There’s nothing better than a shiny, freshly mopped floor, but one common cleaning mistake could be causing more harm than good in the long run. While mopping is the go-to method for keeping floors clean, using too much water can damage certain flooring materials.
Excess moisture can lead to issues such as swelling, staining and damage to protective finishes, depending on the type and condition of the floor. Tailang Bu, a floorcare expert at Philips, says many homeowners use more water than they need to. “Many people think a floor needs to be soaked to get it properly clean, but that’s not the case,” he explained.
“In fact, too much water can do more harm than good, particularly on certain types of flooring.”
Instead of using a soaking-wet traditional mop, he says a lightly damp mop is often all that’s needed for effective cleaning. According to Tailang, there are three floor types homeowners should be particularly careful not to soak when mopping.
“Wood is one of the biggest floor types to be careful with, particularly if it is unsealed, untreated or has a damaged protective finish,” he said. “Too much water can work its way into the material rather than simply sitting on the surface, which can lead to problems over time.”
Natural stone is another flooring material that can catch homeowners out. “People often assume all stone floors can handle lots of water, but that’s not always true,” Tailang said.
“Some stone surfaces are more porous than others and can absorb moisture and cleaning products, so you shouldn’t assume every stone floor can be treated in exactly the same way.”
Laminate flooring is also a floor material that catches homeowners out, due to its durability and it being easy to clean.
“If water is left sitting on the surface or works its way into joins and edges, it can create problems over time. The key is keeping moisture under control,” explained Tailang.
The good news is floors don’t need to be saturated to be cleaned effectively. “It’s not about avoiding mopping altogether,” he added.
“It’s about controlling how much water you’re putting onto the floor. Less is often more, and a lightly damp clean is usually all that’s needed.”
For homeowners looking to reduce the amount of water left behind when cleaning, the Philips OneUp electric mop pumps clean water onto the floor while simultaneously removing dirty water.
This helps avoid excess moisture sitting on the surface and keeps clean and dirty water separate throughout the cleaning process.
“Removing dirty water as you clean means you’re not repeatedly spreading moisture around the floor,” Tailang explained. “It’s a much more controlled way of cleaning, particularly for flooring types that don’t respond well to being saturated.”
