Mopping

While there are a lot of things I dislike in this world, mopping floors ranks in the top five. It seems like one of those chores that gives you the least satisfaction for the shortest amount of time.

I mean, I guess I have to be realistic. When there are two indoor animals, two guys and a yard full of mud to track in, it can be pretty easy to turn a clean floor into a mess. I just wish they could stay cleaner longer, especially since it is no easy task to mop. Between the specialized equipment, okay, the mop and a bucket, or kitchen sink for those of us who seem to break every bucket we’ve ever bought within a matter of days, and the time it takes to move everything out of the way, the payoff is kinda sucky.

Mopping linoleum or vinyl, the first thing you have to do is sweep or vacuum or both, and even then, while you are mopping, stray hairs manage to find themselves smack in the middle of the floor, as if cursing your efforts. And the bathroom, around the toilet, is the worst offender. I won’t tell you why, but I’m certain most of you can figure that part out.

Wood floors require special cleaners, of which I have yet to find an acceptable homemade alternative, especially since our floors are fifty-four years old and have never been refinished. They look so pretty right after they are done… and then the dog has to go potty, which means she has to walk through our muddy yard, which means her filthy paws will make filthy paw prints all of the floors. Heck, even on a dry day, she still manages to create prints on the floor. It’s a gift.

But, mopping is one of those things you have to do. In this day and age, The Age of Gimmicks, we have an astounding number of disposable products to perform these mundane tasks, and I have yet to fall trap to them. Swiffer, anyone? Instead, utilizing a Libman Wonder Mop we’ve had years longer than the manufacturer ever intended, I use a half a cup of ammonia to a gallon of hot water for the linoleum in the kitchen and the vinyl in the main bathroom. A simple and inexpensive cleaner, and it works beautifully. For the wood floors, I use Orange Glo Hardwood Cleaner and Polish with a washable flat floor mop cloth that attaches to the mop handle’s head. Sometimes, I can’t wait until we install slate tiles everywhere we have linoleum and vinyl, or in the case of the half bath, nothing but the decking, but I know that with a new flooring, will come new problems with keeping it clean.