Content

• Method 2 of 4: Rope Mop
• Method 3 of 4: Cloth Mop
• Method 4 of 4: Finish cleaning
• Warnings

1 Wash your floors no more than once a week. If the floors get very dirty due to the pranks of children, pets, or the fact that they walk on it a lot, you should wash the floors once a week. At the same time, in most cases it is sufficient to clean the wood floors about twice a month.

• Washing your floor too often can leave a sticky residue on the floor that dirt and debris can adhere to.

2 If possible, remove furniture where you intend to clean the floor. Before cleaning the floor, remove all tables, chairs, rugs, and other items that can be removed from the room. You don't need to move large pieces of furniture like sofas and bookcases, unless you specifically want to clean the floor underneath or behind them.

• If you need to dust these items, do so before removing them. This way, if dust and debris falls on the floor from sofas or bookcases, you can clean it all up before you start cleaning it.
• Do not move heavy furniture (tables, chairs) across the floor to avoid scratching it.
• If you have room / apartment mates, tell them where you are going to wash the floor so that they will not go there for a while.If you have animals, put them in another room for a while until you are done cleaning.

3 Sweep or vacuum the floor before you start cleaning it. The mop is not good at picking up crumbs, hair, and other solid debris. That's why you need to pick up a broom, vacuum cleaner or handheld vacuum cleaner and remove it all from the floor.

• Solid debris can scratch the floor if you don't remove it.

Method 2 of 4: Rope Mop

1. 1 Fill a bucket of warm water, add detergent. Take a bucket and fill it with enough water to completely submerge the cleaning part of the mop. Then add some dish soap or apple cider vinegar, bleach, ammonia, or similar detergent to the bucket. As a rule, it is sufficient to pour about 120 ml of detergent into 4 liters of water.
   • Before trying any new detergent, read the label carefully to ensure it is exactly the right one for your floor.
   • Not all packages say this, but look on the label for recommendations on how much to use with the water of your choice.
   Specialist Answer Question

   Can the floor be washed with dish detergent?

   
   

   

   Michelle Driscoll MPH

   Mulberry Maids founder Michelle Driscoll is the owner of the Mulberry Maids cleaning service in northern Colorado. She received her Masters in Public Health from Colorado School of Public Health in 2016.

   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   Michelle Driscoll, Cleaning Specialist, advises: “Yes, such a tool can be used. The main thing is that the liquid soap is soft and used in moderation... This is necessary so that some of the product does not remain on the floor and it is not sticky. A couple of drops on a bucket of warm water is enough. "

   
   
2. 2 Submerge the mop in a bucket of cleaning solution. Dip the mop into the bucket and let it get wet. If the mop is very dry, it may take a few minutes for it to get wet.
   • You can buy a nap mop at almost any hardware store.
3. 3 Raise the mop and let the excess water drain. Once the mop is sufficiently wet, lift it up and hold it over the bucket. Typically, the mop will draw much more water than it needs, so hold it over the bucket for 2-3 seconds to allow the excess water to drain into the bucket.
   • If you like, you can squeeze out the mop to remove excess water.
   • When it comes to cleaning parquet flooring, squeeze out as much water as possible so as not to damage the wood.
4. 4 Wash the floor in small patches. To remove as much dirt as possible, move the mop a distance of 10-15 cm each time. This will distribute the detergent over a larger area of ​​the floor.
   • If you have a polyurethane-coated floor, move the mop in the direction of the grain of the boards.
   • When washing textured floors, you need to "write out" small horizontal eights with a mop.
5. 5 Move towards the door. This will definitely prevent you from stepping on the freshly washed areas of the floor. If you do step on a wet floor, mop the area again to remove your footprint.
   • In narrow aisles (corridor, hallway), first wash the sides and then the center of the aisle.
6. 6 Squeeze out the mop when you're done cleaning. Once you have thoroughly scrubbed the floor, hold the mop over the bucket and wring out the cleaning attachment with your hands. keep squeezing the mop until there is almost no water left in it.
   • Some mops and buckets come with a squeeze attachment that does not require manual squeezing.
7. 7 Use a mop on the floor to remove dirty water. Use a mop to mop each washed area of ​​the floor 3-4 times. Overdo it and you will just start smearing dirty water all over the floor. Squeeze out the mop after each area to remove any water that has been absorbed by it.
   • You may need to repeat these steps several times to completely dry the floors.

Method 3 of 4: Cloth Mop

1. 1 Wet the cloth mop head. Use a clean, properly sized cloth mop head. Then rinse the attachment with warm water to wet it. If the fabric picks up too much water, simply wring it out.
   • If you have a Swiffer Sweeper or similar, buy a pack of wet cloths for it.
2. 2 Slide the cloth attachment over the end of the squeegee. Place the nozzle on the floor so that the fibers are in contact with the floor. Then press the squeegee handle into the brush head until the locks on each side click into place.
   • If you have a Swiffer WetJets or similar, you can attach the attachment to the handle simply by pressing it down with your fingers.
3. 3 Spread the detergent on the floor. Take a spray bottle, fill it with detergent diluted in water (dish detergent, bleach, ammonia, or apple cider vinegar), then sprinkle it on the floor, not very generously.
   • Unless otherwise indicated in the instructions for the product, dilute it in a ratio of 1-2 caps per half liter of water.
   • Read the instructions for your detergent carefully to make sure it is suitable for your floors.
4. 4 Wipe the floor with a mop. Press the squeegee to the floor and make simple back and forth motions. Each area of ​​the floor should be wiped several times to remove as much stubborn dirt as possible.
   • If streaks remain on the floor, try washing it with horizontal eights.
   • It is easier to clean the floor towards the door, so you will definitely not step on the freshly washed areas of the floor.
5. 5 Change washing wipes as needed. Unlike conventional rope mops, you will need to replace the disposable cloth wipes several times during cleaning. You will know that it is time to change your napkin when the previous one starts to leave behind dirty marks.
   • If you have a reusable cloth attachment, simply remove it from the mop, rinse it in warm water, and put it back on the mop.

Method 4 of 4: Finish cleaning

1. 1 Wash and remove the bucket and mop. If you've used a cloth mop, remove it and either throw it away (for disposable wipes) or rinse it in hot water and detergent. If you have a regular rope mop, pour the dirty water from the bucket into the toilet and hang or position the mop to dry.
   • This is not necessary, but it is also a good idea to rinse the rope mop in clean water and squeeze it well before storing it.
2. 2 Let the floor dry. After cleaning, let the floor dry for about half an hour to an hour. Optionally, you can open the door to the room and the windows in it to speed up this process.
   • If streaks appear on the floor, wipe off the remaining water with dry, clean cloths.
3. 3 Replace all furniture. Once the floor is completely dry, replace any items that you removed before. If necessary, wipe the legs of chairs, tables, and other furniture with a damp cloth to keep dirt and dust off the floor.
   • Move and place furniture carefully to avoid scratching or chipping the floors.

Warnings

• Do not use acidic detergents (such as vinegar) on marble, granite, or tiled floors.
• Never wash wood floors that are covered only with wax, as water can seep into crevices and damage the floors.