Best mops 2024 – 9 top buys for all floor types, tried and tested by us
Invest in one of the best mops to get your floors sparkling, whether they are laminate, vinyl, amtico, tiled or even hardwood
- Best mops
- How to choose
- How we test
- FAQs
- What is the most effective mop?
- What should I use in my mop for cleaning?
- Is steaming floors better than mopping?
- How often should floors be mopped?
- Is microfibre good for mopping?
- How often should wood floors be mopped?
- Is it better to mop wood floors with cold or hot water?
- Can you mop unsealed wood floors?
If you're looking to buy one of the best mops, you've come to the right place. If your current, perhaps broken or otherwise lacklustre mop has seen better days, you'll find a new mop that ticks all the boxes with our top picks.
We've been spending our time trying and testing a range of floor mops on our floors, to help determine which ones are the best value for money. And to get our floors sparkling clean post-vacuuming, especially if you haven't splashed out yet on one of the best steam cleaners.
Whether you have tiled floors throughout your house or your home is laminate from top to bottom, we've got the solution for you. Here, you'll find everything from mop and bucket sets to spray mops for a simple life, flat mops for easy storing and sponge mops for a deeper clean on our list.
To help sway your choice see our expert verdict on the top floor mops on the web right now, whether you're replacing an old model or you're a new homeowner so you've never owned a mop. One thing's for sure: having an easy-to-use mop in your cupboard ought to make this boring job a whole lot easier (and faster!)
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The best mops 2024 for all floor types
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Best mops
Best overall
Best mop overall
This Beldray spray mop is easily our pick of the best mop out there – for convenience and price. It's budget-friendly and more than easy to manoeuvre around your furniture, while it makes mopping underneath furniture easy, too.
It comes with 2 machine washable heads that need to be run under water before using. Its 350ml tank is perfect for mopping small homes, and it rids the need of lugging around a bucket.
You can use this mop on pretty much any floor, from tiles to vinyl and laminate. Just fill the bottle with solution and water, wet the pad, then pull the trigger and get walking.
Best for laminate
Best mop for laminate floors
Yes, this Amazon mop is highly rated by reviewers – and for good reason. It's a super sturdy option thanks to its steel pole and its sturdy aluminium alloy base. You can use it on just about any type of floor, but it's best used on laminate types. Its microfibre head will glide across the floor, picking up spillages and pet hair as it goes.
After use, you can use the handy dirt removal scrubber to rid the mop head of any inevitable embedded hair or crumbs. Oh, and the microfibre heads can be thrown in your washing machine. With a 360 swivel pole, mopping around and underneath your furniture has never been easier.
The only thing? You'll need to use your own spray as there's not a bottle and trigger function with this mop. Did we mention that this mop has an extendable pole, too? For easy mopping, no matter your height.
Best for tiles
Best mop for tile floors
If you are searching for the best mop to deep clean your floors, whether tiles or laminate, then this is a great option. This sponge mop can get deep into your grout, to clean in between each tile, and it will (gently!) scrub your floors clean. It's also convenient to use on tiles and walls since it's a sponge, and this makes easy work for you.
Better than that: it's called the 'Butterfly Mop' as you can squeeze it out after dipping it in a bucket of water and floor cleaner. This is so that you don't end up soaking your floors. Just pull the lever on the handle and the sponge will fold in two, squeezing out excess water.
The sponge itself is even washable in between uses – whether in a machine or in your sink. Use the mop's kickstand to store this mop with ease, and to allow its sponge to air dry naturally, ready for the next clean. Just remember: you will need to invest in a bucket to use this mop.
Best mop for hardwood floors
Best mop for hardwood floors
If you're wondering how to clean wooden floors effectively, one tool to consider is the Bona spray mop for wood floors. Super easy to use, our Ecommerce editor Molly Cleary explains why: 'I hated mopping before I started using the Bona Hardfloor Mop, and could never understand the logic behind putting the dirty mop water back on your floors.'
'You can avoid that thanks to the spray mechanism on this mop, which applies a cleaning solution to your floors as you go. It's really easy to push around and you can buy refills for the solution. Once I've used it I just pop the mop head in the wash, and the kit comes with a spare so you never have to go without.'
Best microfibre mop
Best microfibre mop
Ever worry if your microfibre mop is actually just spreading germs about and not really cleaning your floors? Well, you can worry no more with Minky's new Opti Clean mop that features an innovative dual cavity bucket that separates dirty and clean water and a powerful 360° spin, rinse, and wringing system that works alongside scrubbing bristles to clean the reusable microfibre head mid-mop.
