With muddy feet going in and out of the house all winter and increased spills or debris from extra guests and visitors, it can be trickier to keep floors not only clean, but also smelling fresh. That's why professional cleaners are turning to mop water additives for boosted scenting.
It turns out that there are three great kitchen items you can slip into fresh mop water before cleaning your kitchen floors and other areas with hard flooring to easily banish lingering odors. These are quick, non-toxic, and you likely already have them at home.
Here's what cleaning experts recommend, and how to use these to freshen up ahead of hosting.
Prep for Guests With These 3 Mop-Water Kitchen Add-Ins
1. Cinnamon
Cleaning with seasonally scented cleaning products is one of the easiest ways to make your home smell good for Christmas – and what is more festive and welcoming than cinnamon?
Dennis Vong, founder and owner of Inland Power Wash, suggests adding cinnamon sticks from Walmart to your mop water and letting them infuse before cleaning.
Mopping with cinnamon also has the added benefit of acting as a mild natural pest control, too. While it is not a surefire way to completely stop pests, he explains that the lingering scent of cinnamon can make your kitchen less interesting to ants. Plus, some pest control pros suggest you can keep rodents out of the kitchen using cinnamon.
This is preferred to adding powdered cinnamon to your vacuum, as the fine powder can damage the motor when used in excess. Just watch out for allergies, as around two per cent of the population have a cinnamon allergy.
If you're in doubt, try one of the next two options.
2. Lemon Juice or Peels
Cleaning with lemon juice is nothing new. Adding it to your mop water not only adds a fresh scent to your kitchen, but it can also help to cut through spills, grease, and grime naturally, says Anna Lewicka, founder of Best Home Services.
'Lemon juice [available at Walmart] provides a clean scent and slight acidity that helps with mild stains and overcomes smells. However, take care to avoid this on acid-sensitive floors,' she warns. This includes cleaning stone floors and hardwood.
'Adding citrus peels to your mop water is a lovely way to repurpose something that would have otherwise been discarded to stop creating unnecessary waste at home,' she adds. 'Let the peels sit in hot water for five minutes, strain, and add the infused water to the mop bucket.
3. Herbal Tea Bags
Tea bags do not regularly make it into a list of non-toxic cleaning products, but herbal tea can make an excellent addition to mop water, especially when striving to make a home smell festive.
Dennis says, 'Chamomile tea or peppermint tea bags [from Walmart] are also effective. Peppermint has a lifted, fresh scent that is cool, while chamomile relaxes everything. I also tend to brew one immediately after a long day of cleaning to help relax,' he adds.
Instead of herbal teas, you can stick to straight herbs, says Anna, 'Herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and especially mint work well. You can either infuse them or steep them in hot water for a quicker method. However, make sure to strain the mixture to avoid loose bits on your clean floors!' A large mesh strainer, from Walmart, is handy for this.
As with cinnamon, using peppermint teas or mint leaves can also act as a scent deterrent, with peppermint particularly effective at getting rid of mice to protect your festive feasts.
What to Shop
The O-Cedar mop system has an EasyWring mechanism to pull excess water from the mop head automatically, making mopping easier and reducing the risk of puddles, water damage, and slips.
Made with 100% lemon and lime juice from concentrate. Use it in food, or add a few drops to your mop water. It's a really useful and versatile item to have in the house.
These tea bags are made with soothing and refreshing peppermint grown in America, and are caffeine and gluten-free.
Cinnamon is the perfect winter spice, ideal for cleaning as well as adding warmth to cooking and festive drinks. Plus, it can help to discourage pests.
I love this scented Castile soap for cleaning during the festive period. There are hundreds of ways to use it all over the home, and it smells exactly like marzipan.
Distilled white vinegar is a fantastic non-toxic cleaning tool for any home. When used correctly, it can help to kill mold and bacteria, as well as tackle odors and lighten stains, all without harsh chemicals.
Meet the Experts
Don't fancy raiding your pantry and using food to clean? You can also clean with essential oils to freshen your home fragrance without any waste, Anna adds. ' The most suitable scents for cleaning are mint, citrus, lavender, and eucalyptus, which make things feel extra clean,' she explains. 'Be careful not to use too much, as one or two drops is usually enough.'
