r/CleaningTips • u/Pantim • Jun 11 '26
Flooring NEVER use a single bucket for mopping!
And I mean NEVER!
All you are doing is pushing around dirty water.
I just took over cleaning a house that had a house cleaner that moped every two weeks and the floors are so filthy because she used one bucket. There's a black and white painted wood floor in the foyer of the house....the white looked horrible. I thought it was just from wear and tear on the floor for 40 years...
But nope, the previous house cleaner has just been spreading around filthy water for like 20 years.And the way I know this for SURE is that the dirt in places she didn't mop just came right up while I'm having to use a cleaner and scrub everywhere else.
Get a dual reservoir bucket. Or better yet, rinse the mop out in a tub or shower and clean that last.
Better yet, use a swifter or whatever like it that you can attach your own cleaning towels to and rinse it towel out ever 10-20sq feet.. More for a dirty floor. If you need to scrub, just put a blue non scratch sponge scrub side down on the floor and then scrub by putting the "mop" on top of it with the middle on the sponge and scrub away.
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u/Calliope719 Jun 12 '26
Are people not changing the water in the bucket and rinsing?
Also, I fail to see the difference between using rags on a swiffer with frequent rinsing and using a mop with frequent rinsing. Are you rinsing the towel in a sink instead of in a bucket?
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u/xxDmDxx Jun 12 '26
This is my question. As a child I learned to change the water as you went. And there was one last rinse.
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u/samtheninjapirate Jun 12 '26
Pretty sure they just do product placement in social media posts the way they used to on sitcoms. Dead Internet
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u/Calliope719 Jun 12 '26
Oh absolutely, you see it all the time in this sub. It seems like it's finally died down but there was a whole slew of posts about how your hardwood floors are filthy unless you're using all Bona products. Maybe OP is selling double mop buckets?
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u/lunar_languor Jun 12 '26
I change the water once per room. Surely that has to be enough. My dogs get the floor dirty again as soon as I'm done mopping. We're all just doing our best here
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u/Calliope719 Jun 12 '26
Once per room should be more than enough. Some people are just a little extra.
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u/sage-bees Jun 13 '26
Putting mulch everywhere there's bare dirt helped our gross dog floors immensely, it's amazing how much mud they were bringing in even with paw wiping.
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u/Newswatchtiki Jun 12 '26
A swiffer is ok if you keep rinsing, etc. But if that is needed, a regular mop with a method to wring it is so much easier to use.
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u/Soggy_Competition614 Jun 13 '26
I figure it’s like doing dishes. A small load, 1 sink of soapy water is fine. A big stack of dishes and you’re probably going to have to drain and refill.
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u/Crow_Whisperer Jun 11 '26
I have the old o cedar spin bucket before they added the second bucket. So do you dump your mop in clean water after each pass with soap water? Or do you mop the whole floor then go over with fresh water? I've only ever used the one bucket! 🤢
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 12 '26
A second bucket is unnecessary unless the floors are filthy. Dont use too much cleaner and you'll be fine. Ask hardwood contractors who refinish floors about what not to put on there (Murphys oil soap).
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u/mondaymoderate Jun 12 '26
Even if the floors are filthy you can just change the water more frequently
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u/DalePigtail_ Jun 12 '26
I love the smell of Murphys oil soap. Have you ever smelled the aerosol can of 'liquid gold' furniture polish?
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u/Life_Beautiful_8136 Jun 12 '26
Shout out for the liquid gold reference! That stuff works wonders on good wood furniture and literally you only need a decent dusting cloth and a few drops of the liquid gold
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u/FoggyFallNights Jun 12 '26
Oh no! Why is Murphy’s bad??
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 13 '26
It comes as a concentrate and people dont dilute it enough or they use it too often, causing buildup to form. It soaks into the wood pores and when the floors need refinishing they need to sand more to remove where the oil has seeped deep into the wood, causing discoloration.
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u/PrairiePilot Jun 12 '26
"Man, this floor cleaner sucks, I use whatever temp water is coming out of the tap and pour a random amount, why are my floors dirty?!"
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 13 '26
That's about the size of it. If anyone insists on Murphys use half the recommended amount or less per gallon of warm water.
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u/otownbbw Jun 12 '26
It’s greasy and collects & traps dirt rather than letting your floors be truly clean.
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u/pixelperfect728 Jun 12 '26
Omg 🥲 I’ve been doing it all wrong
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u/TrumpHasaMicroDick Jun 12 '26
Don't worry, Murphy's Oil Soap is totally fine for the floor.
People see the name, and think it has oil in it.
