How To Make Mop Water Smell Good? – Complete Guide

A clean house that smells good like a warm embrace will be welcoming to anyone. This piece will show you how to make mop water smell good.

Cleaning is an essential aspect of daily living.

However, you may have noticed a certain bad smell that oozes from mop water used in cleaning which eventually permeates the entire house. It can be frustrating.

While there are a few commercial cleaners and fragrances out there in stores, they usually go for cut-throat prices.

There are natural ingredients available that will yield just the same results as those store-bought products which are also inexpensive.

Opting to make your own cleaning solution will also reduce exposure to chemicals used in making those store-bought products.

Your best bet to have your mop water smelling good is by using vinegar and lemon juice. Lavender and other essential oils can be used in place of lemon juice as well since some people do not fancy its smell.

So, Why does Mop Water Smells Bad?

The smell from mop water is caused majorly by the growth of mold and mildew that builds up from continuous usage of the mop.

Mops are generally designed to hold moisture; this is what eventually works against it, producing an offensive smell.

What To Put In Mop Water To Make The House Smell Good

If you use one of the methods here, you will be sure to eventually have a house smelling nice and fresh whenever you carry out house cleaning chores.

These methods include; using store-bought scented floor cleaners, making do with homemade solutions and frequently changing water while mopping.

Let’s get into them then.

Method #1: Use Store-Bought Scented Floor Cleaners

This is the first and the easiest method that comes to mind for cleaning, opting for a store-bought product.

It is always best that you choose some of the major brands available.

For example… like Bona which works best for hardwood surfaces, zoflora, and Quick Shine Multi-surface Floor Cleaner if you are buying on a budget.

When using scented floor store-bought simply use the following steps:

1. Use hot water
2. Add a few drops of the scented floor cleaner to the water mop as normal.

Be sure to read instructions usually printed on the body of the product as their steps may be different.

Method #2: Home-Made Solutions

Remember in the introductory part of this article, I mentioned that these homemade cleaning solutions will be pocket friendly.

Also, these will reduce your exposure to certain harmful chemicals used in the production of store-bought floor cleaners.

This second method can be achieved through a mixture of lemon juice and white vinegar.

Here is how the home-made method works;

• Vinegar will act as a natural disinfectant, by working to put a stopper to the smell caused by mold and mildew.
• Vinegar will not get rid of the smell but will replace the offensive odor with its smell. 1 cup of white vinegar is enough for this
• 3-5 teaspoons of lemon juice will then work the trick of hiding the smell of vinegar.
• This will give off a fresh smell during and after mopping.

You should make do with hot water during this process.

Lemon juice doesn’t only mask the smell of vinegar, it also works effectively in the cleaning process. It works well in grease removal.

Vinegar works so well because of the double fermentation process it undergoes to produce Acetic acid. This means it is highly effective.

You’d have to like vinegar if you want to know how to make mop water smell good.

Tip: use vinegar sparingly and diluted. Although it does a good job at neutralizing the offensive smell, it can damage hardwood floors subsequently.

What Else Can You Put In Mop Water?

Knowing how to make mop water smell good can be as easy as it gets with my tips.

You may not fancy the smell of lemon juice or you just want something different, variety is indeed the spice of life. There is a good alternative to lemon juice.

Essential oil is the alternative, not only does it act as a bonus disinfecting power but also has an array of options to choose from.

Lavender

You can get lavender essential oil, a few drops of this will work its magic. Lavender’s fragrance is refreshing.

It is readily available and affordable too. The lavender essential oil can also work effectively as an insect repellant.

Tip: Use 12 drops of lavender essential oil in a gallon of water (hot water preferably) with 1/4 cup of vinegar.

Wild Orange

Citrus just like lemon will work effectively against grease and other gooey stuff from the floor.

This also acts as an antifungal, antibacterial germ-fighting agent.

Simply add one 1-2 drops of orange essential oil and watch it work magic.

Peppermint

Peppermint has a cool, invigorating fragrance that also works as an insect repellant, so you get to clean and keep the house insect free, that’s a bonus I must say.

A few drops of this is enough.

Tea Tree Oil

The tea tree oil is obtained strictly from the leaves of the tea tree, the tea tree is known for its germ-fighting power, effectively neutralizing viruses and bacteria.

When you opt for tea tree oil, consider combining another oil type for fragrance.

Note: Tea tree oil sacrifices fresh-smelling fragrance for its germ-fighting power – it can effectively and easily lift mold and mildew (the major cause of the bad smell from mops).

Method #3: Frequently Change Mopping Water

Whether you decide to use store-bought scented floor cleaners or opt for the homemade solutions I offered here.

It will do you and your cleaning course a whole lot of good if you change cleaning water within intervals, this might be stressful if you’re cleaning with hot water so do be careful while at it.

As you clean, your mop collects dirt which will eventually build up to cause an offensive smell.

As the dirt builds up, the water becomes dirty; cleaning is never advisable with dirty water.

An unofficial thumb rule with cleaning is that you keep water visibly clean and as opaque as possible. It will remain fresh this way.

Note: you may decide to use just water for cleaning, and change the water regularly to keep it fresh; this is not wrong but water alone has no antibacterial or disinfecting properties.

Bonus

How Often Should You Mop?

Giving a precise answer will only be misleading you.

If you have a house full of kids like me then you’re left with no other option than to clean the house several times a day especially on days they choose to be hyperactive.

How often you decide to clean is largely dependent on the traffic in and around the area. Kitchens, dining rooms, sitting rooms, and bathrooms can be mopped twice a week.

Sweeping frequently will help keep dirt away and minimize the dust that surfaces collect.

Keep the Tool Clean (Mop)

Endeavor to keep the mop head as clean as possible always after every use. Let it dry properly after use and store upside-down in a dry place when not in use.

I’ll suggest you always dry it outdoors, If it gets too old, then replace it.

Conclusion

I trust I have done justice to your query on how to make mop water smell good?

And you can now help out family and friends who might find themselves in such situations.

There you have it, a badge as your home-keeping skill is upgraded.

Cleaning can be tedious and annoying at the same time if you have to worry about the offensive odor coming out from your mop water, but with this article, you’ve nothing to worry about anymore.

I trust you can confidently invite friends and family over to the house just to show off the sweet-smelling state of your home (lol)

See you around amigo.