By Debbie Wolfe | Updated Dec 17, 2021 8:45 PM

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Your flooring is the largest surface area in your home and, not least because it gets walked on every day, it’s a surface that needs regular cleaning. In the average household, experts recommend mopping the floor once per week. In other words, mopping is a necessary task and an integral part of any regular home cleaning routine—but that doesn’t mean people like doing it!

You don’t need anything fancy to get the job done. For hard surface floors like wood, laminate, tile, or stone, the best mop is a basic mop—albeit one that benefits from advances in design and technology over recent years.

Read on to learn more about taking floors from smudged to spotless and how to choose the best mop for your home.

The most common mop varieties for household cleaning include string, strip, flat, sponge, steam, robot, and vacuum mops. Each has its pros and cons and will work more effectively than others depending on your floor.

Most people are satisfied with a standard mop that doesn’t have the steam or vacuum features of an electric model. These basic manual tools get the job done without breaking the bank.

If you’re looking for a mop upgrade, consider an electric model. These mops are usually cordless and battery-operated, so they offer the same flexibility of movement as a basic mop. Electric mops usually have a runtime between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on battery power.

The only real downside to these units is their added cleaning requirements. Steam mops must be taken apart regularly for cleaning to prevent mold and mildew buildup, while vacuum mops require emptying the dirt container.

Before purchasing a mop for your home, think about the floor material it’s intended for. There are multiple types of mops with different features, and not all mop heads are created equal. Additionally, consider wet or dry functionality, and whether you prefer a wringer mechanism in the handle or bucket.

Mops fall into two categories: wet or dry. Wet mops use water and a cleaning solution in order to cut through dirt and grime. Dry mops, also known as dust mops, use no water. Instead, dry mops are designed to sweep loose dirt, dust, and debris from the floor.

The ideal is to use both types of mops on hard surface floors. Effectively, the dust mop is used to remove fine particles from the surface in preparation for wet mopping. Some mops are designed for wet or dry functionality, so you can choose based on the floor type.

Mopheads are made from different materials and each comes with its own benefits and drawbacks.

The wringing mechanism for a mop is designed to press the excess water out of the wet mop, preventing floors from becoming overly saturated and slippery. Mops either have the wringing mechanism on the handles or on their buckets.

Mops with handle wringers are popular choices for home use due to their versatility and ease of use. The wringers on mop handles will either have a lever or a built-in ratcheting system. Lever wringers are usually found on sponge mops. They work by pressing down the lever, and then a mechanism on the sponge presses against the sponge and folds or rolls over it, squeezing excess water back into the bucket.

Self-wringing mops are generally easier to use and involve a ratcheting twist-action to remove excess water. The ratchet system also allows for better control of how wet or how dry a mophead is with a simple twist.

Mop buckets with built-in wringers use levers to either squeeze or spin the moisture from mopheads. Most mop buckets with a built-in lever are made for commercial use and are not practical for use in the home because they are large and heavy. Spin mops are sold with their own specialized mop buckets that use a lever mechanism to spin out the moisture in the mophead.

With the above shopping considerations in mind, choose the best mop for your home out of these recommendations, each highly effective in their respective category.

If you need a reasonably priced, basic mop that is compact with a removable and washing machine-safe mophead, the Libman mop is a great pick. It comes with a built-in wringer, so there’s no need to touch the cleaning solution or mucky water.

The wringing mechanism is thorough and requires some effort, so it may be difficult for those with limited hand and wrist strength. This mop is economical and durable, and replaceable heads are available for purchase separately.

Hardwood floors can easily be ruined if you use too much moisture on them. This Swiffer WetJet runs on four included AA batteries and features mist spray nozzles near the mophead that offer you greater control of solution dispersal to help coat floors evenly.

The removable pads are made with a microfiber-like material that cleans hardwood floors without fear of scratching. The mop can be used wet or dry with one of the six heavy-duty replacement cleaning pads or four original cleaning pads. Though this pack comes with one bottle of hardwood cleaning solution, other compatible surface cleaners are available separately.

