Do you often get frustrated by the feeling of walking on a sticky floor, even after cleaning it using a steam mop? Would you want to understand what causes such a mess and know how to get rid of it immediately? You’re in the right place.
While steam mops are known for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, incorrect usage may cause them to leave behind a sticky surface on your floor. We discuss all the causes of this sticky substance and recommend ways to avoid (and get rid of) the annoying layer.
Quick Navigation
Why Is My Floor Sticky After I Steam Mop?
The main cause of sticky floors after steam mopping is residue from cleaning solutions used with the steam mop machine. Below is an explanation for each of the causes of a sticky floor after steam cleaning.
Excess Cleaning Solution:
Steam cleaners leverage the power of steam to loosen dirt and kill bacteria on surfaces. That’s why most of them are meant to work with clean and pure water alone. Only a few can work with cleaning solutions.
So, unless your steam cleaner supports such solutions, it’s not safe to add anything other than water to the reservoir. Otherwise, you’ll remain with a sticky floor. Although the solutions may give your house a good smell, walking on the floor will be unbearable.
Dirty Mopping Pads:
Using a dirty mopping pad also makes your floor sticky. It’s always advisable to regularly clean the steam mop pad to prevent spreading accumulated dirt around.
But it can be tempting to use it without obeying this, especially if you’re mopping a large surface.
Mop pads should be cleaned as regularly as whenever they get dirty. Even while steam cleaning your floor, we advise that you stop and check if the pad needs to be cleaned or replaced.
Otherwise, you’ll just be spreading more dirt around, making your floors sticky when it dries.
Spilled Liquid:
If you’ve ever spilled some soda, any sugary drink, or specific liquids on a surface, you already understand that it can become sticky when the liquid dries up. But some liquids are stickier than others to the extent that it can be hard to remove them using a steam cleaner.
So, even after steam-cleaning your floor, you might remain with a sticky floor. If this is the situation in your case, it’s important to explore other ways to get rid of the sticky liquid other than steam cleaning.
Poor Cleaning:
Steam cleaning should be done thoroughly and in an organized manner. Failure to do so might leave dirt on the floor, which after drying becomes sticky.
Ensure that you steam clean your floor in a distinct pattern that leaves behind no areas uncovered. Remember to spot-steam a heavily soiled surface for more exposure to steam.
How Do You Get Rid Of Sticky Floors After Mopping?
- Add 3/4 capacity of warm or hot water to a bucket for lightly and heavily soiled floors, respectively. Add a proportional amount of vinegar to the water and mix thoroughly.
- Soak a clean rag in the mixture above and spread the damp rag over the sticky area.
- Leave the rag to stay over the sticky surface for between 10 to 15 minutes so that the vinegar gets enough time to soften the residue.
- Do the same (step 3) for all sticky spots until all residue is softened.
- Then, clean the sticky areas again using a mop and warm water. All the sticky residue shall go away after these steps.
Will A Steam Mop Remove Sticky Residue?
The answer is a straight yes. But it doesn’t come without a few exceptions. Plus, you have to use the machine correctly.
So if you don’t want to experience the hassle of manual mopping as described above, the surprising news is that you can still use a steam cleaner to get rid of sticky residue.
All you have to avoid are cleaning solutions (in case of machines that use only water), the use of dirty mopping pads, excess use of chemicals (in case the machine accepts the cleaning solutions), and the use of dirty water.
Also make sure that your cleaning process is thorough, holding the steam cleaner over sticky areas for longer periods. Remember to use the right temperature that won’t damage your flooring material.
How To Steam Mop A Floor Without Leaving Behind A Sticky Residue
We describe the best hacks for steam cleaning floors correctly without leaving any sticky residue behind. Here they are:
Vacuum Floors Before Steam Cleaning:
Vacuuming is a step before steam-cleaning that works to get rid of crumbs, dirt, hair, and other large particles. Such particles are known to hinder effective steam cleaning, so they must be removed before the process.
If you don’t have a vacuuming machine, or can’t get access to one, simply sweep the floor.
Use Only Water:
Depending on the type of steam cleaning machine that you’re using, it’s important not to add a cleaning solution into the reservoir of a machine that only uses pure water. Likewise, if you have a dual-purpose steam cleaner, avoid using excess ratios of these solutions.
Check The Mop For Dirt And Replace or Clean It Regularly:
No matter how many times you have to stop and clean or replace the steam mop pad, ensure that you do it whenever the cloth gets dirty. Failing to do this will only allow the dirty mop to spread dirt around, leaving behind sticky dirt residue when the floor dries.
The Bottom Line
And that was our comprehensive guide about, “Why is my floor sticky after I steam mop?” It’s now time to assess what causes the stickiness on your floor and use our recommendations to get rid of it.
You also now understand how to steam clean your floor without getting it sticky. Use these tips to make your floor clean, fresh, and green.
