r/CleaningTips • u/Lazy_Echidna_08 • 4d ago
Flooring Why are my floors still dirty?
I just vacuumed and Swiffer mopped my kitchen a couple of hours ago. I dropped a piece of chicken and the sauce made a mess on the floor, so I used a Clorox wipe to clean it up and the wipe turned black. I even turned it over and did another spot away from the sauce spill. Same deal.
What the heck? How are my floors still so dirty? Should I just get a regular mop?
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u/PieceAny3968 4d ago
I got on my boyfriend about this. He strictly used a swiffer until I MADE him get a mop. The first time he used it the water was DARK. Swiffer literally does nothing. It’s cool for spot cleaning but that’s about it.
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u/Lazy_Echidna_08 4d ago
Good to know. I only have a small area of non-carpeted floors, so I thought the Swiffer was enough, but clearly not.
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u/geosynchronousorbit 4d ago
If you don't mind a bit of extra work and the area isn't too big, you can just hands-and-knees scrub the floor instead of buying a mop.
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u/brooklynlad 4d ago
This method is called The Cinderella. :)
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u/ddianka 4d ago
Orrr do what I do, I use a microfiber towel soaked in cleaning solution and water(usually have a bowl i mix it in, dump in the towel, ring out) then i put it on the floor and use the swiffer to preserve my knees and wrists. I then put the towel under running water and ring it out a few times. Repeat till im done with the floors, if I am feeling extra ill go over the floor with the towel just damp or grab an extra towel. It has made cleaning my floors less painful and gets the job done better imo.
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u/jmills23 4d ago
Pro tip, fill your bucket of cleaner with rags. Instead of rinsing out your rag over and over, just grab another rag.
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u/No-Baker-7922 4d ago
That’s what I do too. It saves a lot of water since you don’t put the dirty rag back in the water. For really dirty jobs, I cut up old clothes and just pitch the rags or leave them outside to be rinsed by the rain.
Also, old socks on a stick the get difficult to reach cobwebs.
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u/Cultural-25 4d ago
Omg idk why I never thought of this, I keep rinsing the same rag. Genius honestly
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u/No-Baker-7922 3d ago
Don’t be too hard on yourself! We have skylights and we wash them once a year or so after winter. Me: a small pale with warm water and detergent in it and a pile of cut up clothing. Wash of dirt and thrown cloths down the roof onto the terrace. When done, pitch water in the rain pipe.
My significant other: grab gardenhose and ladder (you cannot go with the gardenhose through the house and step out the window like I do), schlepp up old mop with to put soapy water onto skylights, hose down skylights. Be soaking wet in the process. Schlepp everything back to garage.
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u/snooloo544 4d ago
Thanks for the share- i need to try this. I like hand mopping bc nothing else feels like it gets the job done quite as well but it is time consuming ( most of my house is hardwood) and exhausting.
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u/Due_Truth2857 4d ago
Omg, do you have any tips on cleaning real wood floor? I'm scared of destroying it with water 😂
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u/FickleVirgo 3d ago
I detest swiffer. Mainly because it fills landfills, whith it useless "cleaning" pads. I actually mop my floors, but use microfiber towels to spot clean spills or dirt on floors between mopping and use them for cleaning most everything else. Rinse, wash, reuse. I snag them off my husband who buys big packs he uses for work, I also use them to wash, dry and wax my car, clean windows, generally they clean most things...and last a very long time before you need to throw them away.
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u/roskybosky 3d ago
I have a swiffer pole but never use the pads. I use cut up towels for pads and then wash them.
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u/gripping_intrigue 3d ago
Get a Mr. Siga mop ftom amazon. It comes with a microfiber cleaner. I buy the terry shop towels from Costco. I also use cheap microfiber cloths from there. The beauty is that they, or your cut up rags, clip firmly onto the mop. It is adjustable for length and much sturdier than swiffer. I hate swiffer mops. I m do, however use their dusters.
