There’s nothing like a freshly mopped floor to make you feel happy and result in a clean house, a lovely sense of achievement and pride in your home. Forget dragging around a heavy old floor mop and bucket though.
Depending on the type of flooring you have in your home, there’s a bunch of hardworking floor mops on the market with accelerated features that can help you make this happen with less fuss, less effort and even a spring in your step as you get the job done.
Our buyers guide finds the best mop for every kind of flooring. We’ve done the research for you on which mops are best for tile floors, for wood floors, for laminate floors and also for concrete, stone and marble floors.
What to look for in a mop
When choosing a mop check the manufacturer’s instructions against your flooring type and look for good quality materials and construction. It pays to make a longer-term investment and “Buy once, buy well”. Lighter weight plastic and cheap construction often means the mop will snap or break easily with use and need replacement after a short time, contributing to landfill.
Look for removable and machine-washable pads or mop heads and accessories that mean less waste and a longer lasting product, so more affordable in the long run.
Different types of mops
Spray mops
In a similar way to how an iron mists your clothing, spray mops incorporate a water reservoir on the handle and a trigger to dispense water ahead of the mop head as you clean the floor. It works just like wiping a bench with a damp cloth so dries within minutes and does away with the need for a bucket of water.
Spray mops are a great way to control the amount of water you use, particularly on natural timber flooring, which can buckle over time with too much water applied through excessive cleaning.
A quality spray mop is an efficient way to do a good regular and consistent job of cleaning your floor without leaving streaks and can also be used as a wall cleaner mop.
Top tips:
- Add vinegar to the water and for a deeper clean and a few drops of essential oil to give the room a fresh fragrance
- Add sugar soap to clean walls
- For marble floors, consider a natural cleaner, like this Norfolk Natural Living Marble Cleaner, from Hard to Find, to avoid etching the surface or removing the polish.
Best spray mops
1. Dolanx Tripod Grip Spray Mop, $29.99, Kogan
Shop now at Kogan
Why we love it:
- Spray nozzle provides a gentle mist with just enough moisture to clean without damage to wooden flooring
- Microfibre pad catches hair and dust on the ground
This is the best mop for:
- Wooden flooring
- Splicing wood flooring
- Solid wood flooring
- Laminate flooring
- Ceramic tile flooring
- Natural marble and granite flooring
2. Bona Spray Mop, $84.55, Kogan
Shop now at Kogan
Why we love it:
- Specially developed for either finished timber floors OR other hard flooring
- Leaves no streaks
- Washable microfibre pads
- Strong, lightweight construction
This is the best mop for:
- Timber flooring
- Laminate flooring
- Concrete flooring
- Tiled flooring
- Lino flooring
- Stone and slate flooring
3. Housenliving microfibre self-wringing spray mop, $39.99, Temple and Webster
Shop now at Temple and Webster
Why we love it:
- Use wet and dry
- Compact swivel head
- Self-wringing
This is the best mop for:
- Timber flooring
- Tiled flooring
- Laminate flooring
- Ceramic flooring
- Vinyl flooring
- Marble flooring
Spin mops
Closest to a conventional mop in the way it works, a spin mop has a microfibre mop head and a mechanism on the head that allows it to spin on the end of the handle and comes with a companion bucket that has a fixed basket in the top. The mop is placed in the cleaning water and drained using a pedal to rotate the mop head at speed, removing excess water – similar to the way a salad spinner works. Lightweight plastic microfibre mop heads snap on easily to extendable handles and are usually machine-washable. Spin feature means they rotate 180 degrees for simple cleaning action on the floor without leaving streaks behind.
Top tip: Ensure mop head is clicked to angle after spinning for easy, flexible cleaning ability.