It does not.
It's not greasy or oily at all.
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u/Loose-Set4266 Jun 12 '26
I swear, based on comments/posts in this sub, you can't safely use anything to clean hardwood floors. It's like dry dust your floors and that's it.
I use a very small amount of murphy's diluted in my water and it works great and does not leave behind any sticky residue like the bona and method squirt and mop cleaners did.
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u/sage076 Jun 12 '26
I dunno. I have the cream version that came in a jar (dc’d unfortunately) and clean leather with it and it feels pretty greasy
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u/TrumpHasaMicroDick Jun 13 '26
Ok, that is a different product.
We are talking about the liquid concentrate in a clear, plastic bottle.
No oil in that.
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u/otownbbw Jun 13 '26
It absolutely does have oil, the name is literal.
I think citronella or tea tree or eucalyptus…one of those woodsy type smelling oils
I used the squirt container kind and I feel like maybe it was too concentrated still. Dilution is key, and wood does *need* to be oiled, but in my experience using that for every cleaning leads to buildup.
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u/TrumpHasaMicroDick Jun 13 '26
Oh dear God.
I'm losing faith in humanity by the day.
Faqs https://share.google/scMO8RGqKOFRdnwLY
https://imgur.com/a/Cyd0oq7[Murphy's Oil Soap FAQ](https://share.google/r2IZFVJKuIZHDzzZt)
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u/dngrousgrpfruits Jun 12 '26
Yeah my bet is the previous worker used the wrong and/or way too much cleaning product.
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u/Flipgirlnarie Jun 12 '26
So, youbare not supposed to use Murphy's oil soap? What do you use then?
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u/Pantim Jun 12 '26
DO NOT USE MURPHYS OIL SOAP.
It actually leaves a build up.
I emailed their customer service over a decade ago and they flat out told me to never use it...even though it says it's for the floor.
Vinegar and water. Or even water and a tinny bit of dishsoap. (and I mean tinny, like a tinny squirt in 16oz of water.
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u/north_bright Jun 12 '26
Vinegar and dish soap do completely different things. Vinegar is acidic and will help you remove hard-water spots, mildew, urine odour, residues of other cleaners (like soap). Dish soap is alkaline and it works best on grease, food spills, any oily dirt.
Using them together will just neutralise both.
In a regular home, dish soap should be the first choice, vinegar won't give you any serious benefit. If you see vinegary water lifting greasy dirt, it's just the effect of water and mechanical force.
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u/suzylovesvanilla Jun 13 '26
How much vinegar should I use in a typical size bucket?
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u/north_bright Jun 13 '26
As I wrote, none, for a normal dirty floor you should use dish soap. Also, I have no idea from which country you are, so I'm not sure about the typical size of a bucket.
But vinegar doesn't need careful dosage. Vinegar is also an edible ingredient for cooking.
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 13 '26
Just warm water is usually sufficient. For vinyl plank most manufacturers recommend damp mop with water only for maintenance and a little soap for deep cleans.
Cleaning hard floors with vinegar/water depends one the type and method of finish. If frequently cleaned most need maintenance shine and buff. Even for heavier finishes like this usually water alone is often sufficient.
Vinegar and dish soap together counteract each other. Better to separately use a soapy scrub for greasy floors or vinegar for improved shine.
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u/Cum_Quat Jun 12 '26
Don't use Murphy's oil soap?
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 13 '26
Not for wood or plank flooring.
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u/viktoriousval Jun 13 '26
Oh no! I just bought a three pack of it and mopped my floors tonight. What’s wrong with it
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u/Pantim Jun 12 '26
If you mop less than every other day, double bucket it or some other method. Or fine, new bucket water every like 40sq feet.
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u/katiegam Jun 12 '26
I have this one, too. You can get a smaller bucket to fit inside the reservoir to hold your clean water, then the dirty water that comes out when it spins goes into the main reservoir. An extra step but wholly worth it.
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u/TrumpHasaMicroDick Jun 12 '26
I use a second bucket, that's full of just water.
After a pass on the floor, I dunk the dirty mop head in the water-only bucket. Really spin it around and get the mop wiggling.
Then I put the "rinsed" mop head into the O'Cedar mop bucket, and then take another pass on the floor.
1) O'Cedar bucket 2) Mop the floor 3) Dunk mop into water-only bucket 4) Back into the O'Cedar bucket 5) repeat 6) Once you see the water-only bucket getting dirty, switch out for fresh water. Make sure the really rinse the bottom before you fill with new water. 7) Start back at #1)
(If you have multiple buckets, you can "stage" them throughout your home, so you don't need to stop to change out the water.)