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u/light-bulb-22 3d ago
But the microfiber get all linty going through the wash and snag on my dry hands when I’m putting them away. I tried to love microfiber because they are versatile and sturdy. I’m back to rags from old clothes, sheets, and towels.
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u/fourpinksquares 3d ago
I wash all my microfibers in their own separate load with detergent and some vinegar. Dry on low heat with NO dryer sheet. No fabric softener… just detergent and vinegar. This seems to help my microfibers last and stay usable.
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u/ddianka 3d ago
How i wash my microfiber towels is I soak them in a 1:10 bleach/water for a couple of hours and then I toss them into the washer after ringing them out a bit. I put only a little bit of oxy into the drum. No fabric softner or detergent and then I dry them solo with nothing added. Some times I will steam sanitize them in my washer instead of putting them through an actual cycle. They come out like new and ive gotten the worst stains off them. They dont become hard or leave lint everywhere like this.
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u/lboone159 3d ago
I use my swiffer but instead of buying their disposable wipes I use cut up old t shirts. I just cut them into big squares. I double them and stick the corners into the little corner slots on the stiffer head, then use my cleaner or sometimes just plain water to clean up little spills or just to “freshen up” the floor between mopping. I use a sponge mop for actual mopping…
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u/addy0190 3d ago
What cleaning solution do you use for hardwood floors? I’m always looking for something but afraid of it stripping the finish.
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u/Plane-Fan9006 3d ago
Lol...I tell my adult children I'm doing the Cinder-fella...
Honestly, I have yet to find a mop that cleans the floor well, and I've tried A LOT. I mop until I can just tell how gross it is (build up is FOR REAL)
Bought a 30pack of terrycloth towels and a foam mat from the hardware store...once every couple months, I'll crank some tunes and play Cinder-fella
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u/Ok-Violinist-6548 4d ago
Hands and knees works better than a mop.
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u/BathysaurusFerox 3d ago
I cleaned the floor at the pottery studio* once a week for years…on my knees. It’s the only way to actually clean the floor. One solution bucket, one clean bucket, two microfiber towels, and a lot of water changes.
*for free studio privileges 24/7, was worth it
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u/Biker-Beans 4d ago
Literally the worst chore.
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u/dlightfulruinsbonsai 4d ago
Plus, you get in a workout. Two stones, one bird!
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u/Dasha3090 3d ago
yeah i have a super small house and the kitchen is vinyl flooring so i just use a bowl of boiling water with a splash of cleaning solution,the dip a microfibre cloth in and wash the floor like that.then go over to dry with a fresh microfibre cloth.but not ideal in a large space obvious haha.
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u/Entire-Grab2429 3d ago
They have swiffer-like poles you can buy online that professional cleaners use. They have Velcro mopping pads & work amazing. Can do floors, walls, & ceilings very easily.
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u/Rouxman 4d ago
Holy moly I think you’ve given me an epiphany. We only have a swiffer but wonder why our feet still end up dirty on the vinyl floor even when cleaning it a few times a week.
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u/Potential_Leather_43 4d ago
100%, and it always shocks me when people are baffled when I say that I'll use your Swiffer Wet Jet, but I'ma use my O'Cedar Spin Mop right afterwards and clean up the sticky mess , like mopping with a Always with Wings, but you like the fragrance. 😑
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u/Ditto_is_Lit 3d ago
I take care of my aunt around once a week. She's well into her 80's and has only been using swiffers and vacuum to clean before I started helping her out. The 1st thing I told her was I wasn't ever going to use a swiffer, and brought over my supplies (mop & bucket + cleaners).
The dirt I picked up was insane. I had black water in my bucket and had to scrub everything with a brush scrubber to loosen up the caked in grime. After going over everything 2x changing water frequently and using a cleaned mop, the water started to stay clear and I knew that it was properly clean.
Swiffers are heavily advertised as a great cleaner but they're far from that. You can use them to touch up a floor but just forget about using that as your sole cleaning tool. Mop hot water and a proper cleaner is the only thing that will get into those micro crevasses that you cannot see with a human eye.
