Hi lovely, Ever finished mopping… and the house still smells a bit meh? You’re not alone. Most of the time, the problem isn’t the floor — it’s the mop water.

8 Things You Can Add to Mop Water for Fresher-Smelling Floors (You Already Have at Least 3)

There's nothing worse than finishing mopping and realizing that your home has a stale, sour odor. One of the best ways to make sure that doesn't happen is to start every mopping session with a clean mop

There are also many commercial floor cleaners that contain fragrances, or you can make homemade mopping solutions to add your own scents. Here are a few things you can add to your mop bucket to leave a fresh scent throughout your home as you maintain your floors

Lemon Juice

Adding about 1/4 cup of fresh or bottled lemon juice will freshen any mopping solution. There is an added benefit because the ascorbic acid will help cut through greasy residue. It is also non-toxic to pets and small children.

Scented Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent addition to a mopping solution to help cut through greasy film and lift dirt, but you may not find its acrid scent pleasing. Thankfully, you can purchase scented vinegar or make your own.

Add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil to 2 cups of vinegar and label the bottle. Or, scent the vinegar by steeping 1 cup of citrus peels in 2 cups of vinegar for about a week; strain out the peels and label the bottle.

Fresh Herbs and Spices

Love the smell of fresh thyme, mint, or lemongrass? Make a sachet of your favorite fresh herbs or whole spices in a muslin bag. Steep it in 2 cups of hot water and then add the water and the bag to your mopping solution.

Scented Laundry Beads

If you love the scent of your favorite laundry beads, don't limit them to the laundry room. Dissolve a scoop in 2 cups of hot water and add them to the cleaning solution in your mop bucket. The beads won't help remove grime, but they will fill the room with fragrance.

Citrus Peels

Citrus Peels

The peel from 1 orange won't do much to freshen a mop bucket, but here's how you can make your own citrus cleaning fragrances.

Save citrus peels from lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and limes in a bag in the freezer. When you have about 2 cups of peels, boil them in 2 cups of hot water for about 10 minutes. Strain out the peels and add the liquid to your mop bucket.

Herbal Tea Bags

Herbal teas such as peppermint, green tea, and chamomile add a lovely scent to cleaning solutions. Steep a couple of bags in 2 cups of hot water and add the tea to your mop bucket.

Avoid herbal teas that contain fruits like blackberry or flowers like hibiscus that create dark-colored teas. They could stain some types of flooring if the concentration is too high.

Essential Oils

Adding your favorite essential oil is a simple way to add fragrance to your mop bucket. Just add a few drops to your mopping water and it'll work instantly.

However, some oils are not safe for pets, especially if added in large quantities. Pets walk on the wet floor and then lick their paws, ingesting the problem oils. Because the production of essential oils is not regulated, the ASCPA recommends avoiding the use of any essential oils if you have indoor pets.

Baking Soda

Adding 1 or 2 cups of baking soda to your mopping solution won't add any fragrance; however, it will help get rid of odors. After all, the definition of a clean smell is the absence of bad odors. No perfume needed!

These little tweaks make such a big difference — especially if you want your home to feel fresh without buying loads of products.

If you want more simple cleaning tips like this, just reply and tell me what you struggle with most at home. I love helping you make life easier. 💛

Talk soon,

Rena