While vacuums excel at picking up loose dirt, dust and debris from your floors, when it comes to tackling tough stains and scuff marks, the best mops are the ideal tool for the job. There are several types of mops that are popular today, including spray mops, spin mops and steam mops. However, for your everyday cleaning needs, our top recommendation is the O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop, a user-friendly option that delivers a thorough clean on any flooring surface.
The bestselling O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop includes a microfiber mop and bucket, ... [+] featuring a unique two-tank system that keeps clean and dirty water separate, preventing the spread of dirt on your floors. Mop And Bucket
If you're questioning the necessity of a mop, especially if you vacuum regularly, experts say the answer is still yes: “If you have any sort of hard surface in your home for flooring, a mop is a must-have cleaning tool,” says Jessica Samson, cleaning expert for The Maids. “My favorite type of mop is a standard microfiber mop with a bucket that you can use on wet or dry surfaces. This makes it versatile to use on almost any kind of hard surface.”
Nevertheless, the most suitable mop for your home hinges on your cleaning requirements. In compact spaces, spray mops are frequently favored for their compactness and easy storage. Conversely, steam mops offer versatility by being effective on various surfaces, including glass and grout. For those seeking ultimate convenience, the best robot mops are available to handle the cleaning, efficiently scrubbing the floors while you enjoy a moment of relaxation.
Regardless of the mop style you seek, we’ve curated a selection of the best mops to help keep your home spick and span in 2024.
Type: Spin | Dimensions: 12.5 x 11.8 x 19.4 inches | Weight: 3.56 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
The bestselling O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop delivers a quick and easy clean, making it one of the most popular options on the market right now. This cleaning system includes a microfiber mop and bucket, featuring a unique two-tank system that keeps clean and dirty water separate, preventing the spread of dirt on your floors. To remove excess water from the mop head, a simple push on the foot pedal allows it to spin.
Plus, the entire system is user-friendly and intuitive. The microfiber head of the O-Cedar mop is triangular, facilitating deep cleaning in corners, and it can be conveniently tossed into the washing machine for hands-off maintenance. Although the mop initially comes with a single cleaning head, the brand offers replacement units for those who prefer having backups. The only drawback is that the mop heads are relatively small, which might require a bit more time for cleaning larger areas.
Type: Spray | Dimensions: 11 x 5 x 46 inches | Weight: 3.23 pounds | Mop head type: Disposable
If you’re looking for a lightweight, compact mop for quick and convenient use, the Swiffer WetJet is an excellent choice. This affordable spray mop is a popular choice for quick cleanups, as it doesn’t require any water or buckets for operation. Instead, it features a container filled with cleaning solution that attaches directly to the mop. With the push of a button, you can dispense the solution onto your floors for efficient mopping.
The WetJet uses disposable mopping pads that easily adhere to the mop head. These pads boast high absorbency and a built-in scrubbing strip enables you to tackle stains and dried-on messes. After cleaning, simply discard the pad, however, keep in mind that you'll need to purchase replacement pads (as well as cleaning solution), and this may become a bit costly if you mop frequently.
Type: Spray | Dimensions: 4.5 x 16.56 x 51.1 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
For homes featuring hardwood floors, the Bona Premium Spray Mop is one of the best options for preserving the wood's pristine appearance. This lightweight spray mop includes a specially formulated hardwood cleaning solution to keep your hardwood floors in top condition, and the cartridge is refillable, which helps to reduce plastic waste and decrease the cost of maintenance.
Equipped with a sizable 16-inch mop head, the Bona Spray Mop utilizes microfiber pads that effectively trap dirt while remaining gentle on hardwood surfaces. These pads are machine washable up to 500 times, and for added convenience, the brand offers multi-pack replacement pads if you prefer having extras on hand.