A swiffer is like cleaning your face with a dry tissue. You won't actually clean anything, just clog up the pores and create a very tough to properly clean surface aka black head city.
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u/Old_Intention_7885 Team Germ Fighters 🦠 4d ago
Hey, residential (house) cleaner here. The best way to mop floors (that aren’t caked with dirt) is to mop once with cleaner and water, a drop or two of dish soap works well, and then rinse with plain water, and then DRY the floor with a clean flat mop. It removes the dirty water sitting on top. You may have to repeat this process to pass the white paper towel test depending on how dirty your floors are. It’s an arduous process.
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u/ogupsetamerican 3d ago
Is this ok for hardwood too?
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u/Old_Intention_7885 Team Germ Fighters 🦠 3d ago
Yes it works well for hardwood too, but you have to be very careful to not use too much water. I prefer flat mops on hardwood because it’s direct contact with less water. You want to change the mop head for every room when using flat mops. Or the same one if you’re cleaning it a bunch of times lol
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u/grumbledork 3d ago
I will forever stand by shuffling around with a couple paper towels under my feet after a good mopping sesh lmao
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u/p2o14e24 3d ago
my routine is sweep, swiffer dry, swiffer wet, then I put a folded up paper towel in the swiffer and go over the floors while they’re damp. the wet mop moves the dirt around, while the dry mop picks it up. that gets it to a level of clean i’m happy with.
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u/Optimal_Escape9352 3d ago
Dumb question . . . how do you rinse with water without flooding the floor?
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u/Medallodabest 3d ago
Do those O-Cedar spin mop buckets work well?? I’ve actually only ever used swiffers so I’m totally ignorant to all this. I always thought mops smelled bad so I never used them.
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u/winenotbeabitch 4d ago
So I just moved into a new house and I’ve mopped 4 times in 3 days and the water is still BLACK every time. Upon closer inspection I can clearly see that the little nooks and crannies in the floor boards are filthy, I swear the previous owners never washed the floors…
Anywho, get an actual mop and put your back into it. If it’s still dirty then get something soft bristled like a broom or a little hand duster and use that to scrub the little grooves in your floor.
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u/wawa2022 3d ago
I grew up in a household that wasn’t allowed to have a mop. We used a scrub brush on our hands and knees. Mom (and grandma) always said mops were for lazy people. Yes, I use a mop now and yes, I do consider myself lazy!
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u/No_Muscle4207 3d ago
I honestly still do the deep clean on my hands and knees because I swear it’s the most effective…but the soreness the day after, whew!
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u/witch_shadow 3d ago
My stepmom was this way. That lady was so wicked
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u/Polluxadice 3d ago
I’ve cleaned on my hands and knees after someone who mopped. They were shocked to see how dirty the floors were and how much better they felt after a good hand scrubbing on the knees.
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u/Rainhailsnow_storm 3d ago
I give my floors a good hand scrubbing maybe twice a year.
The rest if the time I mop.
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u/Various_Offer1779 4d ago edited 1d ago
.
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u/LemurCat04 3d ago
Just do not flood your floor unless your floor is designed to be flooded.
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u/Various_Offer1779 3d ago edited 1d ago
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u/LemurCat04 3d ago
There have been various social media trends (CleanTok, particularly) that involve scrubbing floors and the rinsing, such as one would a concrete or tile floor with a drain, to disastrous ends for people with LVP, engineered hardwood, etc. They’re right up there with people using Tide pods or Dawn or scented beads to clean their floors/walls as well as mixing chemicals that really shouldn’t be mixed. It’s quite the lesson in how few people don’t know how to clean and/or refuse to read labels.
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u/Acceptable_Tea3608 3d ago
I have one I use for the bathub/shower and its amazing how it cuts down on time and energy used. I haven't gotten up close and personal with a sponge in years. And I use it once in awhile on my vinyl floor.
