When it comes to dry mopping vs wet mopping, everyone has their own opinions about which is better, but the reality is that there are multiple benefits to each method.
Wet mops are great for removing stains and disinfecting surfaces, whereas a dry mop is a good way to prepare for wet mopping by removing surface dust and debris.
In order to understand why you should be dry mopping as well as wet mopping, let’s jump into the benefits and disadvantages of each type to see how they complement each other.
Why Mopping Should Be Part Of Your Routine
Mopping, whether that being dry or wet, should be a part of any regular cleaning routine.
This is because mopping is one of the most efficient ways to clean a large area of floor in one session. Sure, you could use a steam cleaner, but these are expensive and not suited for all types of flooring.
Whereas mops are cheap, and you can clean just about any surface using one no matter if you have hardwood, laminate or tiled flooring. The only time you need to worry about whether you can mop a floor is if you have an unsealed hardwood floor or gaps between floorboards.
Dry Mopping
Dry mopping requires a dry mop and, as the name suggests, doesn’t use any water or cleaning solution.
You can think of a dry mop like a floor sweeper that actually collects dust and surface debris rather than just moving it around. Dry mops are designed with a microfiber head that collects these particles.
Benefits
Let’s take a look at the specific benefits of dry mopping using a dry mop.
Easy To Use
Dry mops are incredibly easy to use.
Since they require no water or preparation like a cleaning solution, dry mops can be used right away to clean the floor and remove dust and debris. All you need to remember to do is shake the head over a dustbin when it has collected enough dust or debris to remove it and leave it ready for the next stroke.
Cheap
Dry mops are incredibly cheap as they are very simple in design.
Most dry mops have replaceable microfiber heads as well which are also cheap to buy, so you can stock up on these to have enough supply to last a long time.
Drawbacks
There are some very clear drawbacks when it comes to dry mops though, so let’s take a look at those as well to fully understand how they work.
Not A Thorough Way To Clean
Dry mops only tackle dust or debris on the surface of a floor, meaning they are not very well suited to cleaning up spills, stains or other gunk that may be present.
To put it in other words, if your floor needs a thorough clean to remove stains or other marks a dry mop would only be the first step in this process – wet mopping would come in afterwards.
Doesn’t Work With Cleaning Solution
Cleaning solutions have numerous benefits such as disinfecting more thorough cleaning.
Since dry mops don’t work with any liquids they are also not suited to being used with cleaning solutions which means you miss out on these benefits.
Wet Mopping
Wet mopping has a lot of benefits that complement the drawbacks of dry mopping. Once you read through the points below you will understand why dry and wet mopping can work side by side to keep any floor clean and sanitized.
Benefits
Wet mopping has quite a few benefits, so let’s take a look through them.
Clean Spills
Wet mopping is great at cleaning up any spills.
This is more of a benefit for hardwood floors, where spills can cause serious damage if left unattended for a long period of time, but it is still helpful for other types of flooring as well. By wringing out the mop you can use it to absorb just about any spill.
Works With Cleaning Solutions
Another benefit of wet mopping is that it works in conjunction with floor cleaning solutions.
Floor cleaning solutions have a range of benefits as well as disinfecting the floor properly. This allows for a much deeper clean that is more likely to remove difficult stains or marks.
Drawbacks
Wet mopping does have some drawbacks as well, and these are worth knowing before you decide to get a wet mop.
More Difficult To Use
Wet mops are actually quite difficult to use, and in some cases, you may even find that your floor looks dirtier after using a wet mop!
This usually happens as a result of impatience or a lack of understanding on how to properly use a wet mop, but nonetheless is a drawback as a lot of people don’t take the time to learn how to correctly use a wet mop.
Time Consuming
Wet mopping also takes much longer than dry mopping.
Not only do you have to prepare the cleaning solution and water, but you also need to wait for the floor to be dry before you walk back over it. Failing to do so can leave your floor dirtier than before you started.
Summary
Dry mopping vs wet mopping is a topic that requires some research to realise that it is best to use both types of mopping rather than just one.
If you begin with dry mopping to prepare a floor for wet mopping you will achieve the best end result; using just one method will not benefit you as much as both.