A sparkly clean floor doesn't tend to last for very long in a home, which you'll know is particularly true if you live with other people, pets, or both! Whether you have wood or hardwood floors, laminate, vinyl, or tile, you need the right mop to take on the challenge of keeping your floors in the best shape.
This could be a more traditional wringer bucket and string mop, or a newer design that sprays or has washable pads. Either way, we're here to match the right mop to your cleaning needs, as well as sharing our 10 recommended buys from Amazon, eBay, John Lewis and Argos.
Quick List - Top Mops
Vileda
Easily Control How Wet or Dry Your Mop Is With Innovative Bucket
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Though nowadays they may be made of a number of different materials, string-style mops which are dipped and rung out in a bucket are great for the dirtiest of areas as they provide a very deep clean. They're the most durable option too, which adds to their impressive performance on tougher surfaces.
They are slightly more inconvenient though, as you do need to fill up – and then lug around – a bucket. It is also worth noting that these mops aren't always the best options for floors that shouldn't get too wet, such as laminate.
Flat mops normally have rectangular or circular heads with disposable or reusable cloths that attach to the end. You'll even find electrically-powered mop robots, which use the same cloths to zip around and do the job for you!
Flat mops work best in corners and on floors which shouldn't be soaked, such as hardwood, but are overall less effective on stubborn marks. But for a day to day mop to keep the floors shiny, flat mops are a good option.
Having a spruce up? Take a look at our article on the best dusters.
Dust mops are considered the more eco-friendly option as they often don't require any cleaning products, therefore avoiding the use of harsh chemicals. As the name suggests, they're best for dusting or polishing, but not so good for cleaning – essentially, they're a great choice for a quick sweep, rather than a deep clean.
Eco-friendly cleaning products are another great choice for a green home.
Microfibre is used for lots of style of mops, including string, but appears mostly on the flat mop style. As the name suggests, the material is made from lots of small fibres and is absorbent and fast-drying, making it the perfect material for mopping.
This makes it especially good for floors which can't get too wet and prevents bacteria from building up, something which can happen with materials that don't dry as quickly. A microfibre mop will last the longest when some care is taken with its maintenance – wash your mop regularly for best results.
Browse microfibre towels to make the most of this magical material.
Sponge and cloth have an excellent ability to hold water, which means these mop heads are better for instances when a floor needs a really good wipe. These materials are particularly good for deep cleaning, making your job a lot easier.
On the downside, the ability of sponges and cloth to hold water can become a problem if you don't keep on top of airing them properly. They're not as fast-drying as microfibre so can potentially harbour bacteria and turn smelly.
Make sure you're stocked up cleaning sponges to keep things sparkly!
Some mops go down the route of having plastic cleaning pads that you can attach to the bottom, often working alongside a spray system. These pads are very hygienic as they are normally only good for one use, and don't require any cleaning up or drying after mopping.
However, disposing of a mop head every time you use it is both expensive and not ideal if you're trying to keep your plastic usage down. This makes single-use mop pads a less than environmentally friendly option.
Steam cleaners are great for convenience but want to be as sustainable as possible.
Cleaning can be quite labour-intensive so having a mop that is difficult to wield is both challenging and uncomfortable. Ease of use and comfort are often overlooked aspects of choosing a mop, but can be very important if you will be using it regularly.
Mops with adjustable, otherwise known as telescopic, handles mean that no matter what height you or the area you are trying to clean is, you can ensure that your mop fits to you. Because isn't it time we made cleaning as easy as possible?
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vileda Turbo Spin Mop and Bucket Set | ![]() | Easily Control How Wet or Dry Your Mop Is With Innovative Bucket | |
2 | Bona Bona Spray Mop Air for Wood Floor | ![]() | Trusted Flat Mop for Cleaning Wooden Floors | |
3 | Leifheit Clean Twist Disc Mop Ergo Set | ![]() | Ergonomic Mop With Roll-Along Bucket for Deep Cleaning | |
4 | Masthome Sponge Mop | ![]() | Self-Wringing Sponge Mop That’s Easy to Dry | |
5 | E-Cloth Deep Clean Mop | ![]() | Eco-Friendly Mop for Polishing Floors Without the Need for Cleaning Products | |
6 | Flash Powermop | ![]() | Automatic Spray Mop for Convenient Cleaning | |
7 | Beldray Triangular Bending Mop | ![]() | Triangular Mop Head For Getting Into Corners | |
8 | iRobot Braava Jet 240 Mop Bundle | ![]() | Robotic Floor Mop for Fully Automated Cleaning | |
9 | JML Super Mop Pro | ![]() | A Cheap Yet Highly Absorbent Sponge Floor Mop | |
10 | Home Valet Waxed Floor Duster | ![]() | Best Dust-Removing Mop for Allergy Sufferers |
Even though it comes in at only £30, everything has been thought of when it comes to this mop. Even the bucket, included in the price, is fitted with a spout to make it easy to empty once you're finished.
