How Often Should Mop Heads Be Changed?
If you have hardwood floors or tiling throughout your house, mopping is likely to be a firm fixture in your cleaning routine. After multiple uses, your mop can harbor some seriously gross dirt and bacteria. House Beautiful explains that by taking care of your cleaning products they'll go a lot further in ensuring that your home is actually clean.
Still, there's no hard and fast rule when it comes to changing your mop head. Your floors are only going to be as sanitary as the products you use on them, and if your mop head is visibly dirty, then it should be changed. If your mop doesn't look worn out then it can be difficult to know when to call it a day and change the head. Plus, Jan San UK explains that different environments call for different rules. While in a sanitary environment like a hospital, you may change your mop head after every use, in the home you can get 30 washes or more out of your mop head.
So, here's how often you should change a mop head in your house.
Why you need to change your mop head — and how often to do it
If you don't mop your house every day, changing the mop head every couple of months, as The Spruce suggests, may sound a little bit far-fetched. However, North Star reports that your mop head can be a serious source of bacteria — even billions. North Star advises that "mop heads should be replaced after 15 to 30 washings for cotton mops and slightly longer — the approximate equivalent of 500 washings — for more modern microfiber mop heads."
By changing your mop head every two to three months, you'll keep nasty bugs at bay. Martha Stewart's website notes that there are ways that you can take care of your mop that will keep it cleaner for longer, like Hoovering before you mop to pick up any big bits of dirt. Immediately after use, you should rinse it in hot water and wring it out so it isn't dripping wet. Hang it to dry in a breezy, open spot in your home. If it's put away in a cupboard, it's likely to remain damp and will smell.
If two to three months is yet to pass, but you've worked your mop really hard or had a particularly big job to do, then the telltale signs you need to change your mop head may become apparent. Per North Star, if bits of your mop head is falling apart, are discolored, or disfigured, then it's time to invest in a new head.