The bucket, with its sturdy handle, can be easily filled under a tap and any dirty water can be drained away by removing the blue plug. We think it's perfect for homes with limited storage too because the mop easily comes apart so you can conveniently put it away after use.
Best set
Best mop and bucket
A bestseller for good reason, Vileda's Turbo Microfibre Mop and Bucket Set is packed with features to leave your floors sparkling clean.
This bucket features an integrated spinner – this is to semi-dry the head so you don't soak your floors. Push your foot on the pedal to control how dry (or wet) the mop head is. It also has a spout for easy emptying of dirty water which doubles as a handle for carrying.
The mop has a triangle-shaped head to get right into corners, and it has a washable microfibre head. You can use this head with only water to kill 99.9% of bacteria on your floors. Plus, it's extendable so that you can reach under furniture or up to ceilings.
Best spray mop
Best spray mop
With a battery-powered trigger that dispenses just the right amount of cleaning solution, the Flash Powermop tackles floor grime without leaving any sticky residue. Reviewers found it easy to use while cleaning sealed hard floor surfaces, with some saying it is the best mop they've ever used.
According to Flash, it cleans twice as fast as a traditional mop and bucket and we tend to agree as most reviewers found that it loosens and lifts dirt with one sweep. And at an affordable price, we think this is a great budget buy.
Best eco
Best eco-friendly mop
Searching for an eco-alternative to your plastic ridden mop? This one from Dunelm is made of bamboo with not one but two microfibre heads for simple floor cleaning. Rest assured it's sturdy and durable, and the pads are machine washable for continuous use.
It comes with two types of mop heads – a chenille pad for dry dusting, and a microfibre one for use with water and solution. This makes this mop brilliant for use anywhere in your home, including on hardwood floors! Plus, it's very budget-friendly making it a great all-rounder.
Easiest to use
Best easy to use mop
Use this E-cloth to clean your floors using just hot water. Its special microfibre pad activates when it touches water, while it's safe to use around kids and pets. One mop head should last over 300 washes – or 3 years in total. It can also rid your floors of dirt, grease, grime and even bacteria. Clever stuff. The mop itself doesn't have a water tank so you'll need to get the head wet before attaching it to the mop, and possibly wet it once more whilst you are mopping.
The mop itself can easily be swivelled around furniture and used on more than floors, but walls and skirting boards, too. Its handle also extends to 5 feet. Brilliant for those who are trying to be kinder to the environment, while also being simple to use and a total bargain. This is without a doubt the best eco-friendly mop out there. Just replace the head once you feel you need to.
How to choose a mop
There's a huge variety of different types of mop but there are a few key characteristics that can turn this cleaning task into something you actually might find quite satisfying. Look out for these types of mop and you won't go wrong.
- Spray mops have an integrated water tank (kind of like a water bottle) and they work by pulling the trigger. This sprays water and solution onto your floor. These tend to be easy to manoeuvre and also convenient to store.
- Flat mops are similar to that of a spray mop, just without a built-in water tank and trigger. You'll need to use one of these with a solution in a spray bottle unless your mop works with only water to kill bacteria.
- Mop and buckets are the most popular type of mop. They do require you to lug around the bucket as you clean, though. A mop and bucket combo is great for deeper cleaning your floors – and getting into corners.
- Sponge mops are brilliant for cleaning tiles. They are gentle on your floors, while you might want to be careful so as not to soak your floors with a sponge mop. They are also great for use on walls, too. You will probably have to use a sponge mop with a bucket.
How we test our mops
At Ideal Home, we know that in order to give you our opinion of the best mops on the market, we need to have tested them ourselves. That's why all of the mops within this guide have been rigorously tested, with each function and accessory used to establish value for money and functionality.
The process of exactly how we test involves using the products in our own homes frequently, in order to put them through their paces. By using them over an extended period of time, we can judge whether these products are worth your investment and whether they can stand the test of time. That includes weighing up each mop's cleaning quality, ease of use, specialist features, and value for money.
FAQs
What is the most effective mop?
In terms of the most effective mop, when it comes to deep cleaning your floors, it has to be Vileda's Turbo Microfibre Mop and Bucket Set. With a thick microfibre head and a bucket included, this mop makes it easy to get into those corners.
This also makes it great for scrubbing floors, and soaking them if need be. Plus, all you need to do is use it with hot water and it will sanitise your floors, killing 99.9% of bacteria.
What should I use in my mop for cleaning?
Depending on the type of mop that you buy, some just require hot water for decent floor cleaning. Selected mops are equipped with heads that clean 99.9% of bacteria when wet so that you needn't use any solutions on your floors.