But the innovation doesn't stop there! There's a foot pedal to help you control the amount of water the head is taking on, and the mop clicks neatly into the bucket handle making it easy to carry and store. And to top it off, the quick-drying spinner keeps your mop fresh so you can continue to get the most out of it.
When it comes to wooden floors, this flat mop with a spray has it covered. Whether it's hardwood or laminate, sealed or unsealed, this mop provides just the right amount of cleaning without damaging anything. It may be more expensive, but it has everything you need with a full starter kit provided.
Bona products are so trusted that they have been used to clean some pretty famous places, Westminster Cathedral and the National Gallery included, so you can rest assured that this mop will do a top job on your floorboards.
This mop promises all the speed and convenience of a spray mop but doesn't sacrifice the deep clean that a classic mop and bucket combination can provide. This updated version of the Clean Twist is ergonomically designed for an even easier clean.
If you don't like the idea of having to carry around a bucket, fear not, as this bucket comes with a rolling cart. The quick-dry spinning system will keep your mop heads in good condition, and they're machine washable so can keep going for even longer.
Designed to involve the least amount of bending down and wringing out, this mop has a self-wringing mechanism so it can be easily squeezed out in the accompanying bucket, which comes as part of the price.
Also included are 3 replacement sponges, so even though this mop is slightly more expensive, it will have you set up for a while after purchasing. The handle shrinks to 112 cm too, so it's good for shorter folk.
This product's big selling point is its lack of need for any cleaning chemicals. All that's required is some water to be sprayed on the ground and the microfibres in the head get to work picking up any dust and dirt.
The handle is adjustable from 100 to 150 centimetres allowing for lots of flexibility and more comfortable cleaning, and you can keep reusing the heads as they are machine washable. This is a basic mop that is easy to store and easier to use, so you can't go wrong.
Not only are there spray mechanisms on each end of this mop's head, but they're battery-powered to provide excellent coverage and ensure your cleaning product is reaching everywhere you wipe. It also comes with 10 refill pads, a cleaning solution, and 4 batteries.
Although this is sure to give you a clean finish, it does then have the inconvenience and added cost of changing batteries. In addition to this, the plastic pads on the bottom of the mop are not reusable, meaning that it isn't the most sustainable choice.
There are a few unique features on this mop that make it stand out from the ground. Firstly, the triangular shape of the mop head means that it can get to typically hard-to-reach spaces.
This is helped by the fact it is so adjustable, going from 54 cm to 140 cm to suit everyone and get everywhere. The added extension on the handle is also flexible, allowing the mop to bend around corners. The only reason it's lower down the list is due to the lack of a bucket!
However futuristic it may sound, you can now buy a robot to do your cleaning for you. You simply need to attach a wipe on the bottom of this model and let it do its thing, which it does by spraying the floor before gliding over it.
This product does very well at saving you time, but less well at saving you money. It comes as a bundle with two containers of Jet Hard Floor Cleaning Solution, but still, it costs a lot more than the other options available. And realistically, it doesn't promise as thorough a clean as you might get from a bit of elbow grease.
This mop is an affordable choice to go for if you're looking for a sponge mop head. Despite its cheap price, it still has clever self-wringing technology so you can squeeze every last drop out of your mop without having to do it yourself.
Being made from sponge gives it the advantage of being highly absorbent, which is great for sorting out spillages. Unfortunately, the low price does mean it comes without a bucket or cleaning product so you will need to source these yourself.
This flat mop specialises in collecting and removing dust. The wax covering on the cotton mop head attracts dust and locks it in, perfect if you have dust-allergy suffers in your household.
Unfortunately, the wax used on the cotton mop head means that it is not suitable for machine washing. This also means that this mob is limited to picking up dust and not other dirt as it shouldn't get too wet.
Nobody likes cleaning that much, but keeping the tools we use to clean our home is very important. If you're thinking about deep cleaning or daily cleaning your mop, here's how to do it:
Written and researched by Emma Cramp
No. 1: Vileda|Turbo Spin Mop and Bucket Set
No. 2: Bona|Bona Spray Mop Air for Wood Floor
No. 3: Leifheit|Clean Twist Disc Mop Ergo Set
No. 4: Masthome|Sponge Mop
No. 5: E-Cloth|Deep Clean Mop
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