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7 Great Homemade Mopping Solutions

Updated July 13, 2021 By Katie Barton

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7 great homemade mopping solutions

Whether you’ve run out of your favorite mopping solution or are simply looking for a more eco-friendly option, you have a lot of choices when it comes to homemade floor cleaner.

If you’re ready to give natural cleaners a try, here are seven of the best homemade mopping solutions.

What is the Best Homemade Mopping Solution?

Contents

  • 1 What is the Best Homemade Mopping Solution?
  • 2 7 Best Homemade Mopping Solutions
    • 2.1 Diluted White Distilled Vinegar (All-Purpose)
    • 2.2 Vinegar + Water + Dish Soap (All-Purpose)
    • 2.3 Rubbing Alcohol + Vinegar + Water (Vinyl & Laminate)
    • 2.4 Rubbing Alcohol + Vinegar + Water + Dish Soap (All-Purpose)
    • 2.5 Vinegar + Water + Baking Soda + Dish Soap (Ceramic & Porcelain Tile)
    • 2.6 Vinegar + Vegetable Oil (Wood Floors)
    • 2.7 Olive oil + Lemon Juice + Water (Wood Floors)
  • 3 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 3.1 How do you make homemade floor disinfectant?
    • 3.2 What’s the best homemade mopping solution for natural stone tile?
    • 3.3 Is Apple Cider Vinegar good for cleaning your floors?
  • 4 Conclusion
    • 4.1 Related Posts:

The best homemade all-purpose mopping solution is a mixture of vinegar and water. This solution is safe for all hard flooring surfaces except natural stone. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can add essential oils to your solution.

7 Best Homemade Mopping Solutions

best homemade mopping solutions

Diluted White Distilled Vinegar (All-Purpose)

White distilled vinegar is an excellent mopping solution because it’s composed of acetic acid. Acetic acid is powerful enough to break down grease, grime, and dirt without damaging most surfaces. Vinegar also has some disinfectant qualities. 

(However, it is not considered a complete disinfectant, nor is it approved as a disinfectant by the EPA. If you need to disinfect, use an appropriate product.)

Since vinegar is acidic, you don’t want to use it undiluted. If you do so, the vinegar may eat through any topcoats or sealers. 

Here’s the proper vinegar and water dilution ratio:

  • ½ Cup of Vinegar
  • 1 Gallon Water

This cleaner should be safe to use on any hard floor surface except natural stone.

Vinegar + Water + Dish Soap (All-Purpose)

Adding a bit of dish soap to your vinegar and water mopping solution is safe, can aid in grease breakdown, and improve the smell of the mixture.

Here’s what to mix:

  • ½ Cup of Vinegar
  • 1 Gallon Water
  • 1 Tablespoon of Dish Soap

Rubbing Alcohol + Vinegar + Water (Vinyl & Laminate)

If you’re cleaning vinyl or laminate flooring, you can add rubbing alcohol to your homemade floor cleaner. Rubbing alcohol aids in cleaning and also helps the floor to dry quickly.

Here’s how to make a mopping solution with rubbing alcohol:

  • ¼ Cup of Rubbing Alcohol
  • ¼ Cup of White Distilled Vinegar
  • 1 Gallon Water

Rubbing Alcohol + Vinegar + Water + Dish Soap (All-Purpose)

You can kick your cleaning up a notch by adding dish soap to the mixture above and adding essential oil for fragrance. This solution should be safe for just about any hard floor surface, but you can do a spot test to make sure.

Make this all-purpose mopping solution by combining the following:

  • ¼ Cup of Rubbing Alcohol
  • ¼ White Distilled Vinegar
  • 1 Gallon of Water
  • 1 Tablespoon of Dish Soap
  • 10-15 Drops Essential Oil

Vinegar + Water + Baking Soda + Dish Soap (Ceramic & Porcelain Tile)

If you need a homemade mopping solution for your ceramic or porcelain tile, add a bit of baking soda. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so it helps power through dirt without damaging your tiles.

You will want to avoid using this on natural stone, though – it may be too harsh.

Here’s the best homemade mopping solution for ceramic and porcelain tile:

  • ⅛ Cup Vinegar
  • ⅛ Cup Baking Soda
  • ½ TBS Dish Soap
  • 1 Gallon of Water

Vinegar + Vegetable Oil (Wood Floors)

If you’re looking for a homemade mop solution to make your wood floors shine, this is the one. This recipe only requires two ingredients: vinegar and vegetable oil.

To use this method, take the following steps:

  • Mix equal parts vinegar and vegetable oil in a spray bottle.
  • Spray the floor with the solution and mop.
  • Run a dry mop back over the floor to buff and shine.

Olive oil + Lemon Juice + Water (Wood Floors)

Another good wood floor combo is olive oil, lemon juice, and water. The lemon juice and water clean while the olive oil conditions and gives the wood floors a shine.

Here’s what you’ll need of this recipe:

  • ¾ Cup Olive Oil
  • ½ Cup Lemon Juice
  • Water

Frequently Asked Questions

faq great homemade mopping solution

How do you make homemade floor disinfectant?

One of the best homemade disinfecting cleaners is a water and vinegar solution. Vinegar has natural disinfecting qualities but does not disinfect against all bacteria and viruses.

What’s the best homemade mopping solution for natural stone tile?

One of the best homemade cleaners for natural stone is simply water. Because natural stone is delicate and can become easily damaged by common household cleaners, we recommend using water or purchasing a cleaner formulated for the type of natural stone floors you have.

Is Apple Cider Vinegar good for cleaning your floors?

Apple Cider Vinegar and White Distilled Vinegar have about the same acidity levels, so either will work in cleaning solutions. 

The main reason white distilled vinegar is often suggested for cleaning is that it has some antimicrobial qualities. However, if all you have in your cupboards is apple cider vinegar, it’s OK to use in your cleaning recipes.

Conclusion

If you’ve run out of cleaner, whip up one of these recipes and give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at how cheap and effective these homemade mopping solutions can be.

And if you’re ever in doubt of whether or not a recipe will work on your floor, do a spot test to check before cleaning your entire floor.

Related Posts:

  • Why Do My Hardwood Floors Look Cloudy?
    Why Do My Hardwood Floors Look Cloudy?
  • Can You Use Pine-Sol on Hardwood Floors?
    Can You Use Pine-Sol on Hardwood Floors?
  • Why is My Tile Floor Sticky After I Mop?
    Why is My Tile Floor Sticky After I Mop?
  • How to Clean Laminate Floors without Streaking
    How to Clean Laminate Floors without Streaking
  • Can You Use Swiffer on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
    Can You Use Swiffer on Vinyl Plank Flooring?
  • Can You Put Vinegar in a Steam Mop?
    Can You Put Vinegar in a Steam Mop?

Filed Under: Floor Cleaning Guides

About Katie Barton

Katie Barton lives with her husband and three daughters in an 1800’s style log cabin in southern Ohio. She thinks cleaning is relaxing and is considered the organizing go-to person by her family and friends. She runs the blog Cabin Lane where she shares about cleaning, decluttering, and minimalism.

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