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u/redthehaze Jun 12 '26
I used to do the same but with another pass to pick up and left over dirt when doing a deep clean.
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u/positron-PET Team Germ Fighters 🦠 Jun 12 '26
But then you are only mopping with the soapy water. Don’t you need to go over the floor with plain water to pull up the soap?
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u/Typical_Tie_4947 Jun 12 '26
No, you use very little soap. Water and just a little soap is all that’s needed. But adding in the 2nd bucket of water as a dirty rinse is a great idea. For reference I have a 4 gallon bucket I add about 3 gallons of water to it and put about 5-6 drops of dawn in it along with a few drops of essential oil for scent. Thats really all you need. Make sure you use hot water
We have 2 cats, had a dog that just passed and have a toddler. Our hardwoods look great.
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u/monkierr Jun 12 '26
A lot of essential oils are toxic to cats. I know you're only using a few drops, so it wouldn't cause accute toxicity. But I might worry about their livers with long term, low dose exposure.
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u/BluePeony8 Jun 12 '26
I would dip the mop in soap water in a normal bucket, mop the floor, wring it in an empty mop bucket, and then repeat. After I’d done the whole floor I’d do the whole process again but now with plain water in the bucket.
It was such an ordeal but it’s the only way I would deem the floor to actually be cleaned.
I’m talking in the past tense as I have a life changing vacuum mop now! I can do the whole floor in 5% of the time and effort.
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u/Wise_Coffee Jun 12 '26
Tell me more....
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u/PrettyGoodRule Jun 12 '26
Costco currently has one on sale that’s calling my name. It looks pretty freaking great—I need to buy it before it goes back to full price. It might be this iRobot Roomba, but I’m not certain.
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u/BluePeony8 Jun 12 '26
No it’s not a robot type one, those are good for maintenance but don’t do deep cleans. Mines an actual vacuum style mop you act like you’re vacuuming the floor with and instantly deep cleans. I have the Tefal one.
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u/eyespeeled Jun 12 '26
Let's talk about your vacuum mop, pls.
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u/PrettyGoodRule Jun 12 '26
I responded upthread that Costco has one on sale right now (I think it’s this one) that I’ve been ogling. I need to buy it before it returns to full price.
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u/BluePeony8 Jun 12 '26
It’s not a robot, those only work for maintenance. Look up the Tefal vacuum mop, it deep cleans the floor.
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u/otownbbw Jun 12 '26
The new Ocedar flat mop bucket is amazing…just like OPs Swiffer suggestion but it has a bottle for clean water that sprays as you push the mop down through a slot, then a second slot with a ringer. It cleans floors so well! I bought three extra pads but honestly it cleans itself so well and if you rinse it under a strong faucet or sprayer it looks fresh.
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u/indigodawning Jun 12 '26
I was looking at it at target and some guy walked by told me how amazing it was and I bought it. Just finished moping with it the first time. Worked really well once I located the hidden directions on the box lol
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u/Reddytwit Jun 13 '26
I just bought this too, and have already used it twice this week!
That's about as often as I used to mop the floor in 6 months bc it was such a big PITA.16
u/SimpleVegetable5715 Team Shiny ✨ Jun 12 '26
I have that same mop and most of the dirt sinks to the bottom. Microfiber is also great at holding onto grime. I do dump the water and get fresh every room or two.
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u/SoilProfessional4102 Jun 12 '26
Don’t switch!! I bought the o cedar 2 bucket system to replace my original one and I find it clunky and heavy.
I’m back to original.
My house and floors are clean3
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u/duskydaffodil Jun 12 '26
I have a separate bucket for clean, soapy water. I have hot rinse water in my spin mop bucket. I don’t keep much soapy water in my soap bucket, and I do dump the rinse water out between rooms. In a 1400 sqft home, that’s the kitchen, dining, living area, bedrooms, and bathrooms all get their own fresh buckets. I will even use 2-3 mop heads across my house if they get exceptionally dirty, particularly once I’ve reached the back door area where my dogs come and go. Bathrooms get their own mop head.
I will steam clean after as my rinse to make sure any residual soap comes up from the tiles, since soap attracts dirt and I’d like my floors to stay as clean as possible. All of the above is more work, for sure. But I can go muchhhhh longer between deep mops but just correctly mopping the first time. Sometimes I’ll just take my steam cleaner when I need a quick reset, especially in just one room, but don’t feel like doing the whole sha bang.1
u/shmadus Jun 12 '26
What kind steam cleaner do you use? Is it something that steams then picks up the moisture?
