Why Your Floors are Dirty Even After Mopping
ave you ever spent a good amount of time and elbow grease on your hard surface floors only to discover they still look dirty right after you finish?
Don’t worry you are not alone, this happens to many people, it is actually quite common. There are a few reasons why it happens:
Using Too Much Soap: When it comes to cleaning, using more soap does not mean getting the floor extra clean or cleaning it faster. Using more soap leads to a residue build-up that can actually attract more dirt to the floors instead of getting rid of it. Which leads us to reason number two.
Not Rinsing: If you are using a traditional mop and bucket method, this increases the amount of liquid on the floor. To ensure there is not film build-up left behind the floors should be followed with a quick plain water rinse and a quick-drying to eliminate the chance of filmy residue left on the floors.
Not Using a Clean Mop Head: You should always periodically check how dirty your mop head is, especially if the floor is fairly dirty. If you are using a rag mop head, you should be rinsing and wringing out the mop head often. Using a dirty mop head is only spreading the dirt around like butter on toast, not removing it.
Ways to Prevent Dirty Floors After Mopping
Have Several Mop Pads Handy or Frequently Rinse Rag Mops
We always suggest using a mop that has removable/interchangeable heads. This is a much easier way to ensure your mop is clean and you are not spreading dirt around the floor. Even better, is using changeable mop heads you can just toss in the laundry when you are done mopping. With a rag mop you need to make sure you are constantly rinsing and wringing out the mop and changing the bucket of water out before it gets too dirty. When done the rag mop needs to be cleaned by hand and stored to air dry.
Related: 5 Tips to Winterizing Your Home
Dry the Floor or Use a Dry Mop Method
If you use a bucket of cleaner it is a good idea to rinse and dry the floor to be extra sure all of the soap residue is off and not hanging around too long to create a film. Alternatively, you can use a dry mop method where you spray diluted cleaner from a spray bottle on the floor and wipe with a mop. When the cleaner is properly diluted, not sprayed too heavily, and the right cleaning solution is used there is no need for the rinsing and drying steps.
Sweep/Vacuum More Often
The easiest way to make your mopping job easier is to keep the dirt down to as much of a minimum as possible. The best way to do this is with routine sweeping or vacuuming without a roller brush. We suggest doing this on hard surface floors once a day or at least every other day. The less dirt on the floors, the less builds up. It is also important to stay on top of a routine with mopping and not let too much time pass between cleanings.
Don’t Forget About Professional Cleanings
Having a professional hard surface floor deep cleaning once a year is important to get deep down dirt that regular home cleanings cant reach. You need professional truck-mounted equipment to give your floors a reset once a year. Especially if you have hardwood or tile floors.
For more information on cleaning hard surface floors, please browse our website. For professional hard surface floor cleaning in Snohomish and North King County make an appointment any time online or over the phone.