Floors face a lot of dirt on a daily basis. In addition to dust, there may be dirt or grease. Floors that are not carpeted are usually swept or vacuumed and then mopped with a floor cleaner diluted with water. But is it better to use hot water or prefer cold water? It actually depends on what type of floor you have at home. After all, cleaners are usually only suitable for certain surfaces. That is, unless you are using an all-purpose cleaner.

Why use hot water

Hot water is great for mopping. Especially in the kitchen, where there may be grease and other stubborn dirt on the floor. Possibly even dried-on residue. In addition, hot water is great for killing bacteria and germs. If you have vinyl or even tile in your home, you have nothing to worry about and can use hot water with confidence. However, it is also important to read the instructions on the floor cleaner you are using. According to some experts, there are some products that are not suitable for hot water.

━━ ( Source: Vitaly Gariev /  Unsplash+ )

When to mop with cold water

Warm to hot water is really useful in many situations. However, as already mentioned, the temperature should be appropriate to the chosen cleaning agent. And, of course, the type of floors it is used on. Laminate flooring or hardwood is not the ideal material for using hot water. The warm liquid could not only dull them , but also deform them. And once this happens, there will never be a way back. You can’t save a ruined floor. You don’t have to worry that the cold water won’t clean well enough.

Cooler water will effectively remove surface dirt, dust and small stains. This makes it suitable for regular floor cleaning. It is also much more economical to mop with cold water. And there is another advantage of cold water. Because cold water evaporates more slowly from the floor, there are hardly any streaks. This is especially appreciated by those who have a shiny floor at home that won’t forgive a single wrong move at the slightest glimpse of sunlight.

Tips for efficient mopping

It is always a good idea to sweep or vacuum before mopping. This will get rid of a lot of dirt and also dust. What’s more, you will also prevent scratching the floor. It is then advisable to use two buckets of water for mopping. One with cleaning solution and the other with clean water, where you always rinse the mop from the dirt on the floor. It is advisable to clean in sections, working from one corner to the other, ending at the exit. Remember that the mop should be wrung out thoroughly after mopping and ideally also cleaned. You can wash it thoroughly in clean water. Once in a while, it’s also a good idea to put it in the washing machine. This will prevent problems with deformation of the cloth and possible mould growth.