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Chores, cleaning and home care

Mopping

Washing a hard floor with a damp mop and a cleaner mixed in water, after the loose dirt has been swept or vacuumed up.

What It Means

Mopping is washing a hard floor, such as tile, vinyl or sealed wood, with a mop dampened in a cleaning solution. The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) suggests a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaner mixed with warm water, with the mop wrung out before it touches the floor. It comes after sweeping or vacuuming, so loose grit is gone before the wet pass.

Try It: Mop a Floor Step by Step

Walk through one mopping pass the way the American Cleaning Institute describes it.

Step 1 of 5: Pick up the grit. Sweep or vacuum first, especially on wood or tile that scratches.

How It Sounds at Home

  • "Don't walk in the kitchen, I just mopped."
  • "The floor's sticky again, whose turn is it to mop?"
  • "Sweep first or you're just pushing crumbs around."

The Breakdown

How often, per the American Cleaning Institute

JobHow oftenSource
Mop wood floorsOnce a weekACI home cleaning guides
Vacuum carpetsOnce a weekACI home cleaning guides
Sweep or vacuum hard floorsBefore every moppingACI
Rinse after moppingWhen the cleaner's label says toACI

The order that works

  1. Clear small things off the floor and sweep or vacuum.
  2. Mix the cleaner with warm water as its label directs.
  3. Dip the mop and wring it out well.
  4. Start in the corner farthest from the door and work back toward it.
  5. Rinse with clear water only if the product calls for it, then let the floor dry before people walk on it.

Make it last between moppings. Buhata's suggestion: a doormat at each entry and a quick sweep of the kitchen after dinner keep grit off the floor, so the weekly wet pass has less to lift. ACI also notes that a floor cleaner with polish can help fill in small scratches and add shine.

Good to Know

Check your floor maker's care guide before you buy a new cleaner or tool. ACI reports that, as a general rule, the hardwood flooring industry doesn't recommend steam mops on wood floors of any kind, and that using products or machines other than the maker's recommended ones can void the warranty. Use one cleaning product at a time: as our chlorine bleachChlorine bleachHousehold bleach made with sodium hypochlorite that whitens, removes stains and disinfects, but can fade colors and damage some fibers. See more page explains, bleach mixed with ammonia or an acid such as vinegar gives off toxic gas.

FAQ

How often should you mop your floors?

The American Cleaning Institute's home cleaning guides suggest mopping wood floors once a week. Wipe up spills as they happen between weekly passes.

Can you use a steam mop on hardwood floors?

ACI says the hardwood flooring industry generally advises against steam mops on any type of wood floor. Follow your floor maker's recommended cleaners, since other products and machines can void the warranty.

Should you sweep before you mop?

Yes. ACI advises sweeping first on floors that scratch easily, such as wood and tile, so grit isn't dragged across the surface by the wet mop.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks with a repeat and Duty Rotation

Add "Mop the floors" to Tasks with a weekly repeat, or set it up in Duty Rotation (Premium) so the household takes turns.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Top-down cleaning

    Cleaning a room from its highest surfaces down to the floor, so dust and crumbs knocked loose land on areas you haven't cleaned yet.

Chores, cleaning and home care

Sources

American Cleaning Institute, "Cleaning Hard Surfaces"; American Cleaning Institute, "Ask ACI: Hardwood Floors and Steam Mops"; American Cleaning Institute, "Fast and Efficient Home Cleaning Guide"; American Cleaning Institute, "Home Cleaning Routine"

Last updated .