HOW TO CLEAN AND SANITIZE THE MOP?

The mop is an indispensable piece of cleaning equipment both in the home and on business premises. All kinds of surfaces, such as tiles, require regular cleaning with this practical and hygienic equipment.

To ensure that your mop or floocloth does its job properly, it is essential to keep it clean on a daily basis.

How do you clean and disinfect your mop?

Find all our cleaning tips in the rest of this article.

Effective techniques for cleaning and sanitizing a mop

There are several ways to clean a mop, including:

• By hand: using bleach, a a product that is known for its significant disinfecting properties. It eliminates fungi, viruses, spores and bacteria, as well as bad smells. It’s also perfect for disinfecting and cleaning mop’s string. Thanks to its properties, bleach restores shine to mops and eliminates mould smells that can sometimes remain on the fabric. To do this, immerse the mop in a mixture of hot water and bleach. Shake a little to draw out the dirt, then leave to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and dry in the sun.
• Washing with baking soda: you don’t have to use bleach every time to disinfect your mop. If it’s not very dirty, a natural solution such as baking soda can also do the trick. To clean your mop with baking soda, simply mix it with a little hot water and soak the mops in it for a few hours. But be careful! This cleaning technique is only suitable for moderately soiled mops. For more stubborn stains, you’ll need to use a product more suited to the dirt.
• Machine washing: the mop fringes can be washed in the machine, provided you don't wash it with your clothes. You wouldn’t want to stain other clothes with a dirty mop! In this case, it isrecommended to use a liquid detergent with Marseille soap and to respect the washingtemperature recommended by the manufacturer (between 60 and 90°C).

Tips for keeping your mop in good condition

The first and foremost way to keep your mop in good condition and maximizing its life span is to clean it on a regular basis. It is also recommended to dry the mop well after cleaning to prevent bacteria growth on the fabric. Drying in the sun is the most effective way to remove dampness quickly.

Secondly, you should keep your mop in a well-ventilated, open area. Closets are not recommended, unless they are well ventilated, as they are prone to dampness and to fungi growth. Bad smell and mould are due to fungi.

Lastly, make sure you change the mops often, especially if the mop is used regularly. To find out if it’s time to replace the mop head, check for smelly mops or mops that become loose or frayed with use.

The importance of a clean mop

Keeping your cleaning tool clean and hygienic is as important as maintaining your home or business premises.

Using a dirty mop is counterproductive, for instead of cleaning the floor, you will be moving dirt from one place to another. This can be even more damaging, as you may also be moving bacteria and other microorganisms that proliferate due to the surrounding dirt and humidity. This may spread all kinds of diseases and viruses and present a health risk to the inhabitants or users of the premises, in companies and communities.

So, whether you use a mop with removable mop head or not, please make sure that it is clean before and after cleaning. Also remember to dry it well before putting it away.