Type: Steam | Dimensions: 12.8 x 7.3 x 25.4 inches | Weight: 8.5 pounds | Mop Head Type: Reusable
Cleaning tile floors, especially with recessed grout lines, can be challenging, but our research found that the Black+Decker Steam Mop is up for the task. While this versatile mop is designed for cleaning and sanitizing hard floors, it also transforms into a handheld steamer that’s equipped with a grout-cleaning brush for a thorough and deep clean. Additionally, the steam mop comes with a detail brush, squeegee and copper brush, making it a versatile tool for various cleaning tasks in your bathroom, kitchen and more.
As an added bonus, it’s effective in killing 99.9% of germs using steam alone, eliminating the need for additional cleaning solutions. Plus, it’s suitable for use on sealed stone, wood and laminate surfaces and with quick heat-up time of less than 30 seconds, it offers adjustable steam levels for different cleaning needs. Keep in mind that this model is corded, requiring proximity to an electrical outlet during operation.
Type: Steam | Dimensions: 11.6 x 7.1 x 28.6 inches | Weight: 6.2 pounds | Mop Head Type: Reusable
The Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop is a top-rated option for anyone who wants to clean without chemicals. It’s designed to clean and sanitize hard floors, killing 99.9% of germs and bacteria using hot steam alone. The mop comes with a soft microfiber pad and a more abrasive scrubbing pad, and it has a flip-down scrubbing tool that gets deep into grout lines and helps remove stubborn stains, as well.
The Bissell Steam Mop has three steam settings, and its 23-foot power cord provides enough range to clean most rooms. It also comes with two optional fragrance discs that you can insert into the mop to leave behind a refreshing scent as you clean.
Type: Spin | Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 53 inches | Weight: 5.44 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
You can quickly clean large areas with the Libman Tornado Spin Mop, which has an extra-large microfiber head. This comprehensive mopping system includes both a mop and bucket, and unlike conventional spin mops where the bucket spins, the Tornado stands out as the mop itself spins to wring out water. All you have to do is simply unlock the lever on the mop's handle and press down. The spinning motion effectively squeezes out excess liquid.
Noteworthy design features include a generous 2-gallon water capacity, a telescoping mop pole that can extend up to 53 inches for a more comfortable user experience, a large handle and pour spout for easy emptying and a machine washable microfiber head.
Type: Robot | Dimensions: 12.25 x 12.25 x 3.25 inches | Weight: 13.62 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
In our rigorous best robot mops testing, the Bissell SpinWave Robot came out on top as the most effective model. It features two rotating pads that effectively eliminate stains from various flooring types, employing a systematic back-and-forth pattern for a thorough clean. Notably, the robot autonomously avoids any carpeted areas during its operation. Simply fill its water tank, add a small amount of cleaning solution and let it take care of your floor cleaning needs.
For added versatility, the SpinWave Robot can be transformed into a robot vacuum by swapping out its water tank for a separate dustbin. While it can connect to the Bissell app on your phone, its smart features are more limited compared to other robot vacuums—primarily allowing you to start/stop the robot or create a cleaning schedule.
Type: Flat | Dimensions: 18 x 1.8 x 41.2 inches | Weight: 1.95 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
For extensive cleaning tasks, the Microfiber Wholesale Store Professional Microfiber Mop stands out with its expansive 18-inch head, enabling you to cover more area in each pass. Built for heavy-duty use, it features a durable metal handle that telescopes up to an impressive 72 inches, allowing you to adjust it to your preferred height. The mop comes complete with both wet and dry mopping pads crafted from soft microfiber, securely adhering to the mop for stability during use. With a 360-degree swiveling head, you can effortlessly maneuver around furniture and obstacles.
However, it's worth noting that a potential drawback of this mop is the need to remove the entire pad if you wish to refresh it mid-cleaning, as the extra-large size may not fit into most buckets.
Type: Vac-mop | Dimensions: 11.3 x 10 x 43.3 inches | Weight: 9.92 pounds | Mop head type: Reusable
Typically, most cleaning routines involve vacuuming before mopping to handle larger debris, but the Tineco Floor ONE S3 breaks this pattern as it combines both vacuuming and mopping functionalities in one unit. The popular mop-vacuum has a cordless design that’s easy to drive around on hard floors, and it simultaneously sucks up dirt and other debris while mopping with its spinning brushroll. The unit incorporates separate tanks for clean and dirty water, offering a runtime of up to 35 minutes per charge.
