Can I Put Vinegar in My Steam Mop?

We get this question at least a hundred times every single day. The straightforward answer is, yes, you can put vinegar in your steam mop. However, saying that would be leaving half of the story untold. Hence, this article exists in the first place to clear all the odds that you might have to face. 

Can I Put Vinegar in My Steam Mop?

A steam mop can help you clean various types of floors, including both hardwood and vinyl ones. Using soap with water in it already does a terrific good job. But to sterilize and kill all the germs with vinegar sounds more tempting, eh?  

Perhaps we all are aware of the reputation vinegar has as a great cleansing agent. But whether to put it in the steam mop or not solely depends on what you intend to clean. That is because not all floors will react the same to the use of vinegar. 

Though vinegar is less effective on hardwood, you will find it compelling while cleaning vinyl and linoleum floors. And once you use it to clean your toilets, ceramic floors, bathtubs, and tiles, there is no going back. Yes, it works that well! 

Benefits of Putting Vinegar in Your Steam Mop 

Most of the hype behind vinegar comes from its acidic nature that can eradicate stubborn old stains and grease. Many of us also feel tempted to use white vinegar due to its added freshness and neutral scent. However, there are a lot more benefits to it than we usually would think of.

• White vinegar contains acetic acid, which is known to be a great disinfectant and natural sanitizer. Applying it will help your floors stay free from germs and bacteria, including E. Coli, Salmonella, and more. We now know the importance of it more than ever before.
• Vinegar can dissolve away grease, soap scum, stubborn stains, and even the brines left behind by hard water. Have kids? Removing the glue left behind from their stickers is not a big deal for it either.
• Except for a few substances, this multilateral agent can clean pretty much anything in your house. Be it toilets, tiles, ceramic floors, faucets, bathtubs, or countertops, you will love the outcome for sure.
• It also removes bad odors from your floors as well as carpets, a work that soap water can never do alone.
• If your pet tends to misbehave, vinegar can save the day. Not only does it remove cat or dog urine from your carpets, but also leaves an odor to keep them away.

How to Use Vinegar to Clean Carpets?

You must be pretty excited to try things out with your carpets right away. Well, we can’t blame you, given that putting vinegar in a steam mop has this many beneficial aspects. But to get the most out of it, you will probably need a bit more. A proper and detailed procedure is what we are talking about.

1. Take one gallon of water along with a cup or two of vinegar solution. You can use regular water although we would suggest warm water instead.
2. Now, the solution itself will do fine if you are cleaning floors or tiles. For carpets, try to sprinkle a bit of soda bicarb first for even better results. Since too much soda can harm the carpet, make sure not to overdo it.
3. Add the vinegar mixture you prepared to the steam mop and start cleaning. We would not suggest you to hurry things up. Take your time and clean as accurately as possible to obtain the fresh odor from the vinegar.

Are Vinegar Good for Hardwood Floors?

Despite all the proven cases of its benefits, vinegar falls short of the glory when it comes to wooden floors. The obvious side effects of using vinegar on hardwood floors include cracking, peeling, and sometimes cloudiness in the wooden finish.

Other than that, the crisp and shiny finish on your hardwood floor has more to do than improving aesthetics. It has been applied to keep the wood free from damages. Vinegar is acidic in nature and can burrow through that finish. As a result, you will be left with a dull-looking hardwood floor and a lot of regrets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is using a steam mop safe for my vinyl plank floors?

Ans: Steam mops are not as safe for planked vinyl floors as for regular luxury vinyl floors. That is because the glue that holds the planks together may get damaged, as water can easily seep through them. 

Q: How to clean a hardwood floor with steam mop?

Ans: To clean a hardwood floor without damaging it, use a solution that is by no means acidic. Solutions with a neutral pH are highly recommended. For example, you can use a homemade mixture of soap and water. Furthermore, try using a microfiber mop with your steam cleaner to get better results.

Q. Is steam mop suitable for deep cleaning that remains for a few days?

Ans: Steam mop is suitable for regular cleaning. But if you don’t have enough time to clean your floor on a regular course and want a deep cleaning you should use spin mop.

Bottom Line

There you go. Seeing through the topic that so many people were arguing over was not so hard after all, was it? One last tip before we say so long, though. Never forget to clean your steam mop accordingly unless you’re up for the unpleasant odor. Vinegar did its part, so you should do yours too.