How to Mop a Ship Deck

In the days when warships were powered by sail, mops were used to swab the inside of the cannons. The mop cleared away and drowned sparks that might ignite the next load of gunpowder. The wooden decks were scraped with gritty soapstone. On a modern ship, the exterior decks are steel and interior decks are covered with vinyl. The steel decks are often cleaned with a fire hose, but interior decks must be swept and mopped -- swabbed -- with the same mop that once served the ship's gun crews.

Things You'll Need

  • Broom
  • Mop bucket and wringer
  • Mop
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sweep the deck thoroughly, with a broom.

    • 2

      Fill a mop bucket with a mixture of 1 cup of liquid soap to 1 gallon of water.

    • 3

      Lower the mop into the mop bucket. Move the mop to the to the mop bucket's wringer attachment. Grasp the wringer handle and move it so as to squeeze the water from the mop.

    • 4

      Grasp the top of the mop handle in one hand. Grasp the middle of the mop handle with the other hand.

    • 5

      Hold the top of the mop handle steady as you move the mop from one side, using the hand in the middle of the mop handle. Make the swings as wide as the mop handle comfortably allows.

    • 6

      Take a step forward with your left foot as you move the mop to the right, As you swing the mop back to the left, take a step forward with your right foot.

    • 7

      Move forward, mopping as you go, until you reach the end of the space. If the space is wide enough to require multiple passes, turn and repeat until the deck is completely mopped.

    • 8

      Dip the mop into the water. Insert the mop into the wringer and wring the dirty water from the mop. Place warning signs on both ends of the area you just mopped. Remove the wringer from the mop bucket.

    • 9

      Dump the dirty mop water into a disposal sink that drains into the ship's marine sanitation device -- the sewage holding tank. Return the mop, bucket and wringer to storage.