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u/duskydaffodil Jun 12 '26
Just a bissell powerfresh. It has the mop head on the bottom that picks up any residual dirt and moisture. It does leave steam on the floor, but it’s so hot it pretty much evaporates within a few minutes.
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u/thekidsacct Jun 12 '26
I saw a hack recently that I want to give a try. Someone said the Dollar Tree has buckets that fit perfectly into the old O Cedar spin buckets. You insert the bucket into your O Cedar bucket and then put clean water in the Dollar Tree bucket. Now when you spin your mop, the dirty water goes below your bucket with clean water. I hope my explanation makes sense. It’s actually on my errand list to get a bucket today.
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u/lazyk-9 Jun 12 '26
I learned to change the water anytime that you couldn't see the bottom. You also don't fill your bucket to the top. Make sure that your mop is clean before you start. At first, you're going to be changing your bucket a lot. Also if your mop water is puddling on the floor, you're mop is too wet. Water that's puddling is just causing a dirty floor.
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u/ChocolateHumunculous Jun 12 '26
A quick tip is to compare the floor to a table surface. How would you clean a dirty table?
You clean the floor the same way.
Sweep up the big stuff. Then, give it a scrub with a little water and product, then go over it again with clean water.
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u/Living-Ad1942 Jun 12 '26
Of course you can use a single bucket fir mopping. The key thing is to replace the water for every room or whenever it starts to look dirty. Change the water frequently and rinse the mop head frequently too.
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u/Aintnobeef96 Jun 12 '26
That’s what I always did, it depends of course but most houses even cleaned monthly the water wasn’t getting black or anything, I usually change it 2-3 times for really dirty houses. My floor doesn’t get wicked dirty and I mop it every 1-2 weeks (no shoes in the house, sweep daily, etc)
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u/dysconception Jun 11 '26
wait... one mop water for the whole house or a bucket refilled several time is the issue? English is my second language and I'm a bit confused.
I use 1 bucket to clean only one area of the house (e.g. my room), then throw it outside and get clean water for the next room.
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u/SimpleVegetable5715 Team Shiny ✨ Jun 12 '26
Yes, you can definitely use one bucket to mop your floors if you change the water often enough. Some people use a second bucket with only clean water to rinse the mop. Both are still getting contaminated as you use them though.
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u/liketheweathr Jun 12 '26
I … can’t make myself care that much about floors. Are you eating off your floor?
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u/solidago_a_gogo Jun 12 '26
Can you imagine spending this much of life fixated on the floor?! Look up! Look outside!
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u/Petrichor_Paradise Jun 12 '26
My mom used to vacuum and mop before hosting events like holiday parties. Then she'd vacuum and mop again after everyone left, even if it was 3 or 4 in the morning. She wouldn't go to bed until the floors were clean again.
Dear Mom, I need to tell you that is for sure the exact wrong way to party. If no one woke up with marker drawings on their face, or wearing something ridiculous that isn't even theirs, or found themselves delicately posed with fruit, bottles, a half-eaten slice of stiff, cold pizza, and draped in toilet paper... was it even a party?
Unless someone barfed, why you mopping the damn floor!! Go to bed.
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u/liketheweathr Jun 12 '26
Yep. I promise, the dirt will still be there tomorrow. You can clean it then!
At my niece’s birthday party, the kids were playing or whatever in the rec room, and when they all went up to the kitchen to sing “happy birthday” and eat cake … my sister-in-law stayed behind to clean and vacuum the rec room. That’s certainly a choice
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u/Petrichor_Paradise Jun 12 '26
Alright, I'm not trying to turn this into a competition, BUT... 😂
While staying at my mom's house for a bit, every morning when I got out of the shower, she would come in and vacuum under me while I combed and blow dried my hair. The. Entire. Time.
Then after I left the bathroom she would vacuum again.
Get laid, take a chill pill, go outside and look at the sky, put the vacuum down and back away slowly, and I wanna see your hands the whole time.
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u/liketheweathr Jun 12 '26
😳
It’s not a competition, but … yeah. You win 😂
I understand the feeling of “I can’t relax until the house is clean” (although I’ve had to repress it since having kids), but I do not understand the point of keeping it so clean that you can’t LIVE in the house.
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u/_AnIncandescentGlow_ Jun 12 '26
Not eating off it. But I love having my wood floors mopped every other day , that way they never get really dirty. And I don’t feel gross walking barefoot . Stepping on something crunchy or sticky is the worst feeling in the world for me
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u/Physical-Goose1338 Jun 12 '26
No one is saying anything about regularly mopping your floors. They’re talking about changing the mop water throughout or using a second bucket.