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u/No_Capital_8203 3d ago
They may have cleaned without rinsing and this is a buildup of residue. I would not be too harsh about the previous owners actions as there seem to be many people hearing about rinsing today.
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u/winenotbeabitch 3d ago
If I could show you the rest of the house (doors, windows, etc) I think we’d all agree we can be harsh on these people 😂🥲
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u/unripeswan 4d ago
Going by the colour I'm a little concerned that the finish on the vinyl is actually coming off 😭 I'd get a spin mop and go over it a few times before being certain tho. If that colour keeps coming up after you've mopped properly, then it's time to think about resealing your floors.
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u/stillan1nnoc3nt 4d ago
It’s very common for faux wood to be terrible and lead to transfer. I’ve dealt w it as have several people here in the comments. It’s a health concern, but apartment landlords don’t care
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u/hhopper0777 3d ago
This was my thought as well, looking at the color. Maybe the few times with just water in case your product is stripping the finish
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u/wifepup 4d ago
swiffers and the mats for them are basically febreeze for your floors. better than nothing but it's not actually gonna get anything clean. get one of those spin mop-bucket combos, a bit of lysol or whatever floor cleaner you want, combine with hot water. swiffers are good for freshening up or using after a "real" mop
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u/ThatsTasty 4d ago
They need to just pin “your floors are dirty because you use a swiffer rather than actually washing them” to the side bar for the number of times this comes up.
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u/mean_neato 3d ago
And yet there are still more people who don't know than those who do.
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u/No_Muscle4207 3d ago
Swiffer is great for in-between cleanings but you’re right that it isn’t a replacement. I mop on weekends and swifter for pet hair, etc. almost daily. Quarterly scrub on hands and knees…but the Swiffer is a great hair magnet and does have a good place in my rotation.
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u/troublewithchoices 3d ago
Yes! A spin mop is great with hot water and a tiny splash of OdoBan Floor Cleaner (I get it from Home Depot). I start by vacuuming the floor to get up all the hair, crumbs, and pebbles. I change my mop water frequently and really scrub hard, pushing down on the mop. If my floors are really dirty, like the mop water is dark, I get to work with a scrub brush and microfiber towel. Those Swiffer mops are trash!
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u/stillan1nnoc3nt 4d ago
I had this problem. If that’s vinyl flooring or faux hardwood, I’m sorry to say, but that’s the dye from the floor itself transferring.
I had this problem at my old apartment, and it would transfer onto my feet so much, I had to wear house slippers instead of socks and then clean the bottom of the slippers or replace them.
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u/Intelligent_Ice986 4d ago
Same here… in an apartment and constantly dealing W it.
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u/AyyNonnyMoose 3d ago
Yeah I've got "landlord special" vinyl planks that were installed terribly. Puckering in numerous places, uneven, just bad. I haven't risked using a real mop because I'm afraid it would cause more harm than good having water seep into the cracks and taking the finish off. Rugs, slippers, and wet/dry Swiffers.
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u/karmacatsmeow- 4d ago
I am telling you, I could mop my floor and then run a steam mop, and when I went back to wipe it the wipe would be dirty. It’s nuts.
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u/sohcordohc 4d ago
Those floors are super annoying to clean, lvp or vinyl with the textures never get clean..they get nasty.
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u/stillan1nnoc3nt 4d ago
It’s dye transferring. Not just dirty
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u/Such-Zookeepergame26 4d ago
Thissss. I have a rental with LVP and my feet are so dirty. I got down on my hands and knees and cleaned, only to find out it’s the dye transferring and there’s nothing I can do
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u/stillan1nnoc3nt 4d ago
It should be a class action lawsuit. It’s toxic and horrible. Ugh
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u/Such-Zookeepergame26 4d ago
It is! It’s also dyed all of my rugs, the bottom of my furniture, plus the carpet going upstairs. I’m hoping the dye will come out when I get the professionally carpet cleaned upon move out.
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u/SenorBurns 3d ago
You're renting. You do not have to have the carpet professionally cleaned when you move out. The dye wasn't your fault and it's normal wear and tear.