The Shark features unique double-sided pads to take your cleaning further and a touch-free release so you don’t have to handle the damp, dirty cleaning pads. This mop has three steam settings, including an option for blasting stuck-on dirt.

You can control the steam based on the floor surface or grime level. It comes with two dual-sided pads and a flask to fill the tank. This model is easy to use right out of the box. The only con to Shark Genius is that the tank isn’t removable.

This spray mop comes with three microfiber cleaning pads, which can be machine-washed up to 100 times. The kit also includes two 22-ounce refillable reservoir bottles, letting you use plain water or the cleaning solution that suits your needs.

The spray trigger gives the user full control over how much liquid is dispensed. This reliable spray mop is safe to use on a variety of surfaces, including tile, vinyl, laminate, and hardwood floors.

Tile and ceramic floors have nooks and crannies that need a more vigorous scrub to get clean. Sponge mops work best for uneven surfaces and the Casabella features a super absorbent mophead that delivers top-quality cleaning for quick pickups or deep cleaning.

The mop features a heavy-duty lever that is rust-resistant and is effective in squeezing out excess water and cleaning solution. The pole is made of steel, which makes this mop durable and built to last. And, as mops go, the Casabella lives up to its name—it’s beautiful, stylish, and will make your ceramic floors look great.

The Shark vacuum mop is great for tackling spills and debris on any floor type. The lightweight cordless unit boasts powerful suction and a wide-spray design that offers more coverage when mopping up wet messes. The swivel head makes it easy to maneuver around furniture and access corners.

This upgrade model has LED headlights that illuminate hidden debris in crevices and cracks. A pad release button provides no-touch disposal so you never have to handle dirty pads. The unit is surprisingly compact and requires minimal storage space. This model comes with a magnetic charger for powering up the required lithium-ion battery (included with purchase).

With a runtime of more than 2 hours on a single charge, this iRobot is one of the best robot mop units on the market. The autonomous cleaner learns the layout of your home using iRobot’s patented navigation system.

Using the iRobot HOME app, Alexa, or Google Home, you can set the mop to work on a programmed schedule. You can program it to avoid certain areas or rooms, too. For the ultimate convenience, this robot mop is at the top of its class.

Selected for its sturdy, powder-coated steel construction and built-in wringer, the Libman Wonder Mop is our top pick for the best mop. With its three replacement mop heads, this option is suitable for homes with multiple flooring types as it can be used on tile, laminate, and hardwood.

For homes that have wood floors, the Swiffer option is made specifically for cleaning hardwood, and it has a smaller price tag. With its push-button dual-nozzle function, 10 replaceable pads, cleaning solution, and included batteries, this mop is for those looking for a convenient, easy-to-use option.

With an array of models on the market, the best mop for you depends on your cleaning tasks and personal preference. Many of the above picks were selected for materials used, mophead type, ease of use, and their special features.

The above list prioritizes variety when it comes to mop types. Sponge mops are the go-to for heavy-duty jobs and scrubbing. A flat mop and cleaning pad are more suitable for light-duty jobs and everyday upkeep, especially hose models with integrated spray functions. Meanwhile, steam mops disinfect floor surfaces while they clean and usually come with reusable and machine-washable pads.

If you’re willing to pay more, a vacuum mop or iRobot mop offers high-tech features that make cleaning a breeze such as smart home compatibility and an automatic turn-on feature. Some of the above picks also come with LED lights for visibility and cleaning solutions for their built-in reservoirs.

If you still have lingering questions about mops, like how to maintain them, consult the answers provided below.

Any floor space that encounters significant foot traffic should be mopped once per week. Biweekly mopping is fine for most other areas. Spaces that are rarely used (ex. guest rooms) may only require mopping once a month.

There are a few reasons why you may be left with a dirty floor after a mopping session. It’s important to rinse the water frequently as you mop and to start off with a clean mop head.

For the most part, detachable mop heads and pads can be placed in the washing machine, but check manufacturer instructions. If the mop head is machine washable, choose a gentle cycle and allow it to air dry.

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