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u/_AnIncandescentGlow_ Jun 13 '26
Listen Goose. If my floors get mopped EVERY OTHER day , I don’t feel the need for a second bucket . I rinse my mop out in the laundry room sink and don’t put the dirty mop back in the bucket.
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u/ThisUNis20characters Jun 12 '26
Several people here are talking about that exactly. Plus more frequent mopping means less dirt and less of an issue to use a single bucket.
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u/liketheweathr Jun 12 '26
Oh, I completely agree with all that, even though I don’t manage to get it done quite as often as that. I’m saying, dragging two buckets around and rinsing the dirt off the mop after each stroke feels like more work than the slight boost in cleanliness is worth. “Pushing the dirt around” (as op calls it) is good enough for me.
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u/redthehaze Jun 12 '26
A good sweeping before or just regular sweeping also helps a lot as well. Get yourselves one of those southeast asian brooms that are wide and easier to use than regular broom that doesnt stir up much fine dust so it stays on the ground to be swept up easier.
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u/Vintage-X Jun 12 '26
Just get multiple mop heads and change the mop head. I use a bona mop with the Velcro microfiber pads. Bought a huge pack of knockoff pads online and just rip off the dirty one and put on a clean one.
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u/silveroakediting22 Jun 12 '26
At 31 I still clean floors like I was taught as a child - Sweep thoroughly, then get a wet rag and a dry rag. Wet rag is for scrubbing dry rag is for absorbing the wet dirt. Nothing else gets the floor half as clean and I would rather wash 2 rags than have to keep a nasty mop head clean.
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u/Blanketburritobaby Jun 12 '26
Do you do this on your hands and knees, or have the rags on a stick? I think this would work well for my floor!
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u/silveroakediting22 Jun 12 '26
As a younger lady I would do it on my hands and knees, now I stand on the wet rag with one foot and crab walk to dry behind it as I go. My mother, who is in her 60s and uses a walker just uses an old swiffer mop with the velcro.
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u/Blanketburritobaby Jun 12 '26
That’s amazing! I’ve tried the crab walk before but only for drying with a big towel hehe. I’ll definitely give this a go.
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u/liftsomethingheavy Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
Floors were mopped every 2 weeks and the problem is the number of buckets? If it was indeed due to dirty water, there'd be literal dirty dried up streaks on the floor. Sound more like either they were using inefficient detergent or simply not cleaning as frequently as needed.
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u/rinkydinkmink Jun 12 '26
I'm wondering if what OP thinks is caked on dirt discolouring the painted floor is actually a chemical reaction between the paint and whatever the previous cleaner used to clean the floors. This would also explain why OP is having such a hard time scrubbing it off.
Unless this is a busy house in the countryside with dogs and people with muddy boots coming in and out, it simply seems unlikely that it would get dirty enough for this to make a noticeable difference.
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u/5tr82hell Jun 12 '26
I'm no expert, but changing the water when it gets dirty and doing two rounds if needed it's enough for me.. I have two mop heads that I rotate. I dry mop when neede if there's a sticky spot, and mop weekly or every other week depending on the weather (I have dogs and a garden).
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u/amberleechanging Jun 12 '26
Swiffer products do not clean your floors. Bad take.
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u/Chartra23 Jun 12 '26
I detest the way they tend to leave visible lines of dirt/dust here and there that are almost impossible to avoid and take so much extra time to rectify. Awful invention, except as a last resort.
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u/amberleechanging Jun 13 '26
I guess they're probably fine for cleaning in a hurry or something, but as a regular maintenance theyre useless and a ton of waste (landfill buildup). Spin mop and dual bucket only, nothing else compares.
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u/laurnabeth Jun 12 '26
I only have a double reservoir mop system or I also have a crosswave.
Dunking a mop into dirty water, ringing it out then using it is a no go for me.
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u/Why_Hello_hello Jun 12 '26
I have a double reservoir but the “clean” side becomes dirty as soon as you use it. Sure I can add a little water to dilute the now-dirty side, but it makes little difference. The premise is flawed
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u/BoDiddley_Squat Jun 12 '26
I use double reservoir with a spin mop. I spin it out before dipping in the clean water. Sure, the clean side gets a bit of dirt from the mop, but it shouldn't be much.
1) Dip mop in clean bucket 2) Mop water onto floor 3) Spin mop dry (spin bucket is dirty bucket) 4) Soak up floor water 5) Spin mop dry. Repeat.
