Daily sweeping and vacuuming aren’t enough as it’s hard to remove stubborn dirt and grime from hardwood floors. This is when mopping comes into view. But, what do you clean your floors with? A cleaning solution! It’s very handy when cleaning hard surfaces.
Vinegar, ammonia, bleach, and other ingredients can be added to the mop water. Adding just one of these to plain water can make the cleaning solution a hundred times more effective. Keep in mind that mopping too often can lead to sticky floor residues and dirt build-up (which will be very visible).
The process may cause slight back pain and loads of water waste. Just kidding! But this is exactly what will happen if you don’t mop your floors correctly. Stick to the very end to gain a good idea of what to add to your mop water and how to get a neat-looking house.
4 Ingredients You Can Put In The Mop Water For Great Cleaning Results
Homemade floor cleaners are a great alternative to those chemical-filled expensive cleaners. But, they don’t do a great job of cleaning stubborn and pesky stains. Whether you’re cleaning hardwood, laminate, or muddy floors, doesn’t matter. Homemade cleaner recipes also won’t work for these kinds of floors. But, it’s enough to accelerate the stain removal process.
However, below are a few easy-to-find ingredients that you can put in your mop water.
1. Vinegar:
Distilled white vinegar is an effective disinfectant that people usually use to clean glass or remove stubborn stains. But, have you ever thought about using vinegar to clean your floors?
Vinegar works as a great disinfectant and cuts through grease quite better than other disinfectants on the market. Besides using vinegar just for cleaning your countertops, try mixing half a cup of it into your mopping water solution.
You may also add 5-7 drops of dishwashing liquid or an essential oil enriched with citrus. Both acids, ethanol and citric, will work in harmony to clean the pesky stains from your floor. And don’t worry, the solution is gentle enough to use on most floorings.
2. Bleach:
Looking for that hint of shine and a freshly mopped floor? Get that almost expired bleach bottle and some new gloves to wear. Bleach works as a really good sanitizer and an antidote for most diseases spread by the germs on floors.
Mix half a cup of bleach to a gallon of warm water. Let the solution rest for about 5 minutes. Later, use a clean mop to sweep the floor with the mixture. This will get rid of all the germs, dirt, debris, etc.
Remember, bleach is a potent ingredient and can burn skin. Our gloves and let your floors dry completely before walking over them. Also, bleach cannot be used on natural stone or similar porous floorings.
3. Laundry Detergent/Dishwashing Liquid:
Weird but true—laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid work the same. The laundry detergent solution works great for getting into the nooks and corners of each tile. Dishwashing liquid will get rid of every stubborn stain and ensure your floor stays squeaky clean for the next week.
Mix one-fourth of a cup of whichever you have access to with 1 gallon of water and stir until bubbles form. You can also add 2 cups of vinegar or half a cup of lemon juice for extra benefits. Now, use your clean mop to ‘wash’ your floors and dirty walls with the mixture.
Since dish soap is so mild, it’ll work on most floors and won’t leave any residue. Be careful with overusing though as this will create a sticky film on your floor. Laundry detergents, on the other hand, won’t disappoint you like that. Find out which one works better for you!
4. Rubbing Alcohol:
Rubbing alcohol is widely used for basic medical treatments. It’s one of the best potent ingredients out there that you can add to your mop water. Since the alcohol evaporates quickly, you won’t have to worry about streaks and lines forming on your floor.
The potency of the alcohol decreases when mixed with water, making it safe to use on all floorings. It also gives a nice and glossy finish to your floors, instantly brightening up the room. Just mix a cup of rubbing alcohol in a gallon of water. Stir the mixture with gloved hands and use a clean mop to sweep your floors with the solution.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Adding Home Ingredients To Mop Water:
These are the few things you should keep in mind before adding any home ingredients to mop water:
- Don’t use vinegar solutions on natural or stone tile floors as this can etch into the stone and ruin the flooring over time.
- Most commercial mopping detergents contain harmful chemicals that are heavy on the environment and your health. Try to use homemade cleaners as often as possible.
- Natural wood floors need a dense coat of polyurethane varnish. You can’t use water-based cleaning solutions if the floors aren’t varnished. This could lead to water stains and water pooling on the surface.
Related Questions:
Are Soapy Waters Good For Floors Mopping?
There’s nothing wrong with using a soapy solution but anyone could be seriously injured if they walk over a slippery floor. Unless you’re okay with mopping the whole house 2-4 times, I don’t see why you can’t use soapy waters to clean your floors.
What Should You Put In Your Mop Water To Clean Small But Stubborn Floor Stains?
Mix one-fourth of a cup of dishwashing liquid with 1 gallon of water and stir until bubbles form. You can also add 2 cups of vinegar or half a cup of lemon juice for extra benefits.
Dishwashing liquid will get rid of every stubborn stain and ensure your floor stays squeaky clean for the next week. Since dish soap is so mild, it’ll work on most floors and won’t leave any residue.
What Do You Put In The Mop Bucket With Water?
You can add ingredients that can be found in your household, mostly vinegar, essential oils, bleach, detergent, etc. Each of these makes your cleaning solution work better. Try putting one of these in the mop with enough water to dilute the solutions.
What Do You Add To Mop Water For Tile?
Try using a solution of ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar, a tablespoon of dishwashing soap or laundry detergent, ¼ cup of baking soda, and about 2 gallons of boiling water. You can add a pinch of salt and a few drops of lavender essential oil to get rid of the foul smell.
Tiles can get easily stained. No matter what mixture you’re using to clean your tiles, you must be gentle with the cleaning process. Also, try to mop the whole house while the water is still hot.
Why Does Your Vinegar Mopping Solution Smell?
You can add 5-7 drops of dishwashing liquid or an essential oil enriched with citrus to your vinegar mopping solution. By citric acids I mean, orange or lemon essential oils.
Both acids, ethanol and citric, will work in harmony to clean the pesky stains from your floor. This will get rid of the smell that your cleaning solution may leave behind. And don’t worry, the solution is gentle enough to use on most floorings.
Will Adding Vinegar To Mop Water Make The Solution Abrasive?
Adding vinegar to a solution will not make it harsh. White vinegar may have a mediocre pH of 2.5 but it’s acidic enough to dissolve grime and mineral deposits. This includes rust, food, and hard water stains.
The mixture will be abrasive on the floor only if it’s not diluted properly. So, make sure you dilute the vinegar by adding enough water to it. Remember, ½ cup of vinegar for every gallon of water.
Many households use apple cider vinegar too as it’s more potent than white vinegar. Be careful though, it doesn’t work well on laminate floorings. I mean, it’s acid we’re talking about.
What Can You Put In Mop Water To Make Your House Smell Good?
A few drops of essential oil in your mop water can do wonders for your house and floors. They work better than fragrance enriched cleaning products. Oils like lavender and citrus are mainly used to ensure a scented house.
How Often Should You Change The Water When Mopping?
If your house is too big, loaded with rooms, and would take an average of 2 hours to clean the whole house, it’s suggested to replace the mop water before cleaning each room or the second the water starts to look murky.
Mop water consists of germs and can cause clogs in your sink. So, it’s better to flush it down the toilet or throw it in the shower drain. After replacing the dirty water, make sure you clean the whole area again with clean water. This is to remove any residue from the cleaning solution and soap water stains on the floor.
Conclusion:
All done? Your house looks a hundred times better now, doesn’t it? You see, cleaning solutions are made just for cleaning floors. But, it’s hard to find one made especially for the type of floor you’ll want to clean. Hence, the selective list!
You can dilute the solution by adding any one of the above ingredients to your mop water and make it usable for most floorings. Hope this article was able to give you a clear insight into what ingredients you can add to your mop water.
You can also read:
How To Mop Floors Without Hurting Your Back Easily?
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