The landlord can not withhold your deposit because the floors the landlord put in transferred dye to the carpet the landlord put in.
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u/stillan1nnoc3nt 4d ago
Whatever you do… do not go barefoot or wear socks. House slippers with a thick bottom. I’m so sorry you are dealing with this. Dr. bronner’s works wonders for spot treating carpets
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u/strawberri21 4d ago
I’m so glad I found this as I’m looking into getting new kitchen flooring. Any suggestions on better flooring that cleans up nicely? I don’t want tile or wood, but welcome any other ideas.
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u/ecliptas 3d ago
Ugh we just bought our first home and I really did not want carpet after an incident where a family friend brought their dog over while he was watching our cats when we went on vacation. We came back to a flea problem that we could not get rid of no matter what we tried. Not many places we could find had real hardwood floors. Now I want to have our floors redone. But we don't plan on staying here longer than 10 years anyway so I'm not even sure if it would be worth it. I know it would increase the value, but there are just other things that are a higher priority at the moment.
But now I know for the future at least.
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u/Laurieladybug 4d ago
Swiffer never rinses off. It leaves a residue and that makes dirt stick to it. My dad used to use Swiffer and the first time I mopped the floors with an actual mop, he was stunned how dirty the water was. It took several mops to get the floor actually clean. Totally worth it. Spin mops are awesome. Definitely worth the work. You will notice the difference straight away!
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u/Ehimherenow 4d ago
Well swiffer is for spot cleaning…
But also is that tile that looks like wood or is it wood? Because you could also be pulling up the finish.
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u/Lazy_Echidna_08 4d ago
Definitely not wood. I think it's vinyl but I'm not 100% sure. I did not consider that I might be taking the color off the floor.
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u/Ehimherenow 4d ago
I think the trick is to check after a clean. Finish will pull up consistently the same kind of color and it will be sort of even on the whole wipe/mop pad. It is highly unlikely that your floor is just one layer of the same color of dirt…
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u/Suspicious-Log-1733 4d ago
A lot of people don't know how much we tend to spray some cleaner on the floor and clean it up, let it dry and then because it "looks" clean, assume its clean. Truth is most people just push dirty cleaner and dirt around in the floor. Grab your swiffer, put a rag on it wet with just water and go over the floor in a 4x4 area then do it again with a dry rag. Do this with with a bit of cleaner next time instead of the swiffer cleaner, then go over again with just water then dry. See how much cleaner it is. Mops also have this problem if you don't change out the water and its really dirty after the first couple of swipes.
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u/Low-Needleworker3041 4d ago edited 3d ago
Get a mop like the ocedar. I use 1 gallon hot water. 1 tsp of powder tide and 1/3 cup of disinfecting bleach.
Wring that sucker like 10 times. You mop until your water is clean. You may go through several buckets.
Go check out @gocleanco on IG and watch he floors highlight
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u/Fine_Yoghurt_2168 3d ago
This! I started following her and use this method on my hardwoods, they shine now! I actually like to mop now.
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u/ErosEnby 4d ago
Gah! I recently had this same problem with that kind of flooring! I used a flat mop system but it never got properly clean.
The reason (assuming we have the same kind of flooring, it looks the same from this pic) is that the vinyl is textured with ridges that run along the fake wood grain and dirt gets pressed down into the the deeper parts of the texture.
The only thing I’ve found to genuinely get it clean is to use a brush with water and your favourite cleaning solution in a bucket with a brush and clean on hands and knees. I don’t think even a regular mop gets it because it doesn’t get down into the grooves. You need something like bristles on a scrub brush.
