How to Clean Floors with a Mop Correctly?

Every home is adorable irrespective of the type of floor it wears. The floor makes your house attractive and presentable.

There are different types of flooring; some have tiles, marble, laminated floor, vinyl floors, and wood floor, among others. Whichever one you have, it requires maintenance. In this article, you will be reading about:

• How to mop floors without streaks effectively?
• How to clean sticky and oily floors?
• How to use a mop to clean in the right way?
• How to dry your floor quickly after mopping?
• Why are your floors still dirty after mopping?
• How to make cleaners at home, and where can I apply?

 

How to Mop Floors Without Streaks Effectively?

Every floor is unique in its way and has a particular method of maintenance. Also, your floor type determines the type of tools and materials for cleaning. Let’s consider the types of floors and the maintenance guide.

• Wood Floor

Wood floors increase the value of your property when it is up for sale. Buyers see it as more beautiful compared to other types of floors. Hardwood gives an indispensable elegant look to your floor. It helps to keep heat and easy to walk on in the cold season.

Preventive Tips For Maintaining Hard Floors

Put doormats at every entrance of the house. It will dry and clean shoes before entering the house.

Put protective pads at the bottom of your furniture to prevent scratches on your floor. Do not use metal pads.

How To Clean Wood Floor?

A wood floor can be sealed or unsealed. We will discuss the maintenance of the two.

For hardwood floors, it is best to dry-clean with a microfiber dust mop, brush, and vacuum regularly, often mop the floor with a mop or cloth. The best cleaner for a hardwood floor is vinegar. With vinegar cleaner, you don’t have to rinse the floor after mopping. During wet cleaning, avoid excess water; it can damage the finishing of your floor.

The sealed wood floor may not require using vinegar; water is enough to get it clean. It is best to damp an unsealed floor, dry with a clean cloth, or dry a microfiber cloth immediately.

• Tile Floor

For the tiled floor, it is essential to dry-clean or vacuum it daily. It will help to remove debris, dirt, and dust. When you have less strain on your tiles, it is best to mop with warm water. Vinegar is also an ideal mixture for cleaning your tiles.

You can use a microfiber mop or steam mop on your tiles. Avoid a sponge mop, since it leaves extra dirty water on the grout. Also, scrub with a stiff nylon brush; always dry with a clean cloth after mopping to avoid water spots.

• Marble Floor

Cleaning a marble floor requires a well-diluted mixture and PH-neutral products. Any PH-neutral cleaner is appropriate for marble floors. Do not attempt to scrub your marble floor. A steam cleaner will sanitize, disinfect, and clean your marble floor.

• Laminated Floor

The laminated floor needs damp mopping to remove spills. It is dangerous to use a dust mop on your laminated floor.

It will cause swelling and get damaged beyond repair. It is essential to dust and sweep the floor often. Clean the floor with only recommended cleaners for the laminated floor. Do not wet-mop or wash with water, soap, or any liquid cleanser. It can cause warping, delamination, and joint-line separation.

Avoid the use of the polishing machine, abrasive cleaners, steel wool, or chlorinated cleaners. Use only a microfiber mop or cloth mop to clean; do not use a steam mop. Also, do away with homemade cleaners.

• Vinyl Floor

To keep your floor shiny, you need to dry-clean daily. It will help remove dirt, dust, and debris; this should come before wet cleaning to deter the mop from spreading dirt.

You can mop with either cold or warm water, but do not steam. Avoid stiff bristles, detergents, chemicals, and harsh cleaners. They can damage your floor.

 

How To Clean Sticky and Oily Floors with a Mop?

Several factors can be responsible for a sticky or oily floor. Let’s consider a few.

1. Cleaning the floor with dirty water.
2. Cleaning with the excess cleaning mixture.
3. Not rinsing the floor after mopping.

How to clean sticky and oily floors?

A steam mop is good for removing residue from the floor. With a steam mop, you don’t have to rinse again.  A steam mop is best for several floors except for floors that are sealed. It will be best to contact the manufacturer of each floor to know the appropriate cleaner to use. Microfiber mop is also a good cleaner.

Items needed to clean.

Cleaning process

1. For a very sticky floor, use a bucket of hot water.
2. Add appropriate floor cleaner.
3. Dip the mop into the solution.
4. Mop the floor and clean the mop at intervals.
5. Please dispose of the dirty water and replace it.
6. Rinse the mopped floor.
7. If the stickiness remains, add half a cup of household ammonia to warm or hot water and clean again.
8. Dispose of the water and rinse again.
9. Take another bucket of water and add white vinegar; use it to rinse the floor.
10. Dry the floor with a towel or let it air-dry.

