Is your floor still dirty after mopping no matter how hard you try to get it squeaky clean? If so, you are not alone, and we have a number of reasons for why this may be the case.
The most common reason for a floor to be dirty after mopping is failing to clean out the mop water properly while you are mopping, but it can also be due to other reasons which we will dive into below.
Let’s take a look at these reasons and a few steps you can take to ensure you are mopping your floor correctly.
8 Reasons Your Floor Is Dirty After Mopping
It can be quite confusing when a floor turns out dirtier than it was before after mopping, but there is always a simple explanation!
1. Dirty Mop Water
Mop water doesn’t stay clean for long, and if you’ve ever mopped a dirty floor you will be well aware of this fact.
Depending on how dirty your floor is you may even need to replace the water two or three times to ensure it stays clean, but as a good rule of thumb, you should replace the water when you struggle to see the bottom of the bucket.
Just think about it, if you are mopping your floor with water that is dirty and full of particles and dust then this will simply be transferred back to your floor; rendering the task pointless.
2. Too Much Cleaning Solution
Sometimes more isn’t better, and this is the case with floor cleaning solutions after a certain point.
If you add too much product to the floor it can become thick, soapy and ultimately difficult to remove. This becomes a hundred times worse if you leave your water in too long and it becomes dirty as well – but what is the problem with an excess of solution settling on the floor anyway?
If you allow the cleaning solution to build up and dry it will leave streaks on your floor and potentially marks as well.
The simple solution here is to use lots of clean water and wring your mop out properly after each stroke to prevent not only the cleaning solution but also water from sitting on the floor.
3. Excess Water
Leaving behind an excess amount of water after mopping is a recipe for streaks and marks. If you do this, which we have all been guilty of at one point or another, you will likely need to mop again.
This is more of a problem on hardwood floors, where any spills of water need to be addressed immediately, but it can leave marks on other types of flooring as well.
When you mop your floor try to make sure that you only use as much water as you need to keep it clean throughout mopping. You should aim to leave no visible pools of water behind.
4. Ventilation
If you mop with the windows open to allow for more airflow to improve evaporation you may also be bringing in debris dust as well without even realising it. Small particles are easily picked up into the air and these can make their way onto the floor if you leave all windows open.
The simplest way to prevent this from happening is to leave a window open that is close, but not right next to, where you are mopping. This way you will improve circulation which is beneficial for evaporation without risking bringing in dirt from outside.
You can also opt to use a fan to artificially achieve the same result.
5. Failing To Let It Air Dry Properly
Waiting for your floor to dry after mopping can be frustrating and take a lot of precious time, but it’s worth doing this part correctly otherwise you can cause more headaches than anything.
If you walk over your floor while it is still wet your floor is more prone to picking up dirt and dust from your feet or shoes. Not to mention the fact that it will spread much easier and cause unappealing marks, effectively reversing the entire mopping process in a matter of seconds.
6. Clean The Mop Pad
Just as you should be checking the water regularly, you should also check the mop pad (if you are using one) or head to see if it is getting dirty. This part of the mop is where most of the dust and dirt will collect, so if you can rinse it when it becomes too dirty you will end up with a much cleaner floor afterwards.
7. Testing With A Towel
If you aren’t testing areas of your floor where you have mopped with a clean towel you are making a big mistake.
This is a really easy way to check if your floor will end up clean once dried, and all you need to do is grab a clean towel and rub it into a section of the floor you have mopped. If the mop is dark grey you need to rinse the area more to remove the dirt, whereas if it comes out relatively clean you can be confident in it being clean.
8. Vacuum Before Mopping
A rookie mistake when it comes to mopping is forgetting to vacuum before.
This one is super simple to understand, if you don’t remove dirt and dust that is sat on the surface then it will be much more difficult to get rid of it all while you mop, meaning some of it will get left behind.
This means your floor may still be dirty even after you have gone to all the effort of mopping it.
Doesn’t Evaporation Cause Streaks?
Evaporation does cause streaks, but this only occurs when you leave pools of water or areas where there is still soap on the floor.
Evaporation is not a bad thing if you have properly mopped and left as little water as possible which will evaporate within a matter of minutes. If you are leaving behind visible amounts of water after mopping you are doing something wrong.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve experienced a floor still dirty after mopping you aren’t alone, but hopefully, the reason will be one of the 8 listed above so you can address it.
It’s common to make mistakes when it comes to cleaning, and if you have any other advice for dirty floors after mopping then please let us know!