Otherwise, whether you prefer to use a floor cleaner for peace of mind or your mop needs it, here are our favourite suggestions for shiny floors. They also leave behind a more than pleasant scent. It's also paramount to learn how to clean a mop head properly and when to replace your mop head once and for all, to ensure you're cleaning as effectively as possible.
Is steaming floors better than mopping?
These are two different actions entirely. We suggest you do both – not all of the time though. A mop is great for daily or weekly cleaning, and perfect for quick clean-ups whether from a messy dinner time or a spilt drink. A steam cleaner, or steam mop, however, is necessary for deep cleaning.
This is because they use hot steam to sanitize your floors. It would be a smart idea to use a steam mop, like a or cleaner on your floors every month or so, with a normal floor mop being used twice a week – or more if need be.
How often should floors be mopped?
It probably goes without saying but brushing up and vacuuming high-traffic areas should be prioritised at least once every two days finished off with a mop. Less trafficked areas can be mopped less often.
Proctor & Gamble's Principal Researcher, Mary Colvin says, 'Always dust mop before damp mopping... and this should be performed daily or as often as necessary to keep grit off the floor. Damp mopping should be performed daily or as often as necessary if soil load is extremely heavy.'
Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at Drench, adds, 'Kitchens, bathrooms and hallways are areas in the home that have the most traffic, meaning they’re also likely to get the most dirty.'
'As such, it’s best to regularly vacuum or sweep your floors every 3-4 days and then mop once a week. However, if you don’t clean correctly or with the right tools, you could be pushing built-up grime around your floors rather than removing it.'
Is microfibre good for mopping?
We asked Minky's Floorcare Product Category Manager, Louise Garvey for her intel.
'Microfibre is a synthetic material that is made up of tiny fibres that are woven together to form an effective cleaning surface. The microfibre strands can get into all the nooks and crannies of a floor to lift dirt.'
How often should wood floors be mopped?
We asked Hardwood floorcare specialist Bona’s Marketing Manager, Leanne Garvie.
'Learning how to clean wood floors is essential for protecting and maintaining your beautiful investment. Cleaning wood floors with the wrong cleaners - like homemade solutions - can leave them cloudy with residue, scratched, or even damaged.'
'We recommend dusting your floors daily with a microfibre mop or cloth to help prevent scratches and surface damage which can occur from the dust and debris that is trodden on, and spread across your floors when moving around the home.'
'Choose mops with extra-large microfibre mop heads for faster cleaning. A microfibre dusting pad uses electrostatic action to pick up and lock away dirt, dust, hair, micro-particles, and other household allergens from your floor’s surface. Avoid lifting your microfibre mop up from the floor when you clean - this way you keep the dirt trapped on the pad, so it doesn’t scratch your floors.'
Is it better to mop wood floors with cold or hot water?
'We never recommend using hot or cold water to clean wood floors, since the moisture can penetrate the boards or blocks and over time can cause the wood planks to warp and move,' explains Leanne.
'Using a traditional mop and bucket also makes it difficult not to over-saturate your floor so we recommend using a water-based cleaning solution and a spray mop like Bona Premium Spray Mop for Wood Floor, £37.99 from Amazon which helps avoid over-saturation because they deliver a fine mist spray that is safer for your floor and will not damage it. Regular mopping effectively removes dirt and grime and dries almost instantly. Choose a high quality, low-VOC, water-based cleaning solution that won’t leave a residue or streaks across your floors.'
Can you mop unsealed wood floors?
'If a wooden floor is unsealed (i.e. has no surface treatment) effective cleaning will be difficult. Any cleaning liquid applied to the surface is likely to soak into the surface, potentially introducing dissolved dirt into the wood resulting in discolouration. Cleaning should therefore be confined to dry methods, such as sweeping and vacuuming,' explains Leanne.
'The main benefit of having sealed wood floors is the ease of maintenance, especially as modern treatments are available which replicate the appearance of bare, unfinished wood.'
'If the surface is treated with penetrating oil, the surface can be damp mopped providing a suitable cleaner is used and minimal quantities of liquid are used in conjunction with a microfibre mop.'
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Annie is Ideal Home's Deputy Ecommerce Editor. With four years of eCommerce experience under her belt, you can find her shopping words of wisdom on Real Homes, Gardeningetc, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens and Woman & Home. When she's not planning ahead or curating deals for Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday, you can find Annie testing a range of products in her South London home, from reed diffusers to candles, BBQs, mattresses and even a few vacuum cleaners.
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