Mopping floors is necessary to get rid of dirt, deter pests, and reduce allergies. Ideally, floors should be mopped every week–every two weeks at least. There is a right way and wrong way to do most things. Floor mopping is no different. Mopping mistakes may harm your floors. Here are some mistakes to avoid.
Not Vacuuming First
Skipping vacuuming does not save time. Leaving dust, hair, and grit on the floor for the mop to pick up is a poor choice. The mop gets dirtier quicker and the cleaning water has to be changed more often or you are just spreading the dirt around and leaving streaks and smears. Grit stuck in the mop can scratch and scar hardwood, laminate, and linoleum.
Using the Wrong Cleaning Products
Make sure you use the right cleaning products for the floor you are mopping. Some products can damage floors. For instance:
- Tile Flooring. Can be discolored by oil or ammonia-based cleaners.
- Stone Flooring. Can be damaged by acidic cleaners including vinegar and lemon DIY cleaners.
- Hardwood Flooring. Require different cleaners than tile flooring.
Read the labels carefully to ensure that you don’t damage your floors.
Ignoring Spills Until You Mop
Just leaving pet pee, spills, and stains until you mop the floor is not only unhygienic, it can damage the flooring. Moisture gets into the seams of hardwood and laminate flooring causing swelling. Mops are not designed for heavy scrubbing- and may leave dirty spots. The hard scrubbing needed to remove dried-on stains can scratch and scar flooring.
Not Using the Right Tools
Electric vacuum mops and steam mops sound like the perfect solution for cleaner floors. They can inject moisture into hardwood and laminate seams that will cause swelling. The heat and moisture can eventually strip the floor’s finish and cause buckling. They are good for linoleum and tiles as long as the tile grout is not cracked. Missing and cracked grout and tiles allow water to seep down to the subfloor and loosen the glue.
Not Cleaning Your Equipment
Mops are full of bacteria and dirt after the floor is cleaned. Wash and dry your mop thoroughly after each use to prevent odor, bacteria growth, and making the floor dirtier next time you clean. Removable mop heads should be machine-washed in hot water.
Change water in the bucket when you see streaks on the floor or when the water is too dirty to see through. Mopping with dirty grimy water does not clean well and may damage the floor.
Using Too Much Water
Mops should only be damp when cleaning hardwood and laminate. Wet mops force water into floor seams where it is absorbed into the wood. Hardwood warps, buckles, and may become discolored with too much water absorption. The amount of moisture left on the floor should dry within two or three minutes. Any longer is a sign that your mop is too wet.
Not Rinsing After Mopping
A final rinse after cleaning removes any leftover dirt and residual cleaning solution. Without rinsing, flooring can look dull and streaky. Even floor cleaning products labeled “No rinse required” should be rinsed clean for bright shiny floors.
Not Drying Floors Quickly
Drying floors quickly after mopping produces a better finish. Use a dry microfiber mop head to remove any leftover water and buff the floor to shine. Dry mopping is one final way to pick up any bits of hair or dirt that the first two passes missed.
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