How Often Should You Mop Your Floors And What's The Right Way To Do It?

March 29, 2019

Don't we all want a clean floor? But sometimes, having a clean home overall may mean you have to do chores that you'll probably rather not.

Cleaning expert, Don Aslett who heads a company that cleans millions of square feet every night has shared some of his best tips and ideas to maintain a clean floor.

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Use the right mop

Most people prefer to use the popular string mop for cleaning, but Aslett discovered the magic of the microfiber mop. This has a reusable microfiber pad instead of strings and cleans really well. He tells TODAY:

I haven’t found anything that cleans better than a microfiber pad mop.

He adds that this type of mop cleans floors faster and more easily. If you will like it, be sure to pick the right mop for your type of floor. Aslett explains that the short loop microfiber cleans hardwoods and laminates more easily but if you have tile floors, longer fibres are your best bet.

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Using the right cleaning solution

If you'll rather go for the old tried and true string mops, just use mix some dish detergent in a bucket of water. This will help you get all the grease and grime off very easily. However, using too much may cause your floors to look dull, so be careful.

If you are using the microfiber mop, you only need a little amount of cleaning solution and some water, thereby, saving yourself a few bucks.

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How often should you mop?

The rule of thumb here is to mop whenever your floor looks dirty. If you have a smaller home with not a lot of foot traffic, you can mop once in two weeks. However, if you have kids and pets, once a week or even more frequently depending on how dirty it gets. To keep your home from being constantly dirty, doormats can be placed at entry doors, Aslett suggests.

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Scrubbing tips - String mop

First, ensure the floor is well swept or vacuumed.
For string mop, wipe once but if your floor is very soiled, then twice will do the trick.
Your first time around, wet the entire floor to loosen dirt. Mop edges first before moving to the middle with overlapping figure-eight strokes.
When one side gets dirty, turn the mop so you're using the clean side. Then wash off the dirt in the bucket when both sides are dirty.
Use clean water to rinse your mopped floor and change the cleaning water when it gets dirty.

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Microfiber pad mop

Wet the pad and squeeze out the water. Attach to the mop head.
Spray a small section of the floor with your cleaning solution and mop that area.
When you notice traces of dirt, rinse out your mop.
Mop in an overlapping pattern back and forth until you're done.

These tips should come in very handy the next time you're cleaning your home.

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This material is provided for informational purposes only. Some of the products and items discussed in this article may cause an allergic reaction and damage your health. Before use, consult a certified technician/specialist. The editorial board is not responsible for any harm or other consequences that may be caused by the use of the methods, products or items described in this article.