In a bit of a mopping slump? Can’t seem to find the motivation to clean your floors? Believe it or not, this is a common feeling that is often caused by a lack of proper mopping etiquette.
The less you know about mopping, the dirtier your floors will seem. The dirtier they are, the more frustrated and unmotivated you become. If this situation sounds a lot like yours, don’t feel bad.
It’s not like mopping 101 was taught in school.
Looking for an easy way to get up-to-date on all the best mopping tips and tricks? Just keep reading to learn all the best mopping advice out there.
Preparing Your Floors
Before you start mopping a floor, there are a few things you need to do. You may already do one of these things, but you cannot get the best mop possible without doing them all. Preparation seems like such a tedious part of any routine when it comes to cleaning a home, but the results are so much better.
Clear the Space
The first thing you should do before you mop is make sure the space you want to clean is clear. You can do this by going through and picking up any clothes, toys, trash, shoes, or any other objects. This will speed up the mopping process, allow you to get a deeper clean, and make mopping easier overall.
The next thing you should target is furniture. If you’re mopping a room that has coffee tables or chairs you’d like to clean under, find a place out of the way to put them. Just remember to give your floor ample time to dry before you place the furniture back.
Sweep
Believe it or not, the key to mopping is sweeping. Removing the loose dust and dirt from your floors will make your mop water much cleaner. Nobody wants to clean their floor with dirty water.
To get the best sweep, make sure you match your broom to your flooring type. For example, if you need to sweep under cabinets, couches, or other furniture get an angled broom. The angled shape will allow you to slip the broom under objects with ease.
The better the broom, the better the sweep. The better the sweep, the better the mop. The better the mop, the cleaner the floor.
Do you see the pattern yet?
Find the Mop That Fits Your Floor
Believe it or not, there are many different types of mops, each designed for a different flooring type. To get the most out of your mop, you will need to find the best one for your floors. If you have different types of flooring throughout your house, you may need to purchase more than one mop.
For example, if you have wooden floors in your living room that collect more dust than the tile in your kitchen, you need a dust mop. This particular mop can be used on basically any dusty surface including walls, ceilings, or floors, and will remove the layer of dust better than most mops.
After You Mop
After you finish mopping a floor, you aren’t quite done yet. You still have a couple of things to do before you can sit back and enjoy your shiny floor. After what feels like forever of mopping, the last thing you want to do is more work, but getting the finishing touches out of the way early will give your floor a whole new look and keep it cleaner longer.
Dry Your Floors
One of the best mopping tips you will ever receive is to let your floors dry properly. This is because the way your floors dry will dictate how clean your floors appear. If they dry poorly, you will have streaks and other marks littering your newly mopped floors making them look dirtier than ever.
If you plan on letting your floors air dry, you mustn’t walk on them until it is completely dry. When you walk on wet floors, you are making it dirty with the dirt on your shoes or feet. It will also dry with more streaks and marks due to the dirt on your feet and the prints they will leave behind.
How to Mop Up the Water
If you do not want to wait for it to air dry, you can dry your floors manually. You can do this by taking a dry mop head, squeegee, sponge, or towel and whipping it across your flooring. If you do this, make sure to go in one direction to prevent lines and missed wet spots.
Another thing you can do to get your floors to dry faster is turn on your fans. The air circulation will help it dry a little quicker.
Clean Your Mop Head
The first thing you need to do after each mopping session is to detach your mop head(if possible) and clean it. Mopping your floors with a dirty mop is just as ineffective as mopping with muddy water. Your floor will never get clean.
If you don’t have time to clean the mop head after you finish mopping, this is ok. Just make sure you do it before you need it again. There are few things more annoying than having a dirty mop head when trying to clean your home.
Ask For Help
It can become rather hard to find the urge to mop when you are busy. After a long day at work, three soccer games, and a trip to the store the last thing you want to do is come home and mop. This is a completely understandable feeling that you shouldn’t be ashamed of.
Instead, ask a cleaning service for help. The best part about this method of mopping is most cleaning services will do more than just mop if you ask them to. They’ll clean your bathroom, do your laundry, run the dishwasher, take out the trash, and do just about any other household chores you often overlook.
If mopping or any other household chores are too overwhelming for you right now, try out a cleaning service and see what happens.
Get Those Floors Mopped
Next time you start getting ready to mop your floors, try out the mopping tips above and watch your mopping experience transform into something a little less monotonous than before. You seriously won’t believe how much easier it all becomes. If you want more tips on how to mop or clean your house in general, click here to read more of our cleaning blog posts.
Want to try hiring a cleaning service for a little extra help or to get your floors to a manageable state? Try reaching out to Rescue My Time’s cleaning professionals. Our trained team would be more than willing to give your floors the shine they’ve been missing.
Just call us or visit our website to get a free quote. Happy cleaning!
