If you have carpet in your home, taking care of it is fairly straightforward. You purchase a vacuum that has good suction to remove all of the dirt and buildup. While it may take some time to research, selecting a vacuum isn’t all difficult. However, cleaning your hardwood and tile floors can be a little bit trickier. You need to find the best mop for hardwood floors and tile if you plan to keep these hard surfaces clean.
Head out to a local big-box store and you’ll find dozens of different mop styles. How do you know which one is the best option for your hard surface floors? Many of the leading choices have a few common attributes that can help you make a better decision. If you’ve been searching for the perfect mop, this guide will help you to weigh all of the possible solutions.
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Best Mop for Cleaning Hardwood Floors and Tile
With so many different options on the market today, how do you decide which mop style is right for you? Many people loathe the idea of getting a traditional mop that they must submerge in water and wring out before mopping the floor. Fortunately, we have come a long way since those days and the standard mop now looks a little different.
Standard mops are definitely some of the best mops for hardwood floors and tile. They have a no-nonsense approach that is easy for everyone to use. They tend to be extremely lightweight, and easy to maneuver, and they don’t require any type of battery or cord. This allows you to move throughout your home without being tied to any one particular location.
There are some different upgrade features among the various standard mops. However, almost all of them use a microfiber pad to trap dust and dirt. You can use the pad dry to capture dust. Alternatively, you can dampen the pad to cleanse your floor more thoroughly.
If you have been hoping for a new mop that can really get your floors clean, here are the top two choices:
1. 360 Dry Wet Reusable Dust Mop
When it comes to cleaning hardwood floors and tile, many people are searching for a lightweight option. Mopping with something that is too heavy can transform this into a laborious chore that forces you to break a sweat. Fortunately, this 360 Dry Wet Reusable Dust Mop (on Amazon) features a lightweight aluminum handle and metal head that keeps it light while still powerfully scrubbing your hard surface floors.
One of the best things about this particular mop is its 360-degree spin head. It easily swivels and moves with you while you try to clean the nooks and crannies of your floor. Not to mention, the head is seventeen inches, allowing you to cover more flooring in less time.
The telescoping handle ranges from 35 inches to 60 inches, making it ideal for almost everyone. Because of the long length of the handle, you can also use these microfiber pads to clean the walls, crown molding, and more.
The mop itself comes with two microfiber pads that can be washed up to one hundred times each. Once the pads have outlived their lifespan, you can easily purchase replacements. They are compatible with replacement refills from major brands like:
- Swiffer Wet Jet
- Shark
- Bona
- Bissell
- O-Cedar
- Rubbermaid
This mop is relatively affordable, however, you may want to consider the fact that you can purchase a steam mop for your hardwood floors and tile for just a few extra dollars.
2. O-Cedar ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop
When it comes to cleaning your hardwood floors and tile, you may not want to carry around a bottle of pH-neutral cleaner. Handling both the mop and your spray bottle can prove to be relatively challenging. That is why many people prefer convenient mops like this microfiber spray mop from O-Cedar.
Located near the head of the mop, you will find a refillable bottle that holds your favorite cleaner. Simply fill this with water and add two teaspoons of your favorite cleaner. From here, it takes just one touch to gently spritz your floors with a fast and efficient cleaning solution that can help you kill germs and bacteria on the spot. The trigger does not even require the use of batteries.
When you finish, the spray bottle releases easily with just one touch. It is recommended that you refill this bottle at least every three to six months.
Apart from this handy spray feature, there are a few other attributes that make the O-Cedar mop an ideal choice for the best mop for hardwood floors and tile. The mop head is dual-sided, allowing you to move throughout your house faster with their microfiber pads. Meanwhile, the pads do an excellent job of gathering up dust and dirt.
This relatively basic spray mop is a great bargain. If you want to invest very little money while still getting great value, the ProMist MAX is the ideal choice.
Best Cleaner for Wood and Tile Floors
Once you know that you have the best standard mop for cleaning your hardwood floors and tile, you may wonder what products to use. Many of the manufacturers who make these mops carry their own name-brand cleaner. However, you can also go with a generic formula that is pH-neutral.
Avoid any products that promise to add shine to your floor, as this can lead to a buildup and a dulled finish over time. This can include waxes and polishes that are not recommended by the manufacturer of your wood and tile floors.
Bona is one of the leading name brands when it comes to floor cleaners. They make two separate formulas that can be used for streak-free cleaning of your hardwood floors and tile floors. The Bona hardwood floor cleaner is safe for all unwaxed, unoiled, polyurethane-coated hardwood floors. It is a water-based formula that simply needs to be sprayed on the floor.
Their other cleaner is designed for use on other hard surfaces including:
- Linoleum
- Stone
- Terrazo
- Vinyl
- Sealed porous marble
- Laminate
- LVT
- No-wax sealed tile
Just like their hardwood floor cleaner, the tile version is also water-based and GreenGuard Gold certified. Rest assured that this cleaner won’t leave any kind of buildup or residue on your tile floors.
