Can I Use Laundry Detergent to Mop the Floor? Facts You Need to Know!

I’ve always thought and wondered, can I use laundry detergent to mop the floor?

Would it be fine and effective to use this type of product to clean my flooring and remove stubborn and stuck-up dirt?

Since I was little, I’ve grown accustomed to using general all-purpose solutions in mopping and cleaning our floors.

Laundry detergent was what I had in abundance, so I had to find it out.

Yes, absolutely! You can use laundry detergent as your solution for cleaning your floors. As with all types of products, you just have to make sure that you mop it properly and with care.

Before I dive straight into this topic, let me first go over a few of the characteristics of laundry detergents.

Benefits of Using Laundry Detergents

Nowadays, we have what we call powder laundry detergents and liquid laundry detergents.

Regardless of the type of detergent you use, the following are its benefits and advantages:

Complete and Comprehensive Cleaning

Laundry detergents are products that contain protease enzymes and lipase, which are perfect for the breakdown of oils, as well as protein chains.

These are the primary factors that contribute to how laundry detergents are capable of removing stains and other semi-permanent markings.

They run deep through the fibers of materials, cleaning them from the inside out.

They’re Less Messy

I’m talking about powder laundry detergents in comparison to liquid solutions (even liquid laundry detergents).

This is because they won’t be difficult to get rid of, and at the same time, they are easy to apply.

I don’t take more than 5 minutes to set up and clean – it’s a wonderful product!

They’re Cheap and Affordable

Last, and most definitely not least is the fact that they’re affordable.

Partnering this up with how you can purchase them almost anywhere is excellent.

Note: Even if you want the best and highest quality laundry detergents, it is never going to be expensive as compared to other types of cleaning solutions!

I don’t know about you, but I never run out of laundry detergent. It’s actually a good thing to buy them in bulk!

The question still remains unanswered – can this be effective and possible? And of course, more importantly, would it be safe to do so?

Can I Use Laundry Detergent to Mop the Floor?

Yes, it will be safe and effective to use laundry detergent to mop your floors.

Most, if not all laundry detergents contain enzymes and surfactants that are great and excellent in separating dirt from your floors.

In simpler and easier terms, they contain ingredients and chemicals that have been proven to get rid of dirt, dust, grime, molds, and even stains indefinitely.

Didn’t you ever wonder how laundry detergents are capable of removing different types of stains from your clothes? 

This is the reason why!

Can You Use Laundry Detergent on All Types of Floors?

Yes, it is safe to say that using laundry detergent on a wide array of floors can be efficient and effective.

On a personal note, though, I would like to give you a couple of important tips if you’re thinking about using laundry detergent to clean floors.

Tip #1: Wring Out Excess Liquid Before Mopping

Drowning your floors, whatever type you have is never good.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using just water or another type of liquid solution, the mophead needs to be just damp before you use it.

Always avoid using your mop while it’s soaking wet because it can mud up and make matters worse than they already are.

Tip #2: Avoid Mopping With Dirty Water 

You might think that since your bucket of water is filled with laundry detergent, you can just dip and wipe it all over your floors.

I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t always happen like that.

In fact, the dirt, mud, dust, as well as other unpleasant debris of your flooring transfer to the mophead.

So, you can’t just dip the mop and wipe it on your flooring.

Always keep a keen eye on the color of the water. When you notice it turning dark, replace the water immediately.

Note: Never mop with dirty water because it won’t just keep it dirty, it can also smell.

Tip #3: You Can Rinse With Vinegar

In the event that excess detergent is still sitting on your floor even after you rinsed it, you can use a mixture of vinegar, warm water, and essential oil to get rid of the excess detergent.

Pour a quarter of a cup of vinegar into a bucket. Then, add the essential oil of your choice, and then mix this concoction thoroughly.

Now, using this mixture, mop up your flooring.

These are some of the best tips I can give you to ensure that your floors remain clean, fresh, and spotless.

How Do You Mop Your Floors Using Laundry Detergent? 

And in case you’re not familiar with how you can mop your floors using laundry detergent, here is the general way of how it’s done.

1. Mix about 2 cups of detergent into a bucket with clean water.
2. Then, dip the mop into the bucket and mix it thoroughly.
3. After that, wring your mop completely dry. Dry it as much as you can.
4. Mop the floor with stable and consistent pressure.
5. Take the solution from the bucket and refill the bucket with clean warm water.
6. Rinse the area you’ve mopped by running another layer with just plain water.

Now that is how you properly mop your floors with your laundry detergent – talk about simplicity and convenience.

NOTE: The amount of laundry detergent you’ll use will depend on the size of your container. Usually, if you use a bucket of water, one or two tablespoons of detergent will be enough.

Adding Baking Soda to the Formula

Now, in case your laundry detergent is not concentrated enough to remove stains – which, I hope is not because laundry detergents with higher concentrations can compromise the pristine conditions of your flooring.

So, what do you do to remove stains? Simply – add baking soda. This step usually comes in at the 5^th step, right after you do the proper mopping.

What you have to do is create a baking soda paste by adding a cup of baking soda to about 250 ml of water.

Make sure that you get paste-like consistency, and you can do this by adding either water or baking soda until you reach it.

After creating the mixture, cover the stains with your baking soda paste and leave it on for about 5 minutes.

Continue finishing the mopping process by rinsing everything, including removing the paste from the stained area.

If any of you are curious to know whether laundry detergents are useful in mopping your floors up, it absolutely is!

It is also important, though, to take precautionary actions when doing so to avoid scathing up your floors.

FAQs

Here are a couple of the most asked questions about using laundry detergents in cleaning or mopping your floors.

Is it Safe to Use Detergent on Hardwood Floors?

Yes, you can mop your hardwood floors using laundry detergent, given that you’ll do it correctly.

Dampen the mop and make sure that the mophead is coated well and effectively (just enough for the mophead to smell like the laundry detergent).

Can You Mop Floors With Tide Pods?

Yes, it is safe to use Tide Pods in mopping your floors. Regardless of the type of floor you have, the only rule in doing so is to be cautious not to damage the floor.

Tide is known by many as an all-purpose, all-around cleaner, so it can do you good if you mop your floors with Tide Pods.

Can You Mop Floor With Laundry Detergent & Bleach?

Bleach and laundry detergent are 2 of the best and most effective cleaning agents there are. In fact, there are laundry detergents already mixed with bleach.

Just make sure not to overdo it because it can cause unwanted reactions when you mop your surface with it.

The Bottom Line

In case you were asking, can I use laundry detergent to mop the floor, the answer is a big, loud, resounding yes!

Many experts and professionals in the cleaning business actually recommend laundry detergents because of their cleaning capabilities, as well as the deodorizing factor that they have.

Just remember to perform the correct way of mopping or cleaning your floors using laundry detergents and it’ll go a long way!