As Ive learned, mopping is one of the most confusing cleaning jobs out there who knew! Well friends, let me use my ridiculously vast knowledge of cleaning to make mopping as simple as tying a shoelace for you!
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Sometimes a mop, is just a mop but if youve been down the cleaning aisle recently, Im sure youve noticed the huge selection of mops available to consumers nowadays everything from the old school yacht mops (Cinderella?) to the fancy new Swiffer Sweepers. But which mop is the right mop for you?
Well kick things off by talking about some of the more popular mop types and which mop you should use where, and Ill also share some handy tips and tricks to help you become a mopping master!
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It just sounds classier that way though, right? I remember it as the one Cinderella used to use, but its also commonly referred to as a string mop or deck mop. These have been around for hundreds of years (when researching, we found something that indicated this mop was around since the sthere you go dinner table fodder!) and it is likely the mop that most people picture in their mind when they think about a mop. Hands down, they are still the most effective mops for any kind of heavy duty cleaning (janitorial or industrial work) or outdoor mopping jobs.
The durable cotton fibres are great for cleaning up decks and commercial flooring and are highly absorbent but do not leave a streak-free finish which is why they are not the best for indoor jobs. A Wringer bucket very important to get rid of excess water before taking mop to floor. The larger the mop head, the heavier it gets and the more water it absorbs, so the stronger a wringer bucket youd require.
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? This sponge mop does! I know I knowjust let me have this joke, ok?
Sponge mops have been around for quite awhile and are a good choice for linoleum floors (although I would just use a twist mop) but its really excellent for cleaning walls. The sponge can scrub well and reach high and scrub build up and stains, which is perfect for wall cleaning. With floors, I find that they do streak because it doesnt always wring out entirely (not to mention its hard to wring out), and they are also rather difficult to keep clean. Just think about how dirty your sponge can getand now its mopping the floor? Yes, so in my opinion, dont bother with them for floors.
Next up we have one of my personal favourites a microfiber twist mop. While it looks a lot like the yacht mop, the one key difference is that instead of cotton strings this mop utilizes the awesome cleaning power of microfiber.
Microfibre mops are a great choice if youre looking for an all-purpose mop. Its hybrid in the sense that it has the ability to do the heavy-duty mopping like a yacht mop but the microfiber strands are delicate enough and thin enough that a hardwood floor, stone floor and tile floor alike can tolerate it, plus they are super absorbent and wont leave streaks or too much (potentially harmful liquid) behind. They need to be wrung out well in order not to leave any streaks, so having a great wringer bucket is critical. I have yet to try the pedal spin buckets, but I imagine theyd do well.
When people ask me for a good all-around, multi purpose mop for tile, stone and hardwood, this is the one I suggest!
These mops are becoming more and more popular as paranoia sinks in about getting certain floor surfaces too wet. And you know, they have their place. I especially like the ones that have a reservoir which can hold a cleaning solution which can be sprayed directly onto the floor in front of it. Make your own with a teeny squirt of dish soap and water!
This mop is a good choice if you have floors that are hardwood or laminate. Since these floors cannot take too much moisture, these mops are designed to spray out just a little bit of cleaning solution and then quickly wipe it up with the mopping pad. The benefit is that there is little to no streaking and the floors get quite shiny. I also like these for marble or granite floors, because they use just a bit of moisture and allow for a nice polish from the microfiber pad, just make sure you use the correct cleaner. Its ideal to have a couple of spare pads so that you can replace them if one gets too wet. Remember to launder the pads after each use.
Finally, lets talk about dry mops or dust mops like a Swiffer. These have become very popular in recent years because these mops are great for maintaining the flooring in smaller spaces or if you have a small amount of hard floors in your home and you dont want to schlep out a whole mopping situation every time you want to give it the ol once over.
Personally, I like to use this mop for touch up cleans, in-between cleanings to maintain the floors. It picks up dust and hair and is more-so considered a replacement for a broom than a direct replacement for a traditional mop. Read: this does not replace a mop! They do not remove heavy soil and may leave some debris behind. They also dont clean or shine the floor. Generally you use these dry unless the Wet version is purchased. Even still, these are for light-duty cleanings only. You are welcome to purchase the refills if you like, I just use a microfiber cloth and if I want a bit of moisture, Ill spritz on some soapy water and get to it. These are also great for dusting walls and getting into high corners. Who would have thought?!
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Now that we know what each mop is for, lets talk about a few best practices to get the most out of your time spent on mopping! I am willing to wager that youll learn something to make mopping way easier on you by the end of this.
You always want to mop in an S pattern regardless of the type of mop youre using this allows you to focus on a specific area at a time without flicking water and debris everywhere.
Before you mop, be sure to sweep or vacuum your floors. Get as much debris off the floor as possible because youre just going to push it all around the room with the mop otherwise.
If you are using a mop which requires a bucket of soapy water, I recommend using very warm, borderline hot water and just a few teeny, tiny drops of dish liquid and maybe a couple drops of your favourite essential oil. Thats all youll need for almost all flooring surfaces. Too much floor cleaner leaves the floor sticky underfoot and also makes it an amazing magnet for dirt. Go figure! If you are using a specialty floor cleaner, do be sure to read the instructions before mopping!
Use as little water as possible; this isnt about slopping a huge puddle of water across the floor. Thats actually quite damaging, especially to hardwood and laminate floors. You always want to be using a lightly damp mop head, so remember this when wringing out your mop!
When mopping hardwood always work in the direction of the grain (or the direction of the installed panel)! This helps reduce the appearance of streaking. If you notice streaks, you can quickly dry the floor with a clean microfiber cloth. Man, will it ever shine!
Like Ive shared before about vacuuming, you want to start the job at the opposite corner of your exit point and mop your way out of a room. Be cognizant of where you start mopping (the diagonal opposite corner of your exit point) and that way you wont mop yourself into a corner and have to tip toe over a wet floor. Oh, and and always keep your bucket behind you!
Use your arm muscles, not your back muscles. When mopping in an S pattern, its easy to start using your back to move the mop back and forth, but that can cause back strain and no one wants that. So, always remember to use your arm muscle for this job!
Change your water as soon as it looks murky! A water bucket usually gets dirty rather quickly, so to avoid spreading dirty water on the floors you are trying to clean. Be mindful of when its time to change your water out! Dirty water swishes dirt around and can also re-deposit dirt into floor seams and grout lines. No thanks.
Lastly, take your time. As much as you want the mopping to be over and done with as soon as possible, the old saying anything worth doing is worth doing right really rings true hereif you take your time, youll do a great job and the payoff will be worth it!
In my experience, mopping has become that chore which rarely gets any love these days as much as modern mops have made it seem like you only need to drag one of these across the floor for 3 minutes let me tell you, theres something therapeutic about taking your time and giving your floors the attention they need!
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What mop(s) do you like, and what are your mopping secrets? Let me know in the comments below!
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