How to Clean Your Floors - The Right Way To Mop

I bet your mopping experience largely comes down to half the time holding the mop in your hands like it's a microphone and performing some song whose lyrics you think you know right.Did I guess right? Don't worry, you're not alone, we all do it because mopping is not exactly a very fun task to do. Anyway, as a housewife, you want your floors to be sparkling after you bow down from your live performance of that Rihanna song. To achieve this in an easy and fast way, you need to know few basic things about floors, mops and cleaning supplies.

• Mopping according to the type of floor

You can't just use water and any kind of detergent and mop to clean any type of floor. The general rule dictates that wooden floors are lightly damp mopped with cold water and a very mild wood-friendly soap solution. Stone floors on the other hand, can be cleaned with hot water and more aggressive soaps. Loose lay requires special attention, so you should mop it carefully with mild lay detergent and a sponge mop, as too much water can damage it.

• Choosing a detergent and mop

A bucket, the right detergent and the right mop are your basic necessities for mopping the floors perfectly. As mentioned before, according to the type of floors you have, you'll choose the detergent that suits them best: mild cleaners for tile, and harsh cleaners for linoleum and stone floors. Pay special attention to wooden and Pergo flooring, as these shouldn't be cleaned with soaps unless the manufacturer has recommended a specific soap for this purpose. As for the mop, rag mops are best for textured floors since they are best for actually picking up dirt from the floor. Sponge mops are best for smooth floors. You should also have a broom to clean big pieces of debris before you stop mopping with water.

• • • Start cleaning!

Bow down, and get started. First, make sure all space is empty and made easy to reach. This means you should move all furniture to the side so you can reach the entire floor without obstacles. Also, make sure you clean the room before you start mopping, as you don't want dust and debris to fall down on your sparkling floors. Secondly, vacuum the floors once, so you pick up the layer of dust and potential bigger pieces of debris you may find. Next, fill your bucket with water and the detergent you're going to use, and take the mop. Rag mops should always be moved in a figure eight motion, while with sponge mops you have more freedom of movement. And finally, change the water once you see that it gets a little dirty. You don't want to bring dirt back on the floor.