How to clean a mop head like the cleaning pros in 4 simple steps

Cleaning a mop head is an often-overlooked chore, but an important one nonetheless. Mopping with a dirty mop head is counter-productive and will spread dirt and bacteria across the floors in your home.

Regularly cleaning it will also preserve its lifespan, reduce how often you should replace your mop head, and help avoid nasty smells building up where you store your mop.

I spoke to professional cleaners to find the absolute best method to cleaning a mop head, and the following steps came up time and time again for cotton or microfiber mop heads.

How to clean a mop head

The following steps are for string, spin and flat mops made from cotton or microfiber. Do not follow these steps if yours is a sponge mop, vacuum-mop or flash mop.

Remember that some mop heads are machine washable if the care symbols on your label indicate it's safe, this can save you a lot of time and effort. Just make sure to avoid a high heat to avoiding damaging the fibers.

1. Rinse

Start by detaching the mop head to prep for a complete clean.

'Rinse the head under warm water in your bathtub to try and take out any loose dirt or debris that may be visible within the mop strands,' says Ken Doty, long-time cleaning expert and COO of The Maids.

Try to remove as much dirt as possible with your hands under the warm water, but don't worry about getting everything off. The next steps will help clear the more stubborn dirt.

Optional step: If you're doing this directly after mopping, it's a good idea to soak it in warm water and a cleaning solution, such as this specialized Aunt Fannie's Vinegar Wash (available at Amazon), then rinse and remove the dirt as directed above.

2. Soak

Then, it's time to deep clean the mop head. A simple cleaning solution of hot water and vinegar (or, use the above cleaning solution again – just make sure you only use one or the other). A vinegar cleaning solution is powerful enough to get into the mop head's fibers to remove any stubborn grime.

'Put a warm water and vinegar mixture (about two cups of vinegar) in a clean bucket and let the mop head soak for about a half hour,' shares Kathy Cohoon, cleaning pro and operations manager at Two Maids. Vinegar is important as it sanitizes the mop head.

3. Scrub

'Once it's thoroughly soaked, use a brush to scrub the mop head to remove any dirt that might be still hanging on for dear life,' Ken recommends. The dirt should come off easily at this point, as the vinegar soak will have done most of the work.

4. Rinse again

'Give the the mop head one more rinse under the hot water to ensure the cleaning solution has been rinsed out,' says Ken. You should be able to tell when the cleaning solution has been rinsed as the water will run clear.

Then, wring out any water and let it dry completely before storing it. This helps to prevent mold and mildew from growing and will help to preserve the lifespan of your mop head.

Next, find out how to mop floors the right way, to maximize your efforts when cleaning.