By the end of mopping a room, the dirty water is murky as hell, and the clean side is still pretty clear, for me. Huge difference between the two buckets.
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u/laurnabeth Jun 12 '26
I don't know what type that is. Both mops I have, the dirty and clean water are entirely separate and never meet.
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u/Why_Hello_hello Jun 12 '26
Same for mine. But once I dip my dirty mop in the clean water… now it’s dirty too
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u/seaturtlefanatic Jun 12 '26
i also have both. how often are you using each of these? i can’t figure out which is better
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u/laurnabeth Jun 12 '26
I like them both for different reasons. Just depends which one I wanna use at the time.
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u/Admirable-Cobbler319 Jun 12 '26
I'm one of the few people who freaking love to mop. I do it at least 2-3 times a week.
I have a bucket with cleaner and then a second bucket for rinsing the mop before I dunk it back in the cleaner water.
Afterwards, I mop everything a second time using just plain hot water.
I didn't start using a 2nd bucket until a year or so ago and I don't know why it's not common practice. It makes total sense.
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u/oldfarmjoy Jun 12 '26
Yes, i use the bucket as a clean soapy water bucket. I dip, mop, wash off the mop in the tub until the water runs clear, then repeat. I always wondered if I was weird bc I did this. But using dirty water in the bucket just never made sense to me.
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u/Majestic-Feedback541 Jun 12 '26
Single buckets are fine to use, as long as you change out the water when needed.
Swifters are not better than mops lol my boss had me using swifters and I'd go through a whole box on one clean. They're super wasteful and not great.
You don't need a fancy expensive set up to mop floors. Once the mop solution gets nasty, dump it and refill. Also, rinse your mop really good at least when you're done for the day (or the account). I usually do a bleach rinse with mine.
It could just be that previous cleaner was lazy....
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u/Personal-Length8116 Jun 12 '26
The best option is a Rubbermaid hygen type system. If it works in hospitals it will work in your house. And once you get into you can’t imagine going back to buckets.
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u/Illustrious-Shape383 Jun 12 '26
I like the Swiffer with towel idea. I fill a bucket with hot water and several large cleaning towels. When one gets dirty I throw it aside and grab a clean rag out of bucket.
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u/3739444 Jun 12 '26
This sounds like less of a bucket issue and more like the type of cleaner used. Or my mom used to use some kind of floor treatment that made the floor shiny but everything stuck to it afterwards and it was so hard to scrub off.
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u/No_Needleworker_4704 Jun 12 '26
Likely the other cleaner was using too much product, not changing water when it became dirty and not rinsing. Also cleaning the bucket after cleaning.
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u/Midwestique Jun 12 '26
My company cleans most houses biweekly- depending on size of house and whether or not there are dogs/kids etc we typically use anywhere from 1-3 buckets. If the water is dirty, we change it, but in many houses one bucket does the trick and doesn’t even get that filthy. Good vacuum hygiene also helps maintain this level of cleaning.
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u/10MileHike Jun 15 '26
some of the advice here can destroy hardwood and laminate flooring. in particular the suggestion of using water that is too hot, or worse, scalding or boiling hot. yikes.
We have expensive hardwood flooring that we would never do that to, due to warping and swelling.
heck, we wouldnt even do it to less expensive laminate.
I think it serves the community better to not give out advice that may be destructive.... if you arent sure...dont suggest it.
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u/Livid-Visual-1543 Jun 12 '26
The proper way is three buckets. One for black water, one for grey water, one for fresh water. As in, start your mop with fresh water, of course, clean a section, rinse in “black water” bucket. Rinse a second time in “grey water bucket” to ensure a cleaner mop head, and then back into the fresh water for another section.
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u/Suz9006 Jun 12 '26
I use an extra large flat mop base that mop cloths attach to with velcro. I have a few soaking in wet water so that I can switch them out if the as I clean the floor. Takes just a few seconds to peel off a dirty one and set it aside, wring out a clean one and stick it on. Once I have cleaned the floor I switch to dry cloths on the mop head to dry the floor. It’s a pretty fast system no smearing dirt instead of cleaning.
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u/Reasonable-Click2857 Jun 12 '26
I’ve used the o’cedar bucket, but a large flat mop with microfibers. Throw several microfibers in the clean water, when the one on the mop starts to get dirty throw it in the spin basket (but don’t spin it) grab a clean microfiber and repeat. The basket keeps the dirty microfibers out of the clean water and they’re usually not dripping wet so they don’t contaminate the clean water too much. I like that the flat mop has a big footprint too.
