I’m not going to lie, I really do not like mopping floors.
I think moreso that I just don’t have the time to give my floor a good mop every time it needs it. I like to only do it when Noah is napping, or playing quietly so that I dont’ have worry about him trompling all over my clean floor. But, by the time I remember I need to mop, get the floor swept, and get the bucket drawn and am on my way–he comes in and I have to try to keep him out. Or, I just get busy and forget that I haven’t mopped in weeks days and it is 8:00pm and I have no desire to mop right before bed.
But, I do love a clean floor. The sense of accomplishment when it is clean, shiny and sparkly, and often times slightly slippery is just amazing.
So, I decided to put my “mop water” in a spray bottle.
You can pick these up at Walmart for about a dollar. All I did was run super hot water, and add just a little bit of cleaner (you can use anything that you would normally use on your floor). Give it a good shake and you are ready to roll.
Spray on your floor, and mop away!
No bucket. No icky, dirty mop water. Your floor dries fast. Great for cleaning up spills quickly. Good for spot cleaning right before company comes.
When you are done, store under your sink, or with your cleaning supplies. Definitely a floor saver!
This isn’t to say that the floor doesn’t sometimes need a really good hands and knees kind of cleaning–because it still will, occassionally. But, this sure does help me out, a lot!
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
Great idea, what a time saver!
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Great idea. I actually use a swiffer wet jet which someone gave me, but the idea behind it is the same. You way is just much cheaper.
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I do this very same thing with a vinegar/water solution which is actually great for cleaning everything from windows to counter tops. Spritz the floor, hit it with my microfiber mop and viola! We’re good to go. Glad to see I’m not the only one who does this.
Have a great one! Pam
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I started doing this recently too. It sure is a time saver and so much easier to deal with.
I really don’t like cleaning my floors either. Who does?
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I have a clorox mop and use a rag instead of their pads and then use my own solution like you.
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I love this idea. And I was just thinking of sharing my “mop” idea, but it’s a tad embarrassing LOL
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Oooh, I like this idea! We’re gonna start mopping this way!
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Brilliance! I’m going to try this. I have a really hard time getting motivated to get out the bucket and mop water sometimes.
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I’ll make you a deal. I’ll bake cookies for you if you’ll mop for me! O.k.?
I don’t like mopping either but this is a great idea. I have the swifter wet or whatever it’s called, but I still don’t like doing the floors…there are so many of them….
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I love this idea! I do not like to mop my floor. It is time consuming and messy. Several years ago we replaced our kitchen floor and one of the factors in deciding which floor I wanted was which floor would not show dirt!!
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ohh good tip, I always have to pull out the old bucket cause I wait soooo long to do this chore. mopping and laundry ugh!!!!! maybe I should try the spray bottle and see what my 7 year old thinks, oh there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!!!
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Brilliant idea! Why didn’t we all figure this one out long ago? I like the earlier comment about the vinegar water, it stores and you can pull it out in a jiffy. Keep a rag or two with the bottle and you’re ready to go.
Getting up off this chair – to go set up
Great place you have here – soooo much fun to visit!
Kristin K
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Mop water… in a spray bottle…
Genius!
I already have a sponge I keep under the sink for when I don’t really FEEL like mopping but notice a blob of… whatever it is… on the kitchen floor. I grab the sponge and run it under the faucet and go to work. But mop water in a spray bottle? Perfect!
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I usually used Clorox and water with a Swifter mop,and an old rag. I then mop the kitchen and bathroom floors.
It’ doesn’t take long to finish the floors.
Just a suggestion, you’ll be able to do a proper mopping when your little ones get older.
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I just ran across this, I thought that you may like this … very funny ….
Floor-cleaning products in Venezuela have ten times the pine fragrance of U.S. floor cleaners. Venezuelan women won’t buy a weaker fragrance. These obsessive homemakers may wet-mop their tile floors twice a day, leaving windows and doors open so the scent can waft out to the street to send the message that their houses are clean.
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This is a great tip! I have a steam mop, but often I will go around and spray the bad spots with this mixture. I also use it with the swiffer sometimes.
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Great idea…I’m so going to try this!!
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What a great idea! I love it!
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I love this idea! Mopping the floors is something I tend to put off, so I’ll have to try this. =)
~Kate
“Which Proverbs 14:1 Woman?”
http://proverbs14-1.blogspot.com
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This IS a great idea! Why didn’t I think of this?!
Thanks for sharing, as this is certainly a huge time saver and dirty mop water preventer! =)
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I agree, horrible chore! We have laminate wood floors so I cannot use water, so I use Windex
(will evaporate quickly) and a microfiber dust mop. Love these time savers!
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Great idea. I love those spray bottles, so useful for all kinds of things.
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I am SO gonna try this! I just saw some $1 spray bottles at a craft store too!
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I love using floor cleaner spray it works out so much than the old buckets do!
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This is a great idea~
I am going to try it!
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I hate to mop also. When we built the house I had a dark stone looking floor put in for a reason! I have found that spraying the floor and then “mopping” it with a swiffer works great. and to save money on the swiffer, I place a damp washcloth on the end instead of a pricey pad. Works just as well.
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I will try this for sure. Or I will ‘allow’ one of my kids to try it.
Great idea!!!
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Fantastic idea! Thank you so much for sharing.
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Great tip! Maybe I can convince my hubs to do this tonight as he’s been putting off his mopping of floors (one floor) for a week!
-ash
http://www.bosssanders.com
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I have a microfiber mop and all I use is water, from a spray bottle to clean the floor – goodness it is so easy. I hate the mop and bucket routine. I’m so glad you found a better way and shared it!
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Yay, nifty idea! Thanks for sharing.
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i do this too!
it IS so much easier and cleaner, than traditional mopping!!
i recommend socks on a slippery floor…indoor slip-n-slide! haha
thanks for sharing:)
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I think this is a great idea, says someone who fills her sink with hot soapy water, grabs a rag and uses her feet to do the work. THen I just wash my sink.
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Using a spray bottle rocks!!! Thanks for the idea!
Here’s another creative idea when cleaning your floor:
http://frugalandie.blogspot.com/2009/03/swiffer-socks.html
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Great idea. I was given a Swiffer mop for a housewarming gift so I do like pp Sherry and use cloth rags in place of pads and fill the bottle up with water/vinegar/lemon juice. It's so neat and easy. TFS!
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This is so smart! You're saving water too.
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great tip!! I will have to do it with my vinegar and water. its hard with hard wood floors to make sure they are not getting to much water so this is a great way to control that!
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I can't wait until my kids are old enough to mop the floor. This is one job I would dfeinitely pay someone else to do.
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Great idea! I love my Swiffer wet jet but probably should get down and scrub the floors more than I do.
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This is a marvelous idea! I have tried lots of things. The swiffer is one. Nothing seems to really "Work for Me" so I am going to try this now and see if it helps me keep the floors clean!
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Wow! Seriously this is a tip I am going to use ASAP. This is such an excellent idea. I'm excited about it, haha.
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Great tip! I will have to try this because mopping is the very worst chore known to mankind!
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I really enjoyed looking around your lovely blog and would absolutely love it if you would stop by my blog!
Eliza's Blog
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