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Why Mopping Is My Most Hated Chore


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Why Mopping Is My Most Hated Chore

Sprays, Sponges and Strings: Just Say No

Of all the household cleaning chores I’m not a fan of, I must say mopping is right down there among my very least favorites. Oh sure, I appreciate having a clean floor that my bare feet won’t stick to. And I realize the importance of keeping the floors clean for my kids, Jack and Rachel. But honestly? I can find better ways to spend my time than mopping.

That said, when I do manage to make time for mopping, I want it to be as fast and easy—but still effective and safe for my family—as possible. In researching “what’s the best way to mop” I’ve discovered that’s a really broad category. What works best for my tile and laminate floors may not work as well on hardwoods or vinyl. And if you’re looking to avoid chemicals and go with water only, the choices are narrowed only slightly. Here are three broad categories of mops, and a few pointers I discovered about each one.

Spray Mops

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Having a combination of tile and laminate in my home, I used to be intrigued by the convenience of those mop systems that come with a bottle of cleaning solution which you snap onto the handle and squirt as you go. However, I’ve now discovered that, hello, those solutions contain chemicals, like ethanol, that I don’t necessarily want on my floors. And they’re packaged in plastic too, which adds to the already massive problem of too much plastic in the world.

Plus, I personally know people who have used these types of mops and been frustrated when the handle breaks during day-to-day use.

And, finally, the disposable pads required by these types of mops are not only expensive, but they’re also not made for large areas, so you have to keep replacing them as you work your way from room to room. Worst of all, they’re also unsustainable because valuable natural resources like trees are used in their manufacturing. So, no thank you to the squirt-as-you-go.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Unnecessary chemicals
  • Source of plastic pollution (packaging)
  • Disposable mop pads are expensive and unsustainable
  • Flimsy design

String Mops

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To avoid the spray mop dilemma, I could go back to my old “yacht mop”: you know, that stringy contraption you have to lug around with a pail of soapy water? Sort of like a sailor swabbing the decks? While the enduring popularity of this mop is undeniable, there’s also no denying that it can leave a residue of dirt and sticky soap unless you rinse your floor extremely well. And with a job and kids and pets and . . . (I’ll let you fill in your own blank), who has time for rinsing? Plus that mop bucket is heavy! So no thank you, Mr. Stringpole.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Mop itself is hard to clean
  • Leaves soap/dirt residue on the floor
  • Mop bucket is heavy to lug around
  • May be too wet for some types of flooring (hardwood, etc.)

Sponge Mops

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While sponge mops are not as heavy as string mops, and arguably the wringer device on them makes them easier to use, they pose their own set of problems. For example, you will probably still need to lug a heavy bucket of soapy water—or at least rinse the sponge regularly if you’re using only water.

Also, the sponge itself can harbor bacteria (actually, so can the string mop) and should be replaced every six months or so. This can get expensive (and very frustrating if your specific replacement sponge is no longer available). Finally, sponge mops may not be as effective for scrubbing, nor as durable—especially on rougher surfaces like slate. So no thank you, Sir Sponge-Mop.

Reasons to Avoid

  • May need heavy mop bucket
  • Sponge harbors bacteria
  • Must replace sponge mophead
  • Sponge tears easily

At the end of the day, I’d still prefer not to have to mop at all. But that’s not likely to happen. Thankfully, my microfiber mop system is the next best thing. Stay tuned; I’ll soon share why I love it.

comment_2Do you have a favorite way to get your floors clean? We’d love to hear about it. Just leave a comment below!

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Do you mop your floors at least once every two weeks?

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Jennifer Rottman
Jennifer Rottman
6 years ago

I use my norwex mop and love it.

Sharon Campese
Sharon Campese
6 years ago

With 2, sometimes 4, dogs in the house, a cat and little boys I use my Norwex mop several times per day!

Gingi Freeman
Gingi Freeman
6 years ago

We used to use a sponge mop. I bought my Norwex microfiber mop and told my husband, “Throw the old mop away!!” he laughed at me and said we were keeping the old mop “just in case”… then he tried the Norwex.. and the sponge mop was in the trash the next day. 😉

Moderator
Admin
Moderator
6 years ago
Reply to  Gingi Freeman

Haha, what a great story! Thanks for sharing, Gingi!

Lynn Babcock
Lynn Babcock
6 years ago

Just about to use my Norwex Mop System. I never liked the idea of the sponge mop or any other mop really. I would disinfected them after each use yet always felt my mop was not truly clean. Even when younger and healthier I hated lugging the pail of water around and oh how I hated it when it would spill over.

Sandy Swift
Sandy Swift
5 years ago

I love my Norwex mop. It is so easy to change the pads for the different floors in my house. I love that because I am only using water that now my feet don’t stick or squelch as you go over the newly cleaned surface. No longer any sticky residue from the cleaning solution.

Juliana DeWeerd
Juliana DeWeerd
5 years ago

I used to use a spray mopping system & hates how wasteful it was so I would try use with a cloth instead. The Norwex mop has made my life so much easier so now I clean my floors way more often.

Helen Bassett
Helen Bassett
4 years ago

I used to use a steam mop, but it was always an effort to wait for it to heat up and then the cord never reached all the places and then you had to make sure you din’t run out of water or get spat on when you were refilling….such a hassle. With the Norwex mop it is so easy, quick and effective! Love it!

Kate Mckinney
Kate Mckinney
4 years ago

This is exactly why I love my norwex mop! I clean houses for a living and it makes my job so much easier

Cynthia Anderson
Cynthia Anderson
3 years ago

love my norwex mop for mops walls even ceilings!