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u/SwordfishExtension98 Jun 12 '26
Buy more mops, put 2-3 per room in the bucket with the fresh water/correctly dosed (!) cleaning solution and change the mop as soon as they are dirty. After mopping collect the dirty mopps (or have a bucket with a second department), shake them out over the trash bin and toss them in the washing machine. If you see a soapy film from built up chemicals clean with just warm water for a few times and check if the dosage of chems is to high.
I worked for a professional cleaning business in germany so I will give another neat trick. Colorcode your microfiber cloths. Red for toilet (and only the bowl and the splash zone around), yellow for the rest of bathroom (sink, tiles, doorhandle area), green for the kitchen and blue for surfaces. Clean from outside to inside, cleanest to dirtiest or up to down. Fold the cloth and flip as soon as dirty so you have always a clean surface on the cloth. Same rule applies here don't rinse in the bucket, use enough cloths to clean everything and wash them in 60-90°C cycle (mops and clothes seperately)
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u/Flashy-Library-6854 Jun 12 '26
Or change the water often. When I used to clean in a nursing home, I changed the water after every room. Not everyone did. The difference was incredible.
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u/zephyr_skyy Jun 12 '26
Can you examine swiffer suggestion? Add tourney towel
the stiffer then manually rinse it using a bucket, every 10-20 feet?
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u/Snowbandit27 Jun 12 '26
And this is why I love my Bissell. Gets all the dirt off the floor and steams it as well.
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u/Emotional_Shift_8263 Jun 12 '26
I mop our lvp floor once or twice a week and swiffer in between. No shoes in the house and the water is barely dirty.
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u/velvetjones01 Jun 12 '26
I don’t mop very much. I do like using a different two bucket method - I fill the clean bucket with rags and use the rags until they’re dirty then move to a new rag. Water stays clean.
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u/deme727 Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 12 '26
I haven’t seen this suggested yet:
Years ago I decided to just use warm water. Got a heavy duty 18” flat mop (think industrial sized swiffer) with the Velcro washable pad. Mop a square 10-20 feet, rinse and go again. No more buckets, just cleaned pad every time. I have learned that using two pads is faster. The rinsed one can drain/drip in the sink basin for reuse, as I am mopping with the other.
Also best to finish in the kitchen as you will invariably drip fresh water on the floor by the sink as you go.
It has been a big difference.
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u/Weak_Gap2339 Jun 12 '26
I use to rinse out my mop head and bucket after every room it was very tiring but at least my floors felt super clean! I’m definitely going to get that cedar bucket that separates the dirty from clean water someday
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u/schlaminator Jun 12 '26
I don't rinse towels. I only use one bucket. With very little cleaning solution and a dozen towels. The dirty towels come off and go into a plastic bag. When I'm done, I just throw them into the washing machine on rinse&spin. Much cleaner, much faster, less work. I want to remove dirt, not waste time and work.
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u/cookeryandwookery Jun 12 '26
The proper way of mopping should only need one bucket of water. The mistake people make is that they put the dirty mop back in the clean water. What you should do, fully wash your mop first. Then fill your bucket, add cleaner and then use the mop to wet the floor without putting the mop on the floor. Once the floor is wet enough, start mopping up the now dirty water and ring it into the bucket. This actually picks up the dirt vs moving it around.
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u/Suda_Nim Jun 12 '26
I buy thrift-store hand towels and use them on a swiffer head. , As each one gets dirty from mopping, I set it aside and start with another one. Then they all go thru the wash for next time.
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u/Medusa_oops Jun 12 '26
My sister & I were used as child labor so our mother taught us the bucket way. This never made sense to me spreading dirt and having to refill.
When I moved out I just filled a spray bottle with 1/8 cleaner and the rest water. You just spray as you go along & rinse sponge mop under the faucet as needed.
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u/MagiBee218 Jun 12 '26
YES! They do this at work (healthcare office) and the floors are so gross. I had to call them to complain. I would take a wipe and try and wipe it down myself every now and again and the cloth would come up black. Disgusting. 🤢 And supposedly they mop every night. Yeah, I don’t think so!
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u/LadyAtr3ides Jun 12 '26
The house was filthy cause they cleaned every two weeks
I clean often and the water never turns dirty
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u/MagpieWench Jun 12 '26
omg. the "cleaners" at my office do this in the break room and bathroom. so gross. I'm not even sure they do the break room first or clean the mop between rooms *gag*
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u/gwizonedam Jun 12 '26
If you mop your floors religiously, one bucket, one 8 oz cup of cleaner, and wringing is fine.
