shoes is something you can do at home, but not if you are a guest. It would indicate you treat your hosts home as your own one. In my family it seems to separate at about 1940... anyone born before that keeps shoes on, anyone after at least considers taking shoes off an option,.

[draco44]

Sorry OP!

Okay, I'm invested: tell me more of this indoor/outdoor shoe rule concept specifically for schools. I've attended schools on three continents and somehow have never heard of this this idea! Private homes and religious sites, sure, that's common in my experience, but schools? Mind blown! Is this only for small children, or do certain universities have this policy too? If it's a school with uniforms, does everyone have to have both the same indoor and outdoor shoes? So many questions...

The closest thing I've encountered is in areas with winter, you'd have a locker and wear snow boots to school, then many kids would put them at the bottom of the locker and change into non-waterproof "indoor" shoes there. But that was just a choice; no one was making students do it. But in warm weather? Same shoes everywhere. Also, you'd be expected to have movement-appropriate shoes for gym class. So if you wore sandals or whatever to school that day, It'd be on you to change for that one class.

Just primary schools where I live. All children at primary schools I'm familiar with here have indoor and outdoor shoes that are typically kept in cubby holes. They change their shoes to go out for recess. Middle and highschool students don't have these rules.

However, in the winter, most students at highschool and university will change their shoes and leave their boots in their locker.

Growing up, my mom always bought my indoor shoes large so that they could transition to being my outdoor shoes the next year. Since I was just wearing them in class, it was okay that they were a bit big.

Interesting - thanks! The world's a big place. Thinking on this further, it's possible I've forgotten shoe rules that were in place for early primary school. But if they were there I suspect the relevant variable was moisture (i.e. "Are your boots/shoes wet? Then change.") rather than a firm indoor/outdoor divide. I only every remember changing out of rain or snow boots that were already damp from getting to school.

[deborah]

Of the eight schools I attended, only one had indoor and outdoor shoes. Most people don't either.

[Cranky]

Montessori schools typically have indoor/outdoor shoes because kids do a lot of floor work. My school required shoe changing through middle school. I admit that I was lax about enforcing this in nice weather because we did go outside a lot, but in the winter we all changed into slippers when we got to school.

A friend told me that in her part of Canada they expect people to change their shoes when they go to the doctors office. I can see that tracking in snow and gunk would get pretty gross.

[Metalcat]

Montessori schools typically have indoor/outdoor shoes because kids do a lot of floor work. My school required shoe changing through middle school. I admit that I was lax about enforcing this in nice weather because we did go outside a lot, but in the winter we all changed into slippers when we got to school.

A friend told me that in her part of Canada they expect people to change their shoes when they go to the doctors office. I can see that tracking in snow and gunk would get pretty gross.

Most clinics only expect shoes off in winter, but some expect it year round.

[catccc]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

Again, this would be solved by not wearing dirty shoes inside.

Another vote for instituting a no shoes in the house rule.  The biomechanist knowledge in me also says it is better for you, anyway, to be barefoot.  Also, maybe just try not to make such a mess when you are cooking?  I'm a clean-as-you-go cooker and it works well.

Another thought, maybe some thoughtfully placed washable rugs or runners?  They would probably contain some of the dirt/spills if it is completely out of the question to remove your shoes and you absolutely cannot stand being more careful in the kitchen.  Then you could just throw them in the wash once or twice a week.

[Metalcat]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

Again, this would be solved by not wearing dirty shoes inside.

Another vote for instituting a no shoes in the house rule.  The biomechanist knowledge in me also says it is better for you, anyway, to be barefoot.  Also, maybe just try not to make such a mess when you are cooking?  I'm a clean-as-you-go cooker and it works well.

Another thought, maybe some thoughtfully placed washable rugs or runners?  They would probably contain some of the dirt/spills if it is completely out of the question to remove your shoes and you absolutely cannot stand being more careful in the kitchen.  Then you could just throw them in the wash once or twice a week.

It doesn't sound like much of a mess is being made while OP is cooking, it sounds like water is getting on the floor and then the grime from outdoor shoes is dissolving into that water and leaving smears on the floor when it evaporates.

It's pretty hard to avoid getting water on the floor when cooking, and I know that I would go insane trying to wipe it up every time it happens.

That said, I do wear shoes in my kitchen when I'm cooking because my knees can't do barefoot, but I have a set of indoor shoes that I wear.