The self-propelled design ensures easy maneuvering and the LED display provides real-time information on cleaning status and runtime. Equipped with sensors, the mop-vacuum detects both wet and dry messes, automatically adjusting suction for optimal performance. Additionally, it features a self-cleaning cycle that washes the brushroll and flushes out inner hoses when the mopping task is complete.
The Forbes Vetted team brings substantial expertise in researching, writing about and testing cleaning tools, including the best mops. Our reviews on cleaning tools include the best robot mops, best steam mops, best vacuums, best carpet cleaners and more.
In addition to relying on our own expertise while putting together this list, we also consulted with cleaning expert Jessica Samson from The Maids, who shared valuable insights for selecting the optimal mop for your home. Furthermore, the author of this article, Camryn Rabideau, is a product tester with hands-on experience using several of the featured mops. And the story was edited by Sholeen Damarwala, an experienced home and kitchen editor on the Forbes Vetted team.
Drawing on insights from our experts, we focused on identifying key features in the selection of the best mops for this list. Recognizing that mopping can be a laborious task, our priority was to highlight mops that streamline the process, offering features such as hands-free wringing, on-board cleaning solutions and/or machine-washable mop heads. We sought out products versatile enough for various floor types, assessing each pick based on criteria such as ease of use, special features and maintenance costs.
A variety of mop styles are available today, each offering its own set of benefits. To guide your selection, Jessica Samson suggests analyzing your floors to determine the most suitable mop for your surfaces. She advises, "If you buy a specialized mop, you might not be able to use it throughout your home, so do some research before making a purchase."
The most popular types of mops include:
You’re more likely to clean your floors if your mop is easy to use, so you’ll likely want to look for features that speed up the cleaning process. Mops with hands-free wringing make it easy to squeeze excess moisture out of the head, and some mops, such as the Tineco Floor ONE S3, have a powered head that takes care of the scrubbing for you. (However, this feature comes at a premium price.)
Other features to look for include an adjustable handle length, machine-washable mopping pads, easy-to-fill water tanks and attachments for cleaning different surfaces.
To keep your mop in good condition, it’s important to clean it after each use. Some mops, such as the Swiffer WetJet, use disposable pads, allowing you to start with a clean mop every time. However, if you want to save some money and are conscious about the environment, machine-washable mopping pads are another easy-to-maintain option—just stock up on a few extra to make sure there’s always one available when you need to mop.
To get your floors nice and clean, Samson recommends a microfiber mop and bucket, such as our top pick—the O-Cedar EasyWring RinseClean Spin Mop. These mops are highly absorbent, allowing them to pick up dirt, dust and liquid from the floor, and because they have a bucket, you’re able to rinse off the debris and get fresh water as you clean. This ensures you’re not just spreading the dirt back across your floors. These mops also provide superior scrubbing power, helping to lift stains, spills and scuff marks from all types of flooring, and they can generally be used with your favorite cleaning solution.
If you mostly have hardwood floors in your home, it’s important to clean them with the right solution. The Bona Hardwood Floor Premium Spray Mop comes with a special solution that’s designed to clean hardwood and leave it looking shining, and it’s easy to use, thanks to its lightweight form and on-board solution container.
Other mops can be used on hardwood floors, as well. For instance, Swiffer sells a wood-cleaning solution that can be used with the WetJet, or you could use your preferred hardwood cleaning solution with a spin mop like the Libman Tornado Spin Mop.
I'm a writer based near New York City (after 12 years in LA, four in Boston, and the first 18 just outside DC). When not writing, testing camping gear, cooking, working on DIY projects, or spending time with my wife, son, and daughter, I jog, bike, sometimes get in a kayak, and look for a chance to climb mountains. I writes for several major outlets, and my novels can be found on my website here.
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I am an assistant editor for Forbes Vetted currently residing