How to Mop Your Floors Using Laundry Detergent

I Tried This Laundry Detergent Mopping Trick and My Kitchen Floors Have Never Sparkled More

Once you try this simple and cheap idea, you can leave all your other floor cleaning products behind. And honestly, it even makes mopping a little bit fun.

Kelsey Ogletree

Published on April 4, 2021

Ever since my husband and I moved in together, we've had a no-shoes household. Studies show that shoes are among the dirtiest things people bring into their home and carry more germs than a toilet seat (gross)—and frankly, I had more fun things to do than constantly break out the mop, so it was a win-win. When we bought a historic home last fall with original wood floors from the early 1900s throughout, I knew we'd be even stricter about the no-shoes rule, as we wanted to preserve the floors as well as keep out as many germs as possible amidst a global pandemic.

But here's the thing about old houses: They get dusty. And the previous owners, as we discovered, had left little to be desired when it came to cleaning spots like underneath the fridge and along the baseboards in the kitchen. I had to do a deep clean of these floors to get them looking shiny again— especially in a high-traffic area like the kitchen—so I set out in search of a method that would be equally safe for the floors and our beloved kitty, Monty, as well as highly effective.

A Target run that resulted in several bags' worth of cleaning supplies set me back over $100 but yet, after trying some out, our floors were still not at the cleanliness level I was looking for. However, while scrolling through Instagram, I happened upon this hack for cleaning floors that is now literally the only method I will ever use. Here's how it works.

Pick up some powdered Tide laundry detergent—you know, like your mom used to use. You can find small boxes of this at the dollar store, but you may want to go ahead and buy a big box (it smells so good, you'll probably start using it for washing clothes again, like I did). Then, get a spin mop like this one. A regular mop and bucket are OK, but once you try this easy system, which enables you to wring out the mop with the push of a floor pedal, you'll never go back.

O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop, Bucket Floor Cleaning System

Add 1 teaspoon of Tide powder to the bottom of the spin mop bucket and fill to the line with the hottest water you can get from your tap. Stick your mop into the bucket and swirl it around to get the water a little bit bubbly, then use the foot pedal to spin the mop about eight times. You want the mop almost dry so it's not leaving any excess water on your floors. Now, get to work mopping. This is a little bit of a workout, so it's a satisfying Saturday activity. The key here is to change your water often (we're talking, at least once per room) because it will get dirty. Like, surprisingly dirty, even if you think your floors are already decently clean. Go Clean Co even asks followers to tag them in their "dirty water pours" because, apparently, people are fascinated by this stuff.

According to the Go Clean Co pros, Tide is safe and effective to use on hardwood, engineered hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl planks, and linoleum floors. If you've been using any kind of product on your floors that promises shine, it can lead to a lot of buildup and give you a dull floor—the opposite of what you were going for. The reason Tide removes this (along with any dirt, grime, or grease) is because it contains surfactants, which get rid of anything greasy; it's the same reason it removes grease from your clothes, too. If you have a lot of buildup or dirt on your floors, you may need to mop two or three times with this method to get them really clean. From there, you can move on to maintenance mode.

Trust me: Once you've tried this easy method for cleaning your kitchen floors—especially the grease and grime that can collect around the front of your fridge, stove, and sink—you'll never try anything else. Not to mention, Tide powder is cheap. So once you've invested in the spin mop, you can leave those pricey cleaners promising "shine" behind and make this your new go-to.

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