12 Ways To Use A Household Mop Beyond Cleaning The Floor

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The lowly mop is something we all have in our cleaning arsenal. This humble tool is absolutely essential for keeping our floors clean and hygienic, but it's also capable of so much more. A good mop can be surprisingly versatile. You can use it to clean parts of your home you may never have considered. From scrubbing baseboards and shower walls to dusting ceilings and refreshing outdoor spaces, a mop's reach, absorbency, and maneuverability make it the unsung powerhouse in your cleaning armory. This versatility is mostly due to the many kinds of mops, from flat and string mops to spin and sponge mops.

With the right handle, attachment, or cleaning solution, you can use a mop to tackle jobs that typically require a ladder, special brushes, or excessive elbow grease. A flat microfiber mop can clean dust from high spaces just as effectively as a duster. It's arguably the most versatile type of mop because it doesn't require a bucket. Just spritz the cloth with cleaner and it's ready to use on all kinds of surfaces. A spin mop works great for refreshing your deck or porch without having to drag out the garden hose or use a pressure washer. Get windows and glass doors gleaming with a good once-over from a sponge mop and some glass cleaner. You're likely to discover dozens more cleaning jobs a mop can handle once you get started.

Crown molding is a popular interior design feature that transitions between ceiling and wall attractively. Molding can be simple or, in a more elegant space, ornate. But like any uneven surface in your home, it collects dust and, if not cleaned regularly, cobwebs. You should dust crown molding at least once a month — or every two weeks if you have pets.The problem here is that it's hard to reach, making it challenging to clean. A mop simplifies the job without the need for a ladder.

Squeegees might be the gold standard tool for window washing, but have you thought about mopping them? Spray the window with glass cleaner and scrub it with a sponge mop. If you don't have any cleaner on hand, make your own by mixing eight cups of hot water, one cup of white vinegar, and two teaspoons dish soap in a bucket. For exterior windows, spray the window with water, soak the mop in the cleaner, then mop the windows as you would the floor. Don't forget to clean the trim and sills at the same time.

Adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a diffuser makes your house smell great. However, there is another, cheaper method for cleaning indoor air that you may not have considered: washing your walls. Walls absorb smells from cigarette smoke, cooking, pets, mildew, and even the aforementioned air freshener. A flat mop or a sponge mop work best for this job. The long handle makes reaching high and low areas less back-breaking. Bonus: you'll clean away scuffs and handprints at the same time.

Given the right conditions, mold can thrive on household ceilings, particularly in the bathroom. A long-handled mop is the perfect tool for cleaning it from this hard-to-reach spot. It's safer, too, eliminating the need for climbing a ladder and creating a potential fall risk. Soak the mop pad in RMR-141 EPA Registered Mold and Mildew Killer or dilute one cup of bleach in one gallon of water. Mop the ceiling. After you remove black mold from your ceiling, prevent it from coming back by running fans and ensuring good ventilation.

Over time, grease, dust, and fingerprints build up on kitchen cabinets. Thankfully, there's an unbeatable hack that makes cleaning cabinets easier than ever. Soak a flat microfiber or string mop in kitchen cleaner and scrub your cabinets top to bottom. To make an easy DIY degreaser you can use to tackle your dirty kitchen, mix one cup of distilled white vinegar, one tablespoon of baking soda, two drops of dish soap, and one drop of your favorite scented essential oil in a spray bottle filled with warm water.

The tops of tall furniture, appliances, and shelves are often overlooked in a standard cleaning routine because they're out of sight — think exposed beams, doors, bookshelves, and fridges. Left unchecked, they will collect a thick layer of dust. A microfiber mop will remove the dust from these hard-to-reach places without spreading it around. Choose the Ittaho Microfiber Mop with Stainless Steel Telescopic Handle, and you eliminate the need for a step stool.

Mops are, of course, great for cleaning floors inside, but did you know they work equally as well outdoors? Mopping your deck or patio keeps it looking its best. The process is a little more challenging than cleaning indoor floors. Outdoor areas are exposed to the elements and get dirty or even moldy fast. Using good deck and patio cleaner like Mighty Mint Outdoor Cleaner and the right type of mop makes the job easy. Invest in a KeFanta Heavy Duty Loop End String Mop or similar industrial mop. They're designed for use on unforgiving surfaces.

Cleaning baseboards is a backbreaking job that often requires lots of kneeling. A mop, with its long handle, makes this job so much easier. Fill a bucket with water and a mild cleaning solution or make an all-natural cleaner that will leave your baseboards spotless. Using a microfiber or string mop, clean the baseboards from top to bottom, just as you would using a rag. Start in one corner of the room to make sure you don't miss a spot. Wipe them a second time with a dry cloth to avoid damaging the wood.

A flat mop paired with a microfiber cloth is perfect for cleaning soap scum and hard water stains from shower walls. Spray one of best cleaners for keeping your bathroom squeaky clean — think Clorox, Lysol, or Lime-Away — onto the walls and wipe them clean your cloth-covered mop. Scrub stubborn spots longer if necessary. Rinse the walls with fresh water. Then, using the same mop-cloth combo, wash the shower doors inside and out, drying them with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

Cleaning large trash cans is a gross job. No one wants to climb inside to scrub the bottom. A long-handled mop makes the task more tolerable. Pour a little all-purpose cleaner or dish soap and water into the bottom of the can. Use a mop to scrub all the surfaces, inside and out. Focus on the corners. Leave the lid of the can open to the sun and let it dry completely before lining it with a plastic bag. This works well on kitchen trash cans and those designated for curb-side pickup.

Venetian blinds are notorious for collecting dust, body oil, and cooking grease, depending on where they're hanging. A degreasing cleaner like Zep All-Purpose Degreaser and a spin mop is a game-changer for getting your shades back to pristine condition. Make sure the blinds are closed before you start cleaning them. Mix the degreaser into some warm water in the mop bucket. Soak the mop in the solution, spin it, and mop the blinds as you would the floor. Once you've finished, fill the mop bucket with fresh water and repeat the process to remove any cleaner residue.

Air vents are essential for maintaining good indoor air quality. Dirty vents allow allergens to build up in the home, potentially increasing allergy symptoms and respiratory illness risk for residents. They may also make your HVAC system run less efficiently. Your air vents need to be cleaned more in the summer and deep-cleaned twice a year, so why not tackle the task the easy way? Simply wipe over the vent cover and inside the vent itself with a long-handled electrostatic mop to remove the dust.