You've Been Doing It Wrong! Learn How to Mop Beautifully Less Often

Mop the floor less often by doing it right. Photo Credit: Throwingbull

It's not pleasant, but it has to be done. The good news is that learning how to properly mop a floor can lead to needing to do it less frequently, and that’s a winning scenario.

Mopping may seem like a no-brainer, but there are serious tricks of the tradethat can make the job easier and much more effective.

Prep Work:

1. As always, sweep first. Thoroughly!
2. Buy the right mop. Make sure its handle is a comfortable thickness & height for you - it should not cause you to slump over or your hands to cramp up. And test the mop head. If it holds too much water, it can become too heavy for you to maneuver well. Isn't that a pain when you're shoving a dysfunctionally heavy mop around the kitchen? Kill me!
3. Use the least harsh cleaning solution possible. You want it to clean, sure, but it should treat your floors kindly too. Follow the dilution instructions to the letter and only use lukewarm water. Hot temperatures can damage floor finishes.

Doing the Deed:

1. Mop in a figure eight configuration. This ensures that you cover every inch, whereas going back and forth will usually lead to missed spots.
2. Always walk backwards while mopping. You'll get a better view of your work without stepping all over it. Just be sure to head backwards toward the room’s doorway, or else you’ll wind up against a wall, literally.
3. As soon as the solution in your bucket changes color, it’s time to dump it and refill with more solution and clean water. Don't be stingy.
4. Once it's nice and soapy, let it sit for a minute. You’ve effectively brought the dirt to the surface and loosened it up, but it needs another go-around with a clean mop to sop up the remaining dirt, soap and water. Just letting the floors dry on their own will give you a hazy finish.
5. For stubborn scuff marks on the floor, use a wide-band sewn Rayon mop. The wide band allows you to use pressure from your foot to really give it hell.

Keeping Up:

1. When you’re all finished, give your mops a good cleaning themselves to ensure that you’re not redistributing dirt to your floors on your next mopping expedition. To do this, rinse the head thoroughly and then soak in a light bleach solution, re-rinse and dry before storing away.
2. Vacuum or sweep floors often, and you'll end up mopping less. Hooray!

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