It is possible to keep your hardwood floors clean by sweeping and vacuuming, but you will eventually need to clean them.If you have never done it before, mopping a floor is very easy and requires very little skill.
Step 1: No more than once a week.
If your floors get dirty because of children, pets, or lots of foot traffic, you may need to clean them every week.If you live in a house, try to mop your hardwood floors at least twice a month.Too much mopping can cause a sticky floor that traps dirt and debris.
Step 2: The area of furniture needs to be clear.
Tables, chairs, throw rugs, and similar objects should be removed before mopping.If you plan to mop under or behind the furniture, you don't need to move it.Do not move these items if you need to clean them.It's a good idea to clean the floor before you start mopping.You don't want to scratch the floor by dragging furniture.If you have roommates, tell them what area you will be mopping so they know to stay away.If you have animals, move them to a separate room.
Step 3: Or clean the floor before mopping.
Most sweep mops don't do a good job of picking up debris.You will need a broom, hardwood floor vacuum, or handheld vacuum to clean the floor before mopping it.If you don't remove the debris before mopping, it can leave scratches on the floor.
Step 4: Warm water and a cleaning product are needed.
You can submerge your mop head by pouring enough water into a bucket.Add a small amount of dish soap, apple cider vinegar, bleach, ammonia, or a similar cleaning product to the mix.Use no more than 2 c (120 ml) of cleaning product per 1 US gal of water, as a general rule.Before using a specific cleaning product, make sure it is suitable for your floor.Check your cleaning product's container to see if it has a recommended dilution ratio.
Step 5: The mop should be put into the cleaning solution.
Put your mop in the bucket to absorb the cleaning solution.If your mop is stiff, you may want to take a few minutes to loosen it.There are a lot of big-box and cleaning supply stores that sell string mops.
Step 6: Lift the mop and let the excess water out.
Lift your mop and hold it above the bucket after you have soaked it.If you want to let excess liquid fall into the bucket, hold your mop up for 2 to 3 seconds.You can wring your mop out to get rid of the excess water.Wring out as much water as possible.The wood can be damaged by excess water.
Step 7: Take care of your floor in small sections.
If you want to get as much grime up as you can, focus on a single 4 to 6 in section at a time.This will allow you to cover a lot of the floor.The mop should be moved with the grain of the wood.Move the mop in small figure 8 patterns for textured floors.
Step 8: You have to work your way to the door.
This will prevent you from stepping on parts of the floor you have already cleaned.You can clean up your tracks if you run the mop over the wet area.In narrow corridors and hallways, mop the sides first and the center last.
Step 9: When you are done cleaning, wring the mop out.
You can squeeze the mop head with your hands if you hold it over the cleaning bucket.Continue squeezing until the mop has no water left in it.You can use an integrated wringing tool instead of your hands with some mops and buckets.
Step 10: Run your mop over the floor to clean it up.
You should run your mop over the cleaned section 3 to 4 times.You will spread the dirty water around if you run the mop more than once.Between the sections, wring out your mop to get rid of the absorbed water.To completely dry the area, you may need to repeat this process multiple times.
Step 11: Put some water on your mop's cleaning pad.
A large cleaning pad is enough to fit on your mop.The pad should be washed with warm water.If you accidentally soak the pad, wring it out.Pre-dampened cleaning pads are a better choice if you are using a Swiffer Sweeper.
Step 12: Attach the pad to the handle.
Place your pad on the floor.Press the tip of your mop handle to expose the exposed side of the pad.You can attach the pad to the mop handle with your fingers.
Step 13: The floor should be sprayed with a cleaning solution.
Put a spray bottle with a solution made of warm water and a cleaning product in it.You should lightly spray the area you want to clean.Unless the back of their container states otherwise, put in 1 to 2 capfuls of cleaning product for every 16 to 20 liters of water.Make sure your cleaning product is suitable for your floor by checking the back of the container.
Step 14: Rub the floor with the mop.
Use back and forth motions to scrub your mop on the floor.To clean up as much as possible, plan to go over each spot multiple times.If your floor starts to streak, you should switch to a figure 8 pattern.You don't have to step over any areas you've mopped if you work your way towards a door.
Step 15: It is necessary to change your mop pad.
You will need to replace the cloth mop's pad multiple times during the cleaning process.It is time for a new pad when your current one leaves behind dirt and other remnants.If you use a non-disposable mop pad, you can simply remove it, rinse it with warm water, and attach it to your mop.
Step 16: Put away your mopping supplies.
If you used a cloth mop, you can either throw it away or wash it with detergent.If you use a traditional string mop, dump your dirty water into a toilet and hang your mop from a hook to dry it.It's a good idea to rinse a string mop with clean water and wring it out before hanging it up.
Step 17: Let the mopped area dry.
The floor should be air dried between 30 minutes and 1 hour after you finish cleaning.If you want to speed up the drying process, you can open the doors and windows.Fresh towels can be used to absorb the remaining water if the floor starts to streak.
Step 18: Remove any furnishings from the area.
You should replace any objects you removed before the floor dries completely.If necessary, clean the bottoms of your chairs, tables, and similar furniture items with a wet paper towel to avoid tracking in dirt and dust.To avoid scratching the floor, replace the objects carefully.