Why You Should Be Putting Cinnamon In Your Mop Water—Maybe

Lately, more people have started adding cinnamon to their mop water. It’s not a new idea, with some people saying they’ve heard this tip through generations of their family, but it’s been gaining more attention again through home cleaning blogs and word of mouth.  At first, it might just seem like a creative way to make your floors smell better, but there’s more to the story than just the scent. So, why are people adding cinnamon to their mop water?

It Does Smell Nice

The scent is definitely part of it. When you mop with cinnamon, it leaves a warm, cozy smell that hangs in the air long after you’ve finished cleaning. It’s a nice change from the sharpness of bleach or other chemical floor cleaners. A few drops of cinnamon oil or even a spoonful of ground cinnamon in hot water is usually enough to freshen up a whole room, but for many people, the reason they’re doing this is more than just the fragrance.

A person scooping a spoonful of cinnamon into a mop bucket.

Photo Credit: YouTube / Clever Hacks

Keeping Pests at Bay

One of the main reasons this trick has stuck around is the belief that cinnamon helps keep ants away. Some people swear by it, mopping along baseboards, doors, and windows where ants tend to enter. The idea is that the strong smell interferes with how ants track food or communicate with each other, making them more likely to just leave than hang around. While there’s no firm scientific proof that cinnamon is an effective pest control method, enough people have tried it with what they feel are good results that it’s become a widely shared tip.

A closeup of four ants crawling on the side of a cupcake.

Photo Credit: Canva Pro

Not a Guaranteed Fix

Still, it’s important to be realistic. Cinnamon likely won’t solve a major ant problem, and it’s not a substitute for sealing gaps or deeper pest treatments if needed. However, it also isn’t harmful to try. It won’t damage most floors when used in small amounts, and unlike chemical sprays, it’s safer around kids and pets. Think of it less as a cure and more as a harmless addition to your routine that just might help, and even if it doesn’t, your home will still smell great.

Cinnamon sticks, powder and sieve on grey background, space for text

Photo Credit: Envato Elements / AtlasComposer

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Putting cinnamon in your mop water won’t change everything overnight, but at the very least it’s an inventive way to make your home smell amazing. Whether or not it truly keeps ants out, it won’t hurt to try, and it brings a natural, pleasant scent into your home at the same time. Would you give it a shot?