The Only Way to Mop

After trial and error, I conclude that the best way to clean my floors appears to be on my hands and knees with a bucket and a bundle of rags.

I know that it sounds miserable. Every time I do this, I am reminded of Father Tim's horror when he sees Puny doing the same thing. I'll admit that it isn't especially easy on the knees, but the method gets the floor clean without streaks, and it's quick: with the proper tools, I can speed through my kitchen/dining room combo in about twenty minutes.

You need lots of rags. I like them because they're hearty and reusable. McNASA and I tend to be pretty gentle on clothes, so instead of making rags I buy washcloths at Target. They're the cheap ones (a bundle of twelve for three dollars) and they come in pretty colors.

You also need a bucket of warm water and an all-purpose cleaner. I'm partial to Caldrea because they smell lovely, work well, and don't leave a residue. Right now I'm on a bottle of Citrus Mint Ylang-Ylang and it smells like minted lemonade.

Dump some of the cleaner into the water (1/4 cup to 1 gallon) and stir it around. Using one cloth at a time, soak it in the mixture, then scrub the floor with it. When you're ready for more water, set the used rag aside and get a fresh one. If you never put a dirty rag back into the bucket, your wash water stays clean!