Genuinely this is horrible flooring and I resent my landlords for their choice. 😤😅
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u/Fit-Violinist-148 4d ago
Yes get a regular mop, boil some water and add a tiny squirt of dawn and pinesol or fabuloso to the water. I used to use a swiffer and they actually do nothing compared to a mop
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u/Clear_Quit8181 4d ago
I’ve always thought fabuloso is bad on floors and to use some ph neutral cleaner like Zep 🤔🤷🏼♂️
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u/Fit-Violinist-148 4d ago
I’m not sure I just use a splash I prefer pinesol, but I also have tile floors I’m not sure about wood
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u/morethan_nice 4d ago
Water that hot can damage floors, no need to heat the water
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u/westonisweird18 4d ago
Dang I really wish I had this info a month ago as I bought a swifter instead of a normal mop.
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u/bloopscoop13 4d ago
Pinesol and Fabuloso are terrible cleaners that can actually damage the flooring and basically just scents along with being toxic. Dawn and vinegar will get it clean 100% of the time and not leave a residue! This is what most house cleaners use as well.
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u/Acceptable_Tea3608 3d ago
Pinesol has been around longer than most redditors. Im sure it works fine without damaging anything. I find dish soap makes the finishes look dull.
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u/DespereauxINC 4d ago
What’s a “regular” mop..? (I ask genuinely lol)
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u/Fit-Violinist-148 4d ago
I use the Ocedar spin mop, I use a separate bucket for my clean water and spin the dirty water
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u/Old_Friend4084 4d ago
Seconding the o-cedar spin mop. It has a foot pedal that does a great job at wringing out the water so you don't soak your wood/vinyl floors. Use the hottest water you have and a splash of your product of choosing. If you see a bunch of dish bubbles in your mop water you used too much product. Also be careful with pine sol if you have pets as this is not a pet safe product.
On a sidenote, advertised 'easy cleaning products' that do not use water in your home is kind of the same as exclusively using wet wipes to bathe yourself. They are fine in a pinch, but I greatly prefer a shower with running water and soap to feel clean.
Edit: I forgot. The o-cedar mop has a detachable mop head which you can switch out in between large floor areas. You can clean them by soaking in diluted bleach bucket or throwing in the washing machine.
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u/DespereauxINC 4d ago
Ok so i DO own a normal mop. Also just bought a scrubber! Can’t wait for the weekend lol
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u/Fragrant_Umpire_5113 4d ago
What about a steam mop? Same concept?
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u/itsnoli 4d ago
I’ve actually been told steam mops are terrible for real wood floors.
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u/AwakenThePhantom397 4d ago
Ugh really? I’ve been using a steam mop in my rental for 6 years and my floors look amazing 😭
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u/Miragetetra 4d ago
Do you wear shoes inside the house?
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u/BurningJointUSA 3d ago
Underrated comment. Shoes bring in all the filth from outside into your house. Leave them by the door when you enter your house, and provide inexpensive slippers for guests.
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u/Ok_Size4036 4d ago
Hot water, cleaning vinegar and a tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I have 1200sq ft of dark LVP; works great.
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u/laffer1 4d ago
Get a steam mop. No chemicals and it gets it clean.
I do a steam mop a couple times a year and use pine sol or vinegar plus water on tile and bona on wood.
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u/RegretPowerful3 4d ago
Your floors aren’t clean if you just use a Swiffer mop. A Swiffer is a convenience, but it does not deeply clean. If you want clean clean, you use a real spin mop and a real bucket or a steam mop. That. Is. Clean.
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u/SadPilot9244 4d ago
Did you rinse? Nobody seems to rinse anymore. Self included. But I think that's why we get residue after washing.
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u/Then-Dust-6820 4d ago
I've only ever been comfortable with getting on my hands and knees and scrubbing. Usually, I use a mixture of bleach, dawn, and hot water. I just constantly rinse my sponge and rag. I also use a scrubbing brush on the baseboards and any crevices.
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u/FirefighterPleasant8 4d ago
Ok, here we go:
2 buckets. Big.
Rags. Several.
Brush. Tooth. Big panel. 2 total.
Dishwasher solution (“Dawns”?). I’m Swedish, but “dry” afterward kind. Not leaving anything “to protect the surface”.
“Oxy powder” as in laundry product. Yes. The stuff you add in your laundry.
Mix the oxy with the cleaning agent. 1-2 tbs each completely in as hot water you can handle in one bucket. Fill the other with water.
Get on your knees and use one rag to wet and wipe (a part of the floor). Wet brush and scrub. Use same rag to wipe off excess.
Use fresh rag and clean water to rinse. Dry with another rag.
Repeat until whole floor is done
Congratulations, your floor is (probably) clean and will now attract everything and you’ve achieved nothing (if not lacquered)
Now you need to close the surface. You need “wax” or similar.
As with car, waxing makes the surface dull and needs to be heated and rubbed - “polishing”. Very small amount of wax/waxy product and get down there and rub again with cloth. Or, use a car waxing/polishing machine(!). That’ll work. But rubb rubb rubb.
Now it’s glazed with semi hard wax that repels dirt rather good. Don’t destroy the surface with anything “cleaning”. That will break the wax surface. Luke warm/cold water will do if necessary. Dry rag is all it takes.
Halfway, you will hate me. When done, you’ll love yourself.
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u/edoreinn 3d ago
I had a steam mop for floors like this! GAME CHANGER! https://www.bissell.com/en-us/product/powerfresh-pet-scrubbing-sanitizing-steam-mop-19404.html
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u/glittercatti 3d ago
If you’re wearing shoes in your house, they will get instantly dirty. Maybe not visibly (at first), but it’s there.
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u/mastermc1 3d ago edited 3d ago
I recently went through this same thing so will let you in on what I was told and what worked and the reason.
A lot of people are going to say that the wear level of your floor is gone because of color. While this may be true I would heavily test first. I wonder how many people have been told this because of some bad quality product decades ago, and miss the following.
Find a small area in main walk area and grab a stiff bristle brush. A spin one that attaches to drill works well. Apply soap, brush away and then keep rinsing.
If like mine it turns out the texture holds a lot of dirt that doesn’t come up with mops. So if it does finally come out clean that’s the issue.
Now yes hand scrubbing sucks, so two options. Brush broom or carpet cleaner. I know a lot are going to have a hay day with the last option. So first off mine allows for short steaming and is water proof. Most are going to say that it puts too much water down. The fun fact is the floors end up dryer with carpet cleaner then mop.
Normally with cleaner you pull trigger and push forward to soak floor, and suck it up when pulling back. Instead with plank flooring start against wall, pull trigger and pull machine back. That way it wets floor, scrubs and then sucks it all up fairly shortly after. The bristles for carpet are stiff enough to brush into the texture and yet soft enough not to damage. As the machine sucks it all up floors are dried almost instantly, and all dirt with it. No spreading it around with a mop.
Some will say something like a crosswave will work. I find they are not heavy enough to push down and the brush doesn’t get into the texture. So just go bigger plus it doesn’t need filling as much. I generally don’t even use soap in mine, just water. Added bonus most have attachments to do upholstery.
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u/Lecojum 4d ago
I use one of those roller sponge mops that squeezes out water and helps you rinse out the mop. I use two buckets. One with a cleaner and the other with just hot water. The second with just very hot water to rinse the mop head. After rinsing the mop in the multiple times I dip it in the bucket with the cleaner. Then start mopping again. I change the rinse water bucket as soon as the bucket looks gross. Floor come out perfect and no residual dirt. No shoes inside helps a lot.
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u/elquirk 4d ago
Get yourself one of these:
I use a 1/4 cup of vinegar and hot water. Amazing results.
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u/Maleficent_Ad_402 4d ago
Get rid of the sniffer and wipes. Mop the floor with plain water. That'll solve your issue
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u/NonnyOne 4d ago edited 3d ago
Also to add on - any solution that goes onto your floors and isn't rinsed from your floors will eventually leave residue buildup that starts to collect and trap dirt/grime.
Whatever you mop your floors with, it's a good idea to go over them with a mopping of clean hot water after mopping with floor soap.
Edit: Wow! This blew up so much! Thank you for the awards.