Okay, let's talk about cleaning the floors today. It was one of those days, you know? Looked down and thought, yep, time to tackle this mess.

Getting Started: The Vacuum First

First thing, I grabbed the vacuum cleaner. It lives in the hall closet, had to move a couple of boxes to get it out. Pulled it into the living room. Unwrapped the cord, which always seems to tangle itself no matter how carefully I put it away. Plugged it in.

I started with the big open areas. Just back and forth, making those satisfying lines on the carpet. Had to really shove the couches out of the way to get underneath them. Amazing what collects under there. Dust bunnies the size of small animals, seriously. Found a missing sock too.

Then I switched to the smaller nozzle attachment. Got into the corners, along the baseboards. You know, all those annoying spots the main head can't reach. Did the stairs next, which is always a pain, balancing the vacuum while trying not to fall down.

The dust bin was pretty full by then. Had to take it outside and empty it into the trash can. Made a bit of a cloud, always happens. Gave the filter a quick tap too.

Moving On: Steam Power

Alright, vacuuming done. Carpets looked better, but the hard floors still needed some serious attention. That's where the steam cleaner comes in.

I went to the kitchen to fill it up. Just regular tap water, nothing fancy. Screwed the cap back on tight. Plugged it in and waited. It takes a minute or two to heat up, makes some gurgling noises. Waited for the little light to turn green, signaling it's ready.

Attached a clean microfiber pad to the bottom. These things get dirty fast.

Started on the kitchen tile. Pushed the steam cleaner slowly across the floor. You can see the steam coming out, melting away the grime. It’s pretty good at getting rid of sticky spots, stuff the vacuum just ignores. Did the same for the hallway and the bathroom linoleum.

You have to move slow enough for the steam to actually work, but not so slow you soak the floor. It's kind of a balance. The pad got visibly dirty pretty quick, which is always satisfying and gross at the same time.

Once I finished all the hard floors, I unplugged the steam cleaner. Let it cool down for a bit before taking off the dirty pad. Threw that straight into the washing machine.

And that was basically it. Floors look a whole lot better. Took a chunk of my afternoon, but feels good to have it done. Now I just need to put all the furniture back properly. Job done, for now.