Always clean a dry dust mop before you store it. To avoid making a dust cloud, put a damp paper bag over the head of the mop before shaking it. Wash a very dirty mop in soapy water and rinse. Or, if the head is removable, toss it into the washer. Hang to dry in an airy place.
Rinse and squeeze a wet mop after each use. Store with the head up; a string mop can be hung head down if its strings are well off the floor. Keep the door to the storage cupboard open slightly until the mop is dry. For best results, hang a sponge mop outside in the shade to dry, a cotton string one in the sun.
Never store a wet mop in a bucket; it may develop mildew or become smelly. If this happens to a cotton string mop, soak it for a few minutes in a weak bleach solution (4 floz/115ml chlorine bleach in 1 gallon/4.5 litres of water). Rinse several times and let dry.
Trim a cotton mop occasionally with a pair of strong scissors.
To spruce up an old, frayed bristle broom, soak the bristles in warm water for a few minutes, then wrap several heavy rubber bands tightly around them until the broom is dry.
When you store a broom, hang it so that there's no pressure on the bristles. You don't need a special broom and mop holder; just screw a hook into the tops of the handles and hang them inside the cupboard door.
To prevent a mop or broom handle from scratching or denting furniture as you clean under it, wrap the lower part of the handle with ribbon or a soft cloth.
Brilliant!