How to find the perfect mop

The Traditional Mop

When I started this business, I thought the best thing that I had bought was the Bona mop. I did a ton of advertising telling the world that we had the world's best mop. The Bona mop cost me $50. It misted as I mopped. I thought I had the best floor cleaner in the country. The problem was, everyone told me it wasn't cleaning their floors.

After many complaints, I listened to one of my clients. She said, the best mops are the traditional mops with the twisted cotton threads.

Here's why. When you mop with other mops, you are told it is best to push back and forth, like a vacuum. When you push back and forth, you are just pressing dirt further into the floor. With the traditional mop, it is best used if you sweep it from side as you walk backwards.

I usually make a figure eight, in order to ensure that I am collecting all the dust particles and hairs. While I am moving the mop from side to side, it absorbs dirt. The dirt becomes caught in the threading while pressing soap into and along the surface of the floor. This mop is not to be lifted, but instead pulled. With the traditional mop, you can reach under furniture. It is difficult to handle at first, but it is the best way to clean the floor. Here is how to use the mop.

1. First, sweep the floor really well
2. Fill a bucket with water and soap. If you floor is really dirty, you will need a degreaser. We like Dawn dish soap. For fragrance, we like Festival Caribbean Breeze All Purpose Cleaner
3. Press the mop inside the bucket 
4. Ring the mop with both hands
5. Walk backwards as you pass the mop from side to side. Start from one side of the room and work towards the other.

Now your floors should be all nice and clean. For Wood floors, try to ring the water out of the mop as best as you can. Too much water can cause the wood to swell. Use a mop that is soft and has no metal or plastic parts, because hard parts can scratch wood flooring.