DIY Mopping Solution For Wood Floors

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors - collage: woman's hands putting tea bags into a mop bucket, blond woman mopping a hardwood floor

New And Improved Natural Cleaner For Wood Floors

I’ve written a lot of blog posts over the years about cleaning floors, from my grease-cutting floor cleaner to keeping wood floors clean and beyond. Some of those posts are nearly a decade old at this point, and while some of them need no tinkering, others could use an update, including my all natural wood floor cleaner.

Wood floors are an investment you probably want to keep in the best condition possible, and using the right cleaning solution can go a long way. But rather than spending a small fortune on name-brand cleaning solutions for your wood floors, why not make your own easy DIY mopping solution for pennies instead?

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors - woman's hands measuring Dawn dishwashing liquid into a mop bucket

What’s In This Homemade Floor Cleaning Solution?

In addition to updating the cleaning solution itself, I’m also updating the method for using it. Instead of putting it in a spray bottle, I recommend making this homemade floor cleaning solution in a bucket. (It doesn’t keep well, so it’s better to mix it up fresh when you need it (which, thankfully, is super quick and easy to do).

As you’ll see below, my updated cleaning solution uses warm water, black tea, and a bit of soap and oil. (Did you know that black tea has been used for generations to clean wood floors? The tannic acid in black tea not only cleans wood flooring, but helps restore its shine too.)

A bit of dish soap helps cut through grease without harming wood floors, while a bit of oil helps condition the wood so it doesn’t dry out. Now that you know what’s in this natural cleaner for wood floors, all that’s left to do is make it!

How To Make A DIY Mopping Solution For Wood Floors

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors ingredients: Dawn, fractionated coconut oil, black tea bags.

You’ll need:

1 gallon warm water
3 black tea bags
1 teaspoon dish soap*
1 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil or vegetable oil

*I use Dawn dish soap here for its grease-cutting ability, but it does rather negate the “natural” aspect of this recipe, so feel free to leave it out or use a natural soap, if you prefer.

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors - closeup of woman's hands putting tea bags into a mop bucket

Directions:

Pour the warm water into a small bucket, add the tea bags, and let them steep for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove and discard the tea bags, then add the soap and oil. Stir to combine.

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors - woman mopping a hardwood floor

Using Your DIY Mopping Solution

Start by vacuuming, sweeping, or dry mopping your wood floors to pick up any loose dirt and debris. Then dip your mop into the solution, wring it out, and mop — no need to rinse! It’s the perfect natural cleaner for wood floors.

Best DIY Mopping Solution For Hardwood Floors - closeup of O Cedar Spin Mop in bucket

What Kind Of Mop Should I Use?

When you use this homemade floor cleaning solution, it’s important to use a mop you can wring out well. Too much water is bad for hardwood floors, so you definitely don’t want to have water dripping all over the place. Personally, I recommend a Cuban mop or something like the O-Cedar Microfiber Spin Mop. Cuban mops use a towel (easy to wring out by hand), and the O-Cedar Spin Mop has a bucket with a built in wringer that gives you full control over how damp the mop head is.

For other wood floor care and cleaning tips, check out: