Delighted that your little one is finally crawling but worried about how to keep floors clean for your crawling baby?
Here are some things you can do to maintain a clean floor and keep your crawling baby safe and healthy on it.
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How To Keep Floors Clean For Crawling Baby
Remove shoes indoors
It’s a common practice where I live to remove one’s shoes and put them in a shoe cabinet, once you’re inside a house.
That has been a huge help in maintaining a clean floor as shoes bring a lot of shit into the house, literally speaking!
If you can implement that new rule with your spouse or with everyone you live with that would be ideal.
But if everyone is not on board with it, I suggest doing the next step.
Get indoor shoes
Indoor shoes would be shoes that you can only use indoors.
You can’t use them outside no matter what, even for a quick errand or just to get something at the gate.
Those few precious minutes outside can already bring some crap indoors so having shoes or sandals or slippers solely for indoor use is helpful to have.
Clean regularly
Some parents like it extra neat and clean and would be sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping the floors, and carpets, as often as possible.
But if you’re not as OC, you don’t have the time, energy, and willpower (like me!), cleaning the floors every 3 days or so or when it’s obviously getting dirty would be enough.
Related Article: How to Clean a Messy House In One Day (In Under 6 Hours)
Invest in a good cleaning tools
The steam mop seems to be one of the popular cleaning tools, as it’s mentioned quite often in parenting online forums.
I get its appeal as it sterilizes the floor without using chemicals. How great is that!
A lot of parents also mentioned using the Swiffer, robot vacuums, etc.
Check out this list of must-have cleaning tools and materials. Some of them are highly recommended by other parents from popular online groups!
Robot Vacuum
Vacuum Cleaner
- Tineco Floor ONE S3 Cordless Hardwood Floor Cleaner
- ORFELD Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
- BISSELL CrossWave Floor and Area Rug Cleaner
Steam Mop
Floor Mop
- Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Microfiber Floor Mop
- O-Cedar Mop & Bucket Floor Cleaning System
- Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit
Mopping Cloth
Cleaning Solutions
- Force of Nature Multi-Purpose Cleaner
- Dr. Bronner’s – Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
- Aunt Fannie’s Bundle Floor Cleaners
- Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Cleaner Spray
Set robot vacuum to clean regularly
Robot vacuums are godsent as not only do they clean the house without you lifting a finger, but you can also schedule them to clean regularly!
You can schedule them to clean every night so your family can wake up to a clean, vacuumed house every morning.
MAMNV Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo
XIEBro Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo
Use natural cleaning materials
If you have the time, just use water or a homemade cleaning solution that’s safe for your baby and even your pets.
Just remember to let them dry properly and air out the room first before letting your baby crawl on the floor.
Get baby/pet-safe cleaning materials
You can also opt to just buy cleaning solutions that are certified safe for your pets and baby.
It’s so convenient to do so, leaving you more time to do other things like maybe exploring a new hobby or doing some self-care activities!
I digress.
Try out an all-natural baby-friendly floor cleaner that’s also safe for pets and can thoroughly clean appropriate surfaces.
Wash and dry your pet’s paws
If it’s possible, after every walk with your dogs or pets, do the habit of washing and drying their paws before going inside the house.
Unwashed paws can leave a lot of dirt, mud, and marks on the floor and your baby can accidentally lick and/or eat them!
Limit food to certain areas
Don’t let your family eat on your baby’s crawling areas, as your little one might randomly see some leftovers on the floor, pick it up and eat it!
So make sure to let everyone know which rooms are off limits for eating anything and I mean anything!
Put this on your baby
I’m kidding but hey, might work!
Safety Tips for Crawling Babies
Keep choking hazards away
Before putting down your baby to crawl, check if there’s anything on the floor or within their reach that they can mouth and possibly choke on.
Supervise all the time
Let your baby crawl everywhere, even on carpets, tile floors, etc., to improve their gross motor skills and for their overall development.
But take note always to keep a lookout for them. You never know what might happen if you just turn away for a minute or so.
If you need to get things done and you know you can’t keep an eye on your baby for even a few minutes, put them somewhere safer, like a playpen or even in their crib.
Use baby monitors
Give yourself more peace of mind by installing baby monitors to keep an eye on your baby, even if you’re in another room!
Just remember to put baby monitors in a safe area, so your baby won’t grab onto their wires and play with them.
Keep a basket of toys within the baby’s reach
If your baby is free to roam around the house, I suggest keeping a basket of toys in each room where they can easily see and access the toys.
This would distract them from doing stunts that could hurt them and hopefully, they’ll be less likely inclined to make a mess.
Choose age-appropriate baby toys and have 2-3 of them in small baskets.
“Corral” your baby
Sometimes it’s just downright impossible to regularly clean the floors, let alone the entire house.
Work, chores, kids, pets, being sick, social life, etc., – there are a whole lot of things to deal with so it might be best to just corral your little one and just use a playpen for crawling babies.
Those that are non-toxic, durable, spacious, and easy to clean are ideal to have.
If your baby hates playpens, maybe you can try baby-proofing their nursery room and installing a baby gate.
Then just have a baby monitor to check up on them anytime you want, even if you’re in another room.
FAQ on Cleaning The Floor for Crawling Baby
What can I use to clean my baby’s floor when crawling?
You can use homemade or store-bought baby/pet-safe cleaning solutions to ensure that it’s non-toxic and won’t harm your little ones even if they lick the floor.
How do I keep my floor clean with kids?
You can keep your floors clean with kids by, one not letting anyone use shoes inside the house.
Or at least, having separate indoor shoes or slippers that they will only use inside the house.
You can also keep the floor clean by cleaning it regularly, using baby-safe or homemade cleaning materials, or investing in a really good cleaning tool, like an iRobot or Roomba!
What can I use to clean my baby’s floor when crawling?
You can use homemade or store-bought baby/pet-safe cleaning solutions to ensure that it’s non-toxic and won’t harm your little ones even if they lick the floor.
How do I keep my floor clean with kids?
You can keep your floors clean with kids by, one not letting anyone use shoes inside the house.
Or at least, having separate indoor shoes or slippers that they will only use inside the house.
You can also keep the floor clean by cleaning it regularly, using baby-safe or homemade cleaning materials, or investing in a really good cleaning tool, like an iRobot or Roomba!
What surface should the baby crawl on?
Your baby can crawl on any surface as long as it’s free of choking hazards and is relatively clean.
Doing so can help with their gross motor skills and boost their confidence to try out new things and adapt to different environments.
Final Thoughts on How To Keep Floors Clean For Crawling Baby
Don’t feel so bad if you think you’re not doing a good job of keeping the floors clean for your crawling baby.
A few germs and bacteria won’t hurt one who’s growing normally.
There are actually some studies that show how much stuff babies inhale from floors and carpets and such.
And in doing so, it builds the heck out of their immune system, making it stronger and less susceptible to allergies and asthma.
So don’t sweat it.
Your babies will only be crawling for a very short time so don’t stress out too much about maintaining a pristine, extremely clean floor for them to crawl on.
As long as it’s free from obvious gunk, dirt, and pet waste and there are no choking hazards lying around, your baby should be okay to crawl on it!