Best spin mops:
4. Magic 360° magic spin mop, $21.99, Kogan
Shop now at Kogan
Why we love it:
- Affordable
- Separates clean water from dirty water
- Built-in soap dispenser
This is the best mop for:
- Timber flooring
- Ceramic tiles
- Marble floors
5. Sabco compact spin mop set, $45, Big W
Shop now at Big W
Why we love it:
- Affordable
- Compact bucket design
- Guard on bucket to prevent spilling
- Simple pump-action spin system – no pedal
- Height adjustable handle
This is the best mop for:
- Most hard flooring
Steam mops
Steam mops are a great solution for quick and easy cleaning without chemicals, instead using hot steam to clean. Steam mops are said to be excellent for cleaning windows and glass and effective in killing bacteria, dust mites and neutralising pet smells. Water is heated to above boiling within the unit and steam is passed through the mop head to clean hard flooring, glass and freshen carpet. Steam mops require access to a power point at all times to maintain steam at high temperature.
Some users report steam mops leave floors overly wet after cleaning.
Top tips:
- Add a few drops of eucalyptus or tea tree essential oil to the water for a clean and fresh fragrance
- Do not use on waxed timber flooring as steam may damage protective coating
- Have the potential to damage hardwood and laminate timber flooring as it forces steam into the wood and may cause cracks, damage or buckling
- Take care with vinyl flooring where joins occur as continued use may encourage lifting due to break down of adhesive
Best steam mops:
6. Bissell Select steam mop, $149, Godfreys
Shop now at Godfreys
Why we love it:
- Consistently rates highest in consumer reviews
- Good quality & long lasting
- Easy to use
- Easy to store
- Comes with soft microfiber mop head plus scrubber head for heavy duty cleaning
- Approved by National Asthma Council’s Sensitive Choice program
This is the best mop for:
- Tiled flooring
- Marble flooring
- Stone flooring
7. 5-in-1 steam mop stick, $65.99, Kogan
Shop now at Kogan
Why we love it:
- Easy to assemble and operate
- Quickly heats up in as little as 25 seconds
- Requires zero chemicals or detergents
This is the best mop for:
- Tiled flooring
- Marble flooring
- Stone flooring
8. Vax Fresh twin tank 1600W steam cleaner, $149, The Good Guys
Shop now at The Good Guys
Why we love it:
- Twin tank technology that automatically mixes steam with detergent inside the mop
- No need for buckets with a 500ml in-built tank
- Triangular-shaped mop head makes it easy to get into and clean corners
This is the best mop for:
- Tiled flooring
- Marble flooring
- Stone flooring
Bionic and automated mops
Powered by electricity, there are several mops on the market that take the heavy work out of using a floor mop. These range from power assisted pushing to fully automated and are great for those with back pain sufferers or who find bending and pushing difficult.
Best automated mops:
9. iRobot M613800 Braava Jet M6 robot mop, $888, Amazon
Shop now at Amazon
Why we love it:
- iRobot mops are great for light cleaning and small areas or apartments
- No manual mopping needed – fully automatic
- Easy to assemble and operate
What we don’t like:
- Takes a long time to sweep and mop
- Very high price tag
- Small mop head
This is the best mop for:
- Timber flooring
- Tiled flooring
- Laminate flooring
- Vinyl flooring
Basic mop systems
A good old-fashioned flat-head mop is still the tool of choice for many. This can also take the form of a sponge mop, which is a great wall cleaning mop due to it’s padding and long reach.
Now with the added option of a head which you can:
- Attach microfiber cloths to sweep, dust and clean walls
- Dampen with water for a quick wipe of a small space
- Buy loaded with an anti-bacterial cloth
Best flat head mops:
10. Dettol antibacterial floor cleaning system, $27, catch.com.au
Shop now at catch.com.au
Why we love it:
- Fast, lightweight, effortless cleaning system
- Sturdy construction
- No bucket needed
- Affordable
This is the best mop for:
- Most hard flooring
11. Easy Squeezy Mop, $19.99, Kogan
Shop now at Kogan
Why we love it:
- Lightweight, simple system
- Great for small areas and quick cleanups
- 360° swivel head to get into hard to reach places
- Machine washable microfibre pad
This is the best mop for:
- Timber flooring
- Tiled flooring
- Vinyl flooring
- Laminated flooring
You might also like:
10 of the best BHG cleaning hacks
10 ways to clean the house while you sleep
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