Best Steam Mop for Hardwood Floors and Tile
Many people prefer the idea of using something more powerful than a simple swivel mop. They are more interested in finding the best steam cleaner for hardwood floors and tiles. Because of the high heat required to produce steam, bacteria, and germs don’t stand a chance against these machines.
A steam cleaner does not require the use of any types of additional chemicals. This is a huge bonus for individuals who have young children or pets in the home. You don’t have to worry about where to store your chemicals or worry about children or pets accidentally interacting with the cleaner while it dries. Instead, these devices use steam to sanitize and clean. They can kill up to 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria.
Unfortunately, there are a couple of drawbacks to this type of mop. First, a steam mop must be plugged in to run. That means that you can only travel as far as the nearest electrical outlet will allow. Look for models that have longer cords to get the most out of your cleaning sessions.
The other major drawback is that you must constantly refill the water tank. Releasing steam uses a great deal of water. If you have to steam mop a very large area, you may have to refill the water tank several times. Many models heat up the water in under a minute, but pausing to refill does waste valuable time that you could spend cleaning.
Keep in mind that you only want to use a steam mop on hardwood floors if they have been properly sealed. Exposing your wood floor to moisture and steam can actually cause permanent damage to the wood. Long-term effects of steam mopping a floor that hasn’t been sealed can include cupping, buckling, and discoloration of the wood.
3. Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop
Over the past few years, the market has really exploded with new options for this type of device. However, the same major players that create the leading vacuum cleaners also tend to make the best steam cleaners. That’s why this Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop has made our list of the best steam cleaners.
One of the most important features of this Bissell steam mop is the flip-down scrubber. If you have a particularly tricky mess that you need to clean up, this mop has a rubber piece that can be flipped down to scrub away sticky messes and other tough spots.
Other features include:
- Variable steam settings
- Swivel steering
- 23-foot power cord
- 30-second heat-up
- Includes microfiber soft pad and scrubbing pad
Weighing just over six pounds, this mop is also extremely lightweight. Keep in mind that adding water to the tank does increase the weight. However, you should find that it is relatively easy to maneuver this mop around your kitchen, living room, dining room, and anywhere else that has hardwood floors or tiles.
Out of all the mops on this list, the Bissell PowerFresh is the most expensive. Given that Bissell is a leading name brand in household appliances, it should come as no surprise that it has this higher price tag. Many companies that have become common household names charge more to cover the cost of their advertising and to protect the integrity of their brand.
4. Shark Steam Mop Hard Floor Cleaner
Much like the Bissell PowerFresh steam cleaner, the Shark version is adept at killing germs and bacteria with nothing more than hot water. Sanitation has been tested under controlled conditions to ensure that this device can safely clean your home. Of course, the results may vary based on the living conditions found within your home. Most people find that the mop has no problem cleaning up grease and grime without the assistance of chemicals that can leave a residue on the floor.
The water tank is extra-large on this simple mop, allowing you to clean more hardwood floors and tile than ever before. Unfortunately, it only has an 18-foot power cord so you may have to resolve yourself to being tethered to the electrical outlet a bit more.
The Shark model is both lightweight and compact for easy use and storage. Without water, this mop weighs just a bit over 4.5 pounds. All you have to do is turn it on and wait for thirty seconds until the first batch of steam is ready for you to use.
The Shark Steam Mop Hard Floor Cleaner is one of the best steam mops for hardwood floors and tiles. It is certainly one of the most affordable options. If you are on a budget, this is a great alternative to the Bissell PowerFresh which is almost double the price.
Finding the Best Mop for Hardwood Floors and Tile
Cleaning your floors can be a major undertaking that you need to tackle each and every week. Many people dread this chore because they simply don’t have the proper tools on hand to make the job run smoothly. By purchasing the best mop for both hardwood floors and tile, you can give yourself a bit of a break.
Decide whether you want to go with a standard mop and a pH-neutral cleaner or a steam mop that requires no chemicals. The amount of money you can invest may play a role in which type of mop is right for you. No matter which direction you choose to go, cleaning your hard surface floors will feel less overwhelming than ever before.
FAQ
What is the best mop for hardwood floors and tile?
There are both standard mops and steam mops that can clean hardwood floors and tile. The best mop for you will depend on your preference and budget.
What is the best cleaner for hardwood floors and tile?
There are many different brands of cleaner on the market. You could make cleaner at home using vinegar and warm water. However, it may be simpler for you to purchase Bona hardwood floor cleaner and Bona tile cleaner.
Do you have to use cleaner with a steam mop?
No, you do not have to use cleaner with a steam mop. The steam is more than capable of killing most of the germs and bacteria on your floor.
Last update on 2024-04-03 at 05:03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