[GuitarStv]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

Again, this would be solved by not wearing dirty shoes inside.

Another vote for instituting a no shoes in the house rule.  The biomechanist knowledge in me also says it is better for you, anyway, to be barefoot.  Also, maybe just try not to make such a mess when you are cooking?  I'm a clean-as-you-go cooker and it works well.

Another thought, maybe some thoughtfully placed washable rugs or runners?  They would probably contain some of the dirt/spills if it is completely out of the question to remove your shoes and you absolutely cannot stand being more careful in the kitchen.  Then you could just throw them in the wash once or twice a week.

It doesn't sound like much of a mess is being made while OP is cooking, it sounds like water is getting on the floor and then the grime from outdoor shoes is dissolving into that water and leaving smears on the floor when it evaporates.

It's pretty hard to avoid getting water on the floor when cooking, and I know that I would go insane trying to wipe it up every time it happens.

That said, I do wear shoes in my kitchen when I'm cooking because my knees can't do barefoot, but I have a set of indoor shoes that I wear.

We got some thick anti-fatigue mats for our kitchen in front of the most used areas, and they really do work well for reducing knee pain while standing for long periods.

[catccc]

Another vote for instituting a no shoes in the house rule.  The biomechanist knowledge in me also says it is better for you, anyway, to be barefoot.  Also, maybe just try not to make such a mess when you are cooking?  I'm a clean-as-you-go cooker and it works well.

Another thought, maybe some thoughtfully placed washable rugs or runners?  They would probably contain some of the dirt/spills if it is completely out of the question to remove your shoes and you absolutely cannot stand being more careful in the kitchen.  Then you could just throw them in the wash once or twice a week.

It doesn't sound like much of a mess is being made while OP is cooking, it sounds like water is getting on the floor and then the grime from outdoor shoes is dissolving into that water and leaving smears on the floor when it evaporates.

It's pretty hard to avoid getting water on the floor when cooking, and I know that I would go insane trying to wipe it up every time it happens.

That said, I do wear shoes in my kitchen when I'm cooking because my knees can't do barefoot, but I have a set of indoor shoes that I wear.

I truly don't understand how you guys are cooking to end up with so much water on the floor.  Maybe it is the sink placement in the kitchen?  I will admit one of my pet peeves is stepping on wet spots on the floor, so maybe I'm just more careful than most.

Anyway, a washable runner or rug placed near the sink still seems like it would be a good solution!

[Metalcat]

And I don't understand how your floors are getting soaked/filthy and no one... wipes up the spills? If anyone is splashing/dripping junk on the floor, what is stopping them from grabbing a cloth and wiping that up before it's tracked all over the kitchen as soon as it happens? Clean as it happens, and you'll have less mess overall and less time spent cleaning since it won't be sticky/built up.

They're not getting soaked or filthy. We get water splashes from the sink onto the floor when several people are working in the kitchen at once, and people step in them and it makes for dark splotches. Not worth spot-cleaning when you're up to your elbows in food prep. But afterwards it needs a good thorough clean.

Again, this would be solved by not wearing dirty shoes inside.

Another vote for instituting a no shoes in the house rule.  The biomechanist knowledge in me also says it is better for you, anyway, to be barefoot.  Also, maybe just try not to make such a mess when you are cooking?  I'm a clean-as-you-go cooker and it works well.

Another thought, maybe some thoughtfully placed washable rugs or runners?  They would probably contain some of the dirt/spills if it is completely out of the question to remove your shoes and you absolutely cannot stand being more careful in the kitchen.  Then you could just throw them in the wash once or twice a week.

It doesn't sound like much of a mess is being made while OP is cooking, it sounds like water is getting on the floor and then the grime from outdoor shoes is dissolving into that water and leaving smears on the floor when it evaporates.

It's pretty hard to avoid getting water on the floor when cooking, and I know that I would go insane trying to wipe it up every time it happens.

That said, I do wear shoes in my kitchen when I'm cooking because my knees can't do barefoot, but I have a set of indoor shoes that I wear.

We got some thick anti-fatigue mats for our kitchen in front of the most used areas, and they really do work well for reducing knee pain while standing for long periods.

Yes, I use those too, but still wouldn't be able to stand on them barefoot for more than a few minutes. I have complex joint issues though.