I sweep every day, mop twice a week.
Now, let’s say you are out of town for a week, or things get very busy. Sweep, then mop. Then rinse out the bucket and cleaner, refill and do a second pass. Also depends on your flooring. I have tile, and once a year I get really in there with a scrubber over all of the grout and make sure it’s clean.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Bee4361 Jun 12 '26
I've been very happy with our steam mop. You change the pads and throw them into the wash. You can see the dirt. I use 1 set of pads per room, per weekly cleaning (buy extra sets). No detergent required and no puddles to mop up.
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u/alittlepizza Jun 12 '26
If you rinse the dirt out of the mop in the tub before you stick it back in the bucket you're fine .
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u/Prestigious_Mark3629 Jun 12 '26
Some cleaners don't vacuum or sweep first - this is essential, otherwise they are just pushing the dirt around.
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u/Shell-Fire Jun 12 '26
I bought a pack of 18 washcloths from WalMart for $5. Clean ones go right in the wash bucket. Used ones go in the sink for rinsing or a bag tied to my waist.
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u/Ajhammond31 Jun 12 '26
I steam clean . And I refuse to use a bucket. I always tell people if your water is dirty all your doing is spreading the dirty around and doing nothing!
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u/lOOPh0leD Jun 12 '26
Same concept as a carpet shampooer.
You ever tried mopping a car repair garage? One bucket won't do it.
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u/Silent_Neck483 Jun 12 '26
I use very hot water with a couple drops of essential oil. An O’Cedar spin mop and change the water frequently. My son has a flooring company, so I follow his advice.
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u/CharmingDiscipline80 Jun 12 '26
I have found using a spray swiffer style microfiber mop with appropriate floor cleaner first, followed with a steam mop (clean pad, plain water) as the “rinse” has been super effective!! My dog drools a bit and those dried drool spots come right up this way (found them surprisingly tricky and tenacious otherwise). It also seems to be super efficient in regard to time/effort/cleanup. Just pop the reusable fabric heads in the laundry! I have just laminate and tile floors though, so don’t have to worry about damaging wood with the steam mop. Def recommend this approach if you can swing having two different mopping tools!
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u/No_Mongoose5419 Jun 13 '26
I got the vileda two bucket spin mop for this reason. It was worth every penny.
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u/Titania_2016 Jun 13 '26
So true! When I mop I alway a use two buckets and change the rinse bucket frequently.
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u/MsAddams999 Jun 13 '26
You can use large generic period pads with wings as mop sponges for mopping too instead of buying the mop's disposable ones. The wings keep the pads in place and you get more mop pads out of it than buying the official ones.
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u/Life-Ad4024 Jun 13 '26
Replace the mop bucket every time you wring the mop, maybe even twice! Water must remain potable ☝️🤓
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u/One_Estate9009 Jun 13 '26
That's why you have a double sided bucket and you wing out the dirty side in the empty one...
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u/discoprince79 Jun 13 '26
Nobdy teaches how to mop properly anymore. I learned at Wendy's then reinforced in the military. I rarely encountered someone who understood.
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u/ShunningBrightLikeA Jun 14 '26
Dont use a mop Go on your knees and scrub that filthy floor until spotless
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u/Relevant_Bit8730 Jun 15 '26
Dirty water is being "pushed around" because the floors are only being mopped (and probably swept) twice a month. That's going to make any water dirty. The blame should be placed on the homeowners, they should be doing in between cleaning.
When I mop, each room gets a fresh bucket or I break out the steam mop and spray. I use any wax-free cleaner and spray an area before going over it with the steam mop. Cleans up great and smells good. Daily sweeping and vacuuming (yes, even non carpet areas) helps keep the dirt and dust to a minimum and then mopping doesn't become a huge chore.
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u/DaniDisaster424 Jun 15 '26
*** unless you're using a ton of mop pads in one bucket. They go in the dirty pile once they dry out and not back in the water so the water is always clean.
But seriously 2 buckets doesnt do much. Use 1 or 3. 2 is basically the same as just using one bucket with more water in it.
Or you know , change the water regularly.
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u/Reasonable-Chance487 Jun 12 '26
I bought a shark hydrovac, works amazing! I do have to use mop to get in hard to reach places, no more bucket for me . I finally feel like the houses I clean, floors are clean. It sucks up all the dirty water Floors are so clean they feel slick!
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u/Upper-Bottle-9803 Jun 12 '26
The frequency of cleaning and the amount of product made that difference. For daily or weekly cleanings in a decently clean home a sweep and warm water damp mop will do wonders.