The Mop Water Hack That Leaves Your Floors Sparkling And Your Home Smelling Fresh

Mopping can be a tedious task, but when it leaves either a gross, stale scent, or worse, a strong, artificial scent, the cleaning chore can be quite disheartening. However, if you're trying to leave your home actually smelling clean, you can ditch the artificial smell and trade your traditional floor cleaners for a natural, fresh-smelling alternative by adding herbs and spices to your mop water. This is just one of several genius floor cleaning hacks you'll wish you knew sooner.

While it may sound more convenient to use a traditional cleaner with its own scent added in, artificial scents might actually cause you harm, according to research by Gandhi Rádis-Baptista for the National Library of Medicine. Because the fragrances contain chemicals that are volatile organic compounds, vulnerable populations could have symptoms including respiratory issues, headaches, asthma attacks, itching, and neurological problems. These chemicals are also known to cause allergic reactions, which can include itching and pulmonary hypersensitivity. To avoid the harmful chemicals, you can scent your mop water yourself, where you'll know all the ingredients included.

To add the scents, you'll want to first pick out a combination of herbs and spices. This is probably the most fun step, as you'll go around your kitchen and garden choosing the best scents. Find your favorite aromas that will work well together that you know you'll enjoy when they linger around after cleaning. Some great options include basil, lemongrass, mint, thyme, and rosemary. If you want to deter pests such as ants and rodents, and other common household bugs, you can use cinnamon or bay leaves in water. Once you have selected your ingredients, put them in a muslin bag and steep them in two cups of hot water. After a few minutes, add the bag and the water to your mop water and you're ready for cleaning.

If you're still encountering a foul scent after cleaning, you may need to learn how to clean your mop. If your mop isn't cleaned properly, or your floor stays damp too long, they can grow bacteria and mildew over time, which will result in a bad smell left behind that might overpower your herbs and spices. You can avoid this foul result by ensuring you thoroughly rinse your mop under hot water after every use and having proper ventilation in your home so the floor doesn't stay damp for too long.