 

How to Use a Steam Mop and Spin Mop to Clean in the Right Way?

We have different types of a mop; each comes with specific instructions of use and the type of floors that can be used to clean. You only get the desired result when you follow the attached instructions.

Let’s consider steam mop and spin mop with a bucket for cleaning.

It is a convenient cleaning tool, the way you use it determines the result you get from it. Steam mop helps to save time. It is used by heating water directly from the mop reservoir; it sends steam to the mop head; a steam mop is not ideal for all floors. It is only best for :

• Ceramic or porcelain tile
• Sealed hardwood floor
• Concrete floor
• Water-resistant laminated floor.

How to clean with the steam mop?

Sweep and vacuum the floor first to get rid of debris, dirt, and dust. Get the pads ready. It will help you replace them as required. Check the floor to know if it is sealed. It would be best to use a steam mop not be used on an unsealed floor to avoid damages.

Steam clean your floor. Always replace the mop pad when soiled.

Clean the pads. You can do that with your washing machine.

You’ll need a bucket of soapy water, one with plain cold water, and either an old rag or some paper towels.

Fill the steam mop reservoir halfway up with tap water before you start cleaning to get it going.

Most importantly- make sure that your surface is not too wet when mopping!

How does spin mop work?

The spin mop works with the patented Spin-Scrub Brush System that scrubs and sanitizes your floor. The spin mop has a spinning ring around the handle.

You can put it in water, add a little bit of detergent and then twist the handle to make it spin.

It will quickly soak up any water you spill on your floors! The spin mop is suitable for all floors that can tolerate water.

 

How To Dry Your Floor Quickly After Mopping?

Cleaning your floor might be easy, but you could be worrisome as to get it dried up.

When you allow excess water on your floor, it could get stained again with water spots or damage your floor.

In some instances, you can allow it to air-dry.

Otherwise, put on your fan or air conditioner to speed up the drying process.

Also, you can use a clean cloth, towel, or dry mop to clean the moisture from your floor after mopping.

 

Why Are Your Floors Still Dirty After Mopping?

It is possible to still have a dirty floor after mopping. It can happen when you:

1. Mop without seeking debris and dust from the floor.
2. Cleaning with contaminated water.
3. Not rinsing your floor after mopping.
4. Not drying your floor after mopping; leaves the floor with spots of water.
5. How to fix it?
6. Allow the floor to dry first and sweep or vacuum again.
7. Make sure you clean your mop after every use.
8. Use adequate and recommend cleaning solutions.
9. Change your mopping water when it is dirty.
10. Change your mop head or towels as the need arises.
11. Dry the floor immediately after mopping.

 

How To Make Cleaners At Home And Where Can I Apply?

You can use lots of items in your store to prepare a homemade cleaner. You can mix things such as baking soda, vinegar, lemon, rubbing alcohol, essential oil, table salt, borax powder, ammonia, chlorine bleach, and water to make homemade cleaners.

The mixture depends on your type of floor. Generally, baking soda with vinegar is an effective homemade mixture for multipurpose.

• Safety tips

Do not mix chlorine bleach with an ammonia-based cleaner or any product containing bleach like powdered dishwasher detergent. Always read the instructions on the material before mixing any product.

• How to mix?

Choose your oil, add vinegar and water; shake well and add essential oil to it. Pour in a bottle and shake again; then store and keep away from children and pets.

• Where to apply the mixture?

Tough stains, mineral build-up, disinfect surfaces, clean mirrors, and eliminate odors.

 

FAQ

Can I Use Bleach For Cleaning Floors?

You can use bleach on floors with ceramic tile, linoleum, and vinyl floor. Do not use bleach for marble and any porous surfaces. Also, when using bleach, make sure it is well diluted.

Shall I Rinse My Floor After Mopping?

Yes! Some floors need to be rinsed to clean off detergents or other cleaning solutions used for mopping. When you use a steam mop and vinegar, you may not have to rinse the floor again.

What To Use To Mop Floors?

The materials you need to mop your floor will depend on your type of floor. Generally, it would be best if you had your mop, cleaning solution, pads, or clean cloth and water.

How Often Should You Mop?

Mopping is not a daily affair. You can mop weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your type of floor. It could even be monthly.

How To Use Mop?

You must always clean your mop after each use in preparation for the subsequent use. Change mopping water when dirty. Also, alternate pads as the need arise. For spin mop, make sure you wring well with the bucket pedal before removing it.