There’s a high chance that a lot of your upcoming plans, like mine, involve being outside in the garden. And while I’d love to say that I could simply laze in the sun without a care in the world, being Ideal Home’s cleaning editor means that I can’t relax if I can see dirty windows or Ketchup stains on my outdoor table. But since investing in a second mop, my outdoor space has been spotless.
Yep, it’s my job to test all of the best mops out there, and until recently, I’d spent the entirety of this testing time using them inside. After all, mops are primarily used to clean your interior floors - and they’re pretty good at it, too. But then I discovered that there were (many) things I didn’t know I could clean with a mop, so I decided to venture outside of indoor use to… well… the outside of my house.
This is the mop and bucket set I use as my 'outdoor mop' - and it's slightly discounted for Amazon Prime Day, too. I've also popped some alternative mops down below if this one doesn't quite suit you or you're looking for a better deal.
Since investing in a second mop, I now have a dedicated ‘indoor mop’ and a secondary ‘outdoor mop,’ and I have to say that it’s been a game-changer for my garden and home’s exterior. That’s why I’ve persuaded my entire team to follow suit, and why I’m now going to persuade you to buy a second mop if you want a spotless outdoor space (without spending a fortune), too!
Of course, like many people, I have big garden ideas. But the reality is that I don’t have a bottomless pool of money to bring these ideas to life. So, I have to work with what I’ve got, and I’ve found that keeping the exterior of my house and the things in my garden clean is one of the best ways to make it look more expensive than it is.
However, I’ve struggled to clean my garden furniture and keep my windows clean in the past, as I find it takes a huge amount of time and effort to do it all by hand. Because of this, I figured there was no harm in buying the Beldray Mop and Bucket Set, currently £17.99 at Amazon, to use as my ‘outdoor mop.’
Since adding this cleaning tool to my caddy, I’ve used it way more than I thought I would. It’s perfect for cleaning whole windows in seconds (although, admittedly, I did have to get my husband on the ladder to clean the top-floor windows), and I’ve even used it to clean off the cobwebs on my fence and my home’s fascias. In fact, it’s perfect for cleaning those hard-to-reach areas of a property that most of us ignore.
But that’s not all. Although I don’t have decking in my garden, you can also clean your decking with a mop if you haven’t yet invested in a pressure washer or are unable to use one due to a hosepipe ban. And if you have a balcony, it’s the perfect tool to clean both the floor and the glass or railings of your outdoor space.
In fact, I’ve become a little bit obsessed with having a second outdoor mop, and the best part? I don’t have to get my hands dirty, and I don’t have to use any other fancy cleaning products. I simply use a mixture of warm water and washing-up liquid.
Then, on an occasion when I needed to clean bird poo off my garden furniture and tackle some post-BBQ Ketchup stains, I also added in a little bit of this Miniml Eco White Vinegar Sorrento Lemon Scented, £7.61 at Amazon to loosen the debris and clean it off.
And while you can certainly clean your outdoor space with the mop you also use indoors, making sure to clean the mop head between cleaning sessions, I’d always suggest opting for a second one that should only be used outside. You can then store it in the shed for safekeeping.
After all, I use my (significantly more expensive) Joseph Joseph CleanTech 2-in-1 Spray Mop as my indoor mop, and don't want to mix the two. Plus, I couldn’t buy another Joseph Joseph mop as the CleanTech range has been so popular that the mop itself has completely sold out.
I also find that having one with a dual bucket system for clean and dirty water, rather than a spray mop, is also ideal for use in the garden, as things can get pretty mucky outside. But by having these dual chambers, you can ensure that you're only ever cleaning your outside space with clean water instead of simply wiping the dirt around.
The best mops to use outdoors
This Vileda spin mop is perfect for outdoor use, as it has two compartments - one for clean water and one for dirty water. You can also use the foot pedal to control the amount of water you're using, which will be particularly handy for cleaning wooden fences.
This mop and bucket set is similar to the one I use in that it's compact, easy to store, and perfect for smaller homes. It also comes with a 360-degree rotating head and 5 reusable mop pads so you'll never be caught short.
If you want a slightly larger surface area for cleaning your garden and outdoor area, this one might suit you better. It still removes all of the dirty water, and you can once again use the spin mechanism to control just how much water you want to use.
So, are you convinced? Let me know if you’ll be picking up an ‘outdoor mop’ for your garden!
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