How to Mop a Wood Floor
Cinderella's plight has given mopping a bad name—but don't let poor PR keep you from a bright, shiny floor.
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Make house cleaning faster and easier with the tips and tricks in these videos.
You Will Need
- A broom, or a vacuum cleaner with a floor attachment
- A bucket of water
- Some wood cleaner or dishwashing liquid
- And a mop
Steps
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Step 1
Check floor
Make sure your floor is sealed. If it's not, it's probably waxed and shouldn't be mopped. Check by rubbing a finger across it. If you don't leave a smudge, the floor is probably sealed.
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Step 2
Vacuum floor
Vacuum or sweep the floor free of dust and particles.
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Step 3
Consult directions
Consult the directions for your wood cleaning product and add the appropriate amount to the bucket of water.
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If you don't have a wood cleaning product, add a quarter cup of dishwashing liquid to your bucket instead.
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Step 4
Dampen mop
Dampen the mop head in the bucket, then wring it out completely—the less water on your wood floor, the better.
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Step 5
Mop floor
Push and pull the mop back and forth across the floor in the direction of the wood grain.
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Step 6
Wring out & mop
Continue dampening the mop, wringing it out, and dragging it across the floor with the grain.
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Step 7
Change water
Change the water and cleaning solution whenever it gets too dirty to be effective.
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Step 8
Rinse floor
When the entire floor has been mopped, refill the bucket with just water and mop the floor again in the same way to rinse off any soap residue.
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Step 9
Stay off floors
Stay off your floors until they've completely dried. Your Fairy Godmother would be so proud.
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Cinderella stories appear in the folklore of many cultures—there are as many as 1,500 different versions of the tale.
