Things You'll Need
Dish detergent
Bucket or tub
Rubber gloves
Sponge
Tarp
You can re-use a sponge mop many times without changing the mop head, but for the best results, it's important to keep it clean. If you don't, you won't be cleaning your floors very efficiently--you will simply be smearing old dirt and debris around. Never use a bleach product to clean a mop that has been used with ammonia cleaners, and vice versa. Ammonia and bleach create a toxic gas.
Step 1
Fill a bucket or your bathtub with hot water. Add 1 tbsp. of dish detergent or a mild floor detergent (use the dilution amount recommended on the label for cleaning floors).
Video of the Day
Step 2
Plunge your sponge mop, mop-head first, into the soapy water. Press the sponge head against the floor of the tub or bucket several times to release soils trapped in the sponge mop.
Step 3
Put on rubber gloves and dampen a sponge in the soapy water. Scrub the metals and plastic parts that hold the sponge head onto the mop. If necessary, scrub the mop handle with the sponge.
Step 4
Wring out the sponge mop head, using the wringer mechanism if your style of mop has one. Press the mop down into the water again, swishing it around to loosen more dirt and grime.
Step 5
Rinse the mop head under cool, running water until the water runs clear. Rinse off soapy residue from the other elements of the mop.
Step 6
Place a tarp on your driveway or elsewhere in your yard. Lay the mop on the tarp to dry in the sunlight. This will prevent a musty smell that commonly plagues mops.
Video of the Day