How to Make Easy Mopping Solutions With Household Ingredients

By
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre is a housekeeping expert with over 20 years of experience cleaning residentially and commercially. Over that time, she has been writing about tips and tricks for housekeeping and organizing a home for national publications.
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Updated on 10/25/22
Reviewed by
Rhea Mehta
Dr. Rhea Mehta, PhD
Reviewed by Rhea Mehta
Rhea Mehta, PhD, is an award-winning toxicologist who has worked to empower people to lead healthier lives, starting in their homes, for over a decade. Rhea holds a PhD in Toxicology, with over 15 scientific publications, and a certificate in integrative health coaching. 
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Fact checked by
Sarah Scott
SS
Fact checked by Sarah Scott
Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.
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mop and cleaners

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $1 to $5

Everyone loves the look of a freshly mopped floor, but few like the chemicals found in commercial mopping detergents or the residue left behind. Here are four common household ingredients that can clean your dirtiest, high-traffic floors without using heavy chemicals.

Warning

Be careful when using any water-based cleaning solution on flooring surfaces that aren't sealed. Natural wood floors without a good coat of polyurethane varnish or another sealer can be easily stained by water. Some laminate flooring manufacturers caution against allowing water to seep through the seams. While most floors will tolerate light damp mopping, you should never saturate wood and laminate flooring with pooling water.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Bucket
  • Mop

Materials

  • White vinegar
  • Mild dish soap
  • Scented oil or lemon juice (optional)
  • Window cleaner
  • Rubbing alcohol

Instructions

  1. Using Vinegar as a Mopping Solution

    Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that works well as a mopping solution without leaving any chemical residue on your floors. Although some people don't like the scent, this odor is evident only as you mop and clean—it will fade away rapidly as the solution dries. The results left behind are a gorgeous, clean floor. Try these three different combinations to clean your dirty floors. Cut the recipe in half if you have only a small area to mop.

    • Mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar and 1 gallon warm water
    • Mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 gallon warm water, and 2 tablespoons mild dish soap
    • Mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 gallon warm water, and several drops of scented oils or lemon juice
    bucket with vinegar and lemon
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

  2. Using Window Cleaner as a Mopping Solution

    Window or glass cleaner may not be a completely natural ingredient, but it is a lot simpler than many of the mopping cleaners you will find sold on store shelves. It works great to give your mirrors and glass a nice clean surface, but glass cleaners can also be used to mop your floors.

    A window cleaner has the added benefit of removing streaks from shiny surface floors and can even eliminate the need to buff your floors dry, depending on the type of surfaces you have in your home. You can even use window cleaner as a spot cleaner on your floors, spraying directly from the bottle and using a wet mop to wipe and remove dirt and sticky spots. The good thing about this recipe is that you can make a lot or a little, depending on your needs.

    • Mix 1 part window cleaner to 1 part warm water to clean vinyl and tile floors
    • For laminate floors, less window cleaner is needed: try 1/4 cup for each 1/2 gallon of water
    bucket with window cleaner
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska  

  3. Using Dish Soap as a Mopping Solution

    Mild dish soap can work well as a floor cleaner, and since it is so mild, it can be used on most floor types without leaving a residue. Don't overuse it, though—too much will create a slightly sticky film.

    Here are two different recipes to try:

    • Mix 1/4 cup mild dish soap and 3 cups warm water
    • Mix 1/4 cup dish soap, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups warm water, and 1/2 cup lemon juice
    dish soap floor cleaner ingredients
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

  4. Using Rubbing Alcohol as a Mopping Solution

    For laminate flooring, water is usually enough to clean thoroughly. But when you need a little extra cleaning power, rubbing alcohol can help. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly, which prevents streaks and lines from drying onto your floor. When you use rubbing alcohol, it helps eliminate the need to buff and shine the floor dry.

    There are two ways to create a rubbing alcohol cleaning solution:

    • Mix 1 cup rubbing alcohol and 1 gallon warm water
    • Mix 1 part vinegar, 1 part rubbing alcohol, and 1 part warm water
    mop with a bucket and rubbing alcohol
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska  
FAQ
  • How often should you mop?

    Kitchen and bathroom floors, which tend to be high-traffic areas, should be mopped once a week. Mop the other floors in your home every other week.

  • Should you use two buckets when mopping?

    The two bucket system uses one bucket for the cleaning solution and the other bucket as a rinse bucket. This helps to keep the cleanser from getting dirty.

  • Should you let your mopped floors air dry or wipe them down?

    Wiping your freshly mopped floor with a dry mop or towel will keep it from streaking and leaving water spots.

How to Clean a Floor
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Caring for a Hardwood Floor in your Home. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.