Are You Mopping Your Floors Right?: How to Properly Mop Your Floors

Most of us believe we already know how to mop a floor. Then again, most of us are frustrated when our freshly mopped floors still look dirty.

The truth is, most people know the basics of mopping, but they make a couple of key mistakes. This is why floors still look dirty even after a thorough mopping.

So let’s grab a new mop and go over the right way to mop your floor for a spotless finish. 

Choose the Right Cleaning Solution

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose the best mop for your floor:

Ceramic tile: Combine hot water and a splash of white vinegar for a natural and non-toxic cleanser.

Stone tile: Never use bleach or ammonia on stone floors as they can ruin the seal. Instead, find a pH-neutral cleaner to clean your surface without negative effects.

Linoleum: It is best to keep it simple with linoleum floors. Add a tablespoon of dish soap to hot water to provide a solid cleaning.

Hardwood: Make sure there are no acidic additives to whichever cleaner you use. Even small amounts can damage the wood. Only use a mild soap or pH-neutral solution if your floors have a polyurethane seal. If your floors have a wax finish, be vigilant about making sure water does not get on the floor. Gently wipe the floor with a damp, almost dry mop about once a week.

Laminate: Here’s another surface that needs to be as dry as possible. Damp mopping is best and always avoid commercial cleaners that contain polish.

Vinyl: Many people are turning to apple cider vinegar and water to clean their vinyl floors. The acidity of the vinegar helps lift and remove the dirt without leaving behind residue.

Choosing the wrong cleaning solution is the biggest reason why floors can still look terrible even after they have been mopped.

No matter what solution you choose, use it sparingly. More cleaning solution doesn’t make your floor cleaner, it just leaves more sticky residue.

If you’re short on time, consider hiring a professional house cleaner. One of the many advantages of hiring house cleaners is they already have the best cleaning solutions for your home.

Choose the Right Mop

Most floors can use the classic string or rag mop. Hardwood and laminate floors may require a sponge mop. In all cases, wring out your mop as much as you can before mopping.

Prep the Floor

Before you mop, sweep or vacuum your floor so your mop never touches loose dirt. It’s also a good idea to do a quick pass on your floor with a Swiffer-type mop just to clean up any fine dust still on the floor. Preclean any sticky or grimy spots before you mop.

Fill Up Two Buckets

Another classic mistake people often make is to use only one mop bucket. Each time you wring the mop, more dirt gets mixed in with your cleaning solution and eventually makes it back onto the floor.

It’s better to use one bucket for your cleaning solution and the other for rinsing. Dip the dirty mop into the rinse bucket. Wring it out well before placing it back into your cleaning bucket.

When the rinse water gets too dirty, dump it in the toilet and replace it with clean water. Don’t dump the dirty water, with germs and bacteria, in the kitchen sink where you rinse produce and chicken for meals.

Dip and Wring

Dip your mop into the bucket and wring out extensively. The mop should be damp for the best application. Soaking wet mops can damage your floor over time

After cleaning a small area, rinse the mop in your clean hot water bucket. Make sure all dirt is off the mop before placing back into the cleaning bucket.

Mop in the Proper Direction

Mop from one end of the room backward to avoid stepping where you just mopped. If you are using a sponge mop, clean in straight lines. If it’s a hardwood floor, mop in the direction of the grain.

If you have a string mop or rag mop, clean in a figure eight pattern to take advantage of the mop design.

If you have stubborn spots that won’t come out, or hard to reach corners and edges, you will need to scrub them by hand with a cloth or sponge.

How to Mop a Floor: The Bottom Line

Now you know how to mop a floor. Remember, damp mopping is still the best way to make your floor look spotless. Use Swiffer-style mops for daily floor upkeep, but deep clean your floors once a week with the best mops and cleaning solutions for your surface.

If you found this article helpful, please check out more of our house cleaning content on our blog.