Still gronkified. Had to get up at 6:30 to deal with a chow emergency. As in, we had none. And nap-time was curtailed, due to someone's extreme chow-induced flatulence. Not fair!

This may seem like a stupid question, but can anybody give tips on using a mop to its best capability? I only have a sponge mop, but I am not unwilling to buy another kind if sponge mops are the bad.

My kitchen floor is sticky, and I'm not sure how to make that stop.

Do I need products of some sort? Or what?

(Don't laugh, it's not my fault - we had a cleaning service in my childhood home, and my college dorms were all carpeted.)

but can anybody give tips on using a mop to its best capability?

You should ask, Raq.

In my capacity as an ex-janitor at an all girl's Catholic school, I mopped thusly.

1. Sweep first. You don't need to mop the dirt and grub that's already loose.

2. Fill a bucket with warm soapy water. Use a detergent that's got a degreasing element if you can. If you've got hard wood floors you might need a gentler soap. If it's tile, just go for the clean.

3. Dip sponge mop into bucket and then slop it onto the floor. Get the soapy water all over the floor space you're mopping. Get scrubby with the mop.

4. The floor should look like the water is turning dirty now because you've loosened up the sticky yucky stuff. Soak it up with the sponge mop and wring it out either in your bucket or in the sink or the tub.

The basic idea is that you start with a bucket full of clean soapy water, and after you wash the floor you wring it back into the bucket and now it's a bucket of dirty water that you dispose of.

Hmm. Thanks, David. Maybe my problem was that I was too worried about getting the floor too wet.

waa! What do I want to do my annotated bibliography on? It's supposed to be something to do with organziation and admistration of higher education. I have vague thoughts about something to do with women as university presidents, or something to do with access and need based aid. I can't focus though.

can anybody give tips on using a mop to its best capability

Ha! Stupid gestalt. My LJ entry this morning, Gris.

FTR, I found that the vinegar plan works, and mopping a couple times was necessary. I use a sponge mop (which has a scrubber brush attached, very cool), but my housekeeper uses a rag mop and does a good job with it. I just find that I can't get the sticky patches up with the rag mop.

Alternatively, there's the Scooba option.

ION, dinner tonight was completely from the Buffistas Cookbook: Chocolate Guinness Chili, cornbread, Mango and Black Bean Salad, and Tequila Lime Tart. AIWFG.

Scooba looks cool, but $300 is a lot of money to pay for a kitchen floor that, though large for a 2 BR Manhattan apartment that can be half-afforded by a penny-pinching teacher, can comfortably be described as "very small".

Though I could probably use it on the hardwood in our hallway and my bedroom, too, so I might consider it. I do have some extra cash this summer, due to my decision to be a computer-programming bitch for moneys.

ETA: Normal mopping seems to have worked anyhow.

Ugh. My math is gonna kill me.

Only five more days. Only five more days. Only five more days.

Now, I have to decide if I want to move my refrigerator and stove and clear the guaranteed-to-be-incredibly-disgusting area behind them that probably hasn't seen soap since the apartment was last renovated.

We need a Magic Eraser mop. I use a steamer for the tile and wood floors because I hate dragging dirty water buckets around. This isn't the exact one I have, but it looks the same. Fill with water steam away and toss the cover in the laundry. [link] It's very nice, and easy.