Mopping the floors is supposed to leave them clean, not stickier than honey! If you ever find yourself in this sticky drama, don’t throw in the towel just yet. Here, you’ll learn the reasons behind it and how to clean those sticky floors without leaving a trace!
Why do floors get sticky after mopping them?
A couple of factors can play the role of the villain here. Check out these two usual suspects:
- Wrong cleaning products: When you mop up with a detergent or cleaner that’s not a good match for your floor type, it can leave behind a residue that’s like a magnet for dirt and grime.
- Too much cleaning solution: Cleaners work by adhering to dirt to wash it away. If you use more cleaner than needed, it will instead adhere to the floors and become sticky once dry.
- Dirty water: Mopping your floors with dirty water means you’ll be spreading dirt all across your floors, which can cause stickiness.
Understanding why your floors are sticky will help you avoid it in the future. On the other hand, we’ve also prepared a couple of ways to make already sticky floors return to normality, and you can check them out below.
Method #1. The right store-bought cleaner
Now that you know how to avoid mistakes, check the solution’s label to see if it suits your type of floor before you buy it. Once you choose a product, mop your floors again, making sure to follow the instructions to use the right amount—don’t forget to change the water when dirty!
Method #2. Warm water
Most of the time, you can wash the sticky residue away with an extra rinse—it’s so easy! Just grab a clean mop to give your floor a thorough wipe-down with warm water as you would normally do. Your floors will be back to their shining selves in a jiffy.
Note: This option works much better if you address the stickiness before it fully dries.
Method #3. White vinegar
Resorting to the acidic power of white vinegar provides a natural and eco-friendly option for dealing with sticky spots. Mix equal parts vinegar and water, then use a cleaning rag or mop to tackle the surface.
Keep an eye on the water; if it starts looking cloudy, change it. Also, don’t skip the final rinse with plain water to prevent any potential damage.
Method #4. Baking Soda
Baking soda is another great choice to stay on the eco-friendly side if vinegar isn’t doing the trick. Mix one cup of baking soda in two gallons of warm water and let a mop handle those sticky spots or the entire floor.
Let the DIY cleaner work for a few minutes to break down any lingering stickiness before finally rinsing with clean water.
Method #5. Give ammonia a chance
If you need a heavyweight to tackle the stickiness, consider using ammonia. However, you need to be careful; due to its acidity, ammonia can be too much for floors that aren’t tile and ceramic—it can mess up wooden, stone, and linoleum floors, for example.
If your floor can bear it, mix half a cup of ammonia with a gallon of water, mop away the stickiness, and rinse it down with plain water pronto to not let ammonia sit for too long.
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