I spent months testing the best mopping cleaners you can use with a mop so you don’t have to. Below are the 15 recipes I tried and my honest impressions of each. This review covers popular options like Tide powder, Fabuloso, bleach, dishwasher tabs, and more.
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It all started with a new mop.
A couple of years ago I bought the O-Cedar Spin Mop that had been trending on social media. I wanted to try a different approach than the spray-mop with microfiber pads I had been using.
It turned out to be the right move. The O-Cedar is my favorite mop for vinyl plank floors, and the process is oddly satisfying to use and watch.
Going Viral
After posting a video of me mopping with the O-Cedar, it quickly went viral. Between two uploads, that clip has more than 15 million views. That attention led me to post several follow-up videos where I tested different floor-cleaning formulas with the O-Cedar to see which worked best.
Over a series of posts I tested three formulas each week and filmed “the pour” to show how much dirt each solution removed. Those videos were popular and prompted many requests for a single post summarizing my results. This is that roundup.
How I Ranked the Best Mopping Cleaners
I tested 15 cleaning solutions on my LVP (luxury vinyl plank) and tile floors. Ratings reflect smell, cleaning ability, drying time, residue, and overall ease of use. Some scores changed slightly after I had more experience with the formulas, but the lists below reflect my final impressions.
Can I use these with other kinds of mops?
Yes. Any traditional mop-and-bucket system works well with these solutions. I don’t recommend them for disposable pad mops (they tend to streak) or steam mops (steam mops are designed to use only water).
How Much Water Did I Use?
The O-Cedar bucket holds roughly 2 gallons of water. Each recipe below was mixed into that amount, with warm water used unless otherwise noted.
Which floors did I test on?
I tested on LVP in most rooms and ceramic tile in two small bathrooms. I do not have hardwood floors, so if you have hardwood you should use products made specifically for that surface. These results are most relevant to vinyl plank, linoleum, and laminate floors.
Below are the formulas ranked from least effective to best based on my experience.
15. Vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and Fabuloso (½ cup each)
- Viewer suggestion, but the scent combination was unpleasant.
- Did not speed up drying time.
- Poor cleaning performance compared with other options.
Rating: 2/10
14. ⅓ cup Murphy’s Oil Soap
- Has a slightly waxy smell.
- Average cleaning power.
- Left a light residue on the floor.
Rating: 4/10
13. 1 cup white vinegar
- Left noticeable streaks on LVP and tile.
- Strong vinegar odor lingered for a long time.
- One of the weaker cleaning results overall.
Rating: 4.5/10
12. ½ cup bleach
- Effective at disinfecting but didn’t clean as well as expected.
- Caused worry about accidentally bleaching rugs or fabrics.
- Needed an extra rinse with water to remove lingering bleach.
- Do not mix bleach with other chemicals; it can produce toxic fumes.
Rating: 4.5/10
11. ½ cup Pine-Sol
- Cleaned adequately but not outstandingly.
- Moderate scent, not overpowering.
- Has antimicrobial properties when used per label directions.
Rating: 5/10
10. Generous squirt of dish soap (I used Mrs. Meyer’s)
- Pleasant scent and good cleaning power.
- Tended to leave streaks or residue when too much was used.
Rating: 5/10
9. ¼ cup Totally Awesome plus one Cascade dishwasher tab
- Very effective at cutting grease and stains.
- Slower to dry and left some residue in spots.
Rating: 5.5/10
8. ½ cup OdoBan
- Concentrate kills bacteria; diluted for mopping it’s less potent.
- Nice scent and left no residue.
Rating: 6/10
7. 2 tablespoons Tide powder and 2 tablespoons purple Fabuloso
- Smells great and left floors looking clean.
- Not quite as effective as plain water or some cleaners at removing deeper grime.
- Small amount of residue remained in some areas.
Rating: 6.5/10
6. ¼ cup powdered OxiClean (about one scoop)
- Neutral scent and excellent cleaning performance.
- Does not disinfect but lifts stains very well.
Rating: 7/10
5. ½ cup Windex
- Cleaned exceptionally well and left no residue.
- Surprisingly slow drying time in my conditions.
Rating: 7/10
4. ½ cup Mrs. Meyer’s concentrate
- Great scent and good cleaning power.
- Got mildly sudsy, which I liked, and left only a tiny bit of residue when I used the recommended amount.
Rating: 7/10
3. Plain warm water in the mop bucket
- Free and widely available.
- Surprisingly effective—my O-Cedar removed a lot of grime using just warm water.
- O-Cedar states their mop removes a high percentage of germs and bacteria with water alone.
Rating: 7.5/10
2. ¼ cup Totally Awesome cleaner
- Neutral, pleasant scent.
- One of the best cleaning results—cuts through grime very effectively.
- Very affordable, though it doesn’t disinfect.
Rating: 8/10
1. Best mopping formula: ½ cup Mr. Clean
- Outstanding cleaning performance on both LVP and tile.
- Disinfects when used according to directions.
- Pleasant scent and no residue when diluted properly.
Rating: 9/10
Other Mopping Tips
- Start dry-mopping before wet-mopping. A dry mop or microfiber pad removes dust and loose debris so wet mopping performs better.
- Invest in a robot vacuum to keep floors consistently free of dirt; most models work well on LVP. I don’t recommend robotic mops—they can be inconsistent.
- Keep a consistent cleaning schedule to prevent build-up. Regular light maintenance makes deep cleaning easier.
Final Thoughts
After a three-month experiment, my top recommendation is Mr. Clean diluted in warm water. It combined excellent cleaning, a pleasant scent, disinfecting capability, and left no residue. That said, many of the recipes on this list perform well in a pinch—plain warm water and affordable cleaners like Totally Awesome also delivered excellent results. Use what fits your priorities: cost, scent, disinfecting power, or residue-free finish.
I’d love to see these cleaning solutions in action—tag me on social media or leave a comment describing how they worked for you.