how to mop

Are you looking for ways to keep the floors of your home sparkly clean? Do you want to ensure that your floors are disinfected and help you lessen the chance of getting sick? If so, then you need to learn how to mop your hard surfaces the right way.

Doing so can help you guarantee that your floors are as clean as can be. No more unwanted spots on the floor. No more eyesores when you walk into the entryway.

See below for more an in-depth guide on how to mop your floors the right way and get the best, longest-lasting results.

1. Move All Furniture Pieces

First things first, if you’re going to give your floor an efficient cleaning, then you need to make sure you can mop as much of your floor as possible. That includes mopping the places where heavy furniture currently stands.

Far too many homeowners perform what we like to call a lazy man’s/woman’s mop job. In other words, rather than moving a table to mop the floor efficiently, they simply mop around it, which sabotages the overall quality of the mopping.

Start this process by assessing what furniture pieces can be moved while you go room by room. For example, in your living room, you might move such objects as your coffee table, lamps, side tables, chairs, and couches into a bedroom to give it a thorough clean.

Remember, cleaning under the large furnishings is crucial as well. Without giving the underside of your furnishings a good sweep and mop, you risk the development of dust bunnies.

While the dust bunnies themselves might seem harmless, they actually spell a lot of trouble. They can bring dust mites into your home, cause allergic reactions, and start flare-ups with members of your family who have asthma.

The growing dust on your floors is also a sign of germs which, if you don’t clean it often enough, can lead to sickness.

2. Vacuum Thoroughly

There are two acceptable options for this step. First, you can choose to simply bring out the vacuum and sweep the floors before you start mopping. Second, for those of you that are self-proclaimed “clean freaks”, you can sweep with a broom, then vacuum up everything that you gather.

After you’ve moved the furniture, take out the vacuum and sweep up the area a few times over (twice should do the trick). While you’re there, grab a microfiber cloth and wipe down the tables, fixtures, and furniture you moved.

It’s vitally important that you vacuum the floor before mopping it. Mopping without sweeping is one of the most common household mistakes that homeowners make as they clean.

Doing so will have the opposite effect of what you’re trying to accomplish. Instead of mopping up the germs and debris, you’ll simply be spreading it throughout your entire floor.

For the impossibly large furnishings on your property (EX: king-sized bed), get a broom and sweep all of the debris and dust out from under it, then vacuum up the remains. Lastly, take advantage of those vacuum attachments to suck up dust in those tough-to-reach corners.

3. Section Off the Job

This is another common misconception of homeowners who mop. They think that they need to mop the entire length of their house in one fell swoop. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, you don’t even have to do it all in one day!

We recommend that you section off different areas of your home. That can be easy to do when mopping the different rooms, but be sure to use break down larger rooms (like your living room) into smaller compartments.

That way, you can move all the fixtures out of the way, vacuum, then mop each section before moving on to the next one. Trust us; it makes the entire process easier. This is a tactic that professional cleaning companies use to ensure a thorough clean throughout the house.

4. Prioritize the Water

Don’t just pour water into a bucket and start to mop your floor; there’s an art to it! First, you want to make sure that you’re using warm water to mix with the cleaner and kill germs effectively.

Second, pour in a good amount of cleaning solution before you pour the water. Stir the water a bit before you apply it to your floor.

Third, keep an eye on the water as you mop your floors. Once the water starts to turn really dark, switch it out with a new bucket of warm water and a cleaning solution.

5. Let Air Dry

Finally, your work is complete. Now there is only one step left to follow: don’t touch it. Don’t let anyone step on your beautiful work of art until the floor is completely dry.

This is another reason why you should section off your house. Once you’re finished with one section, you can let it air dry as you move on to the next section of the house.

We recommend waiting for everyone to be out of the house before you mop, that way you can guarantee your kids aren’t running inside and ruining your progress.

Use This Mopping Advice on How to Mop Your Floors Effectively

Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on how to mop your floors the right way, you might decide that it’s better to leave it to the pros.

Be sure to read this article for more information on how to choose the best maid cleaning services for your needs moving forward. For more inquiries, please be sure to reach out to us by phone at 972-219-0400 and we will be happy to assist you further.