A few days ago, a cleaner who has worked in this profession for more than 30 years taught me a small but very effective trick. When floors are mopped this way, they become extremely clean and are much less likely to attract dust afterward.

Many people complain that floors quickly get dusty again after mopping and may even develop unpleasant odors. This is especially common in summer—if floors are not cleaned thoroughly, a distinctive stale smell can linger in every room, which is very uncomfortable.

I recently learned this excellent floor-cleaning method from that experienced cleaner. With this technique, the floor stays clean longer and dust does not easily settle again.

What to Add to Mopping Water for Spotless Floors

The very first step before mopping is to sweep the floor thoroughly. If the floor is still dirty with dust and debris, mopping alone will never make it truly clean.

After sweeping, add the following ingredients to your bucket of mopping water, one by one:

• Coarse salt: Add a small amount of salt to the water. Salt helps the floor dry faster and also has disinfecting and antibacterial properties.

• Dishwashing liquid: Add a few drops of dish soap. Dishwashing liquid has strong degreasing power, so if there are oil stains or food residue on the floor, it will help remove them effectively.

• White vinegar or lemon juice: Pour in a small amount of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. This helps soften stubborn stains, making them easier to wipe away and leaving the floor cleaner.
  

• Alcohol: Add a little alcohol to disinfect and kill bacteria, helping prevent mold from forming on the floor.

• Baking soda: Sprinkle in some baking soda. This powder has strong deodorizing properties and can easily remove dirt and grime from the floor surface.

• Fabric softener (most important step): Add a small amount of fabric softener to the bucket. During summer, floors tend to be dry and prone to static electricity. Once static builds up, dust and dirt are more likely to cling to the floor. Fabric softener helps reduce static electricity, preventing dust and dirt from sticking easily.

Optionally, you can also add a few drops of medicated oil. This not only leaves a pleasant scent on the floor but also helps repel mosquitoes and insects.

Once everything is added, stir the mixture well until all ingredients dissolve. Then dip the mop into the bucket and mop the floor as usual.

You’ll notice that even very dirty floors become bright and clean after just one pass. With this method, no matter how dirty your floor is, it can be cleaned easily. What’s more, the floor stays clean and odor-free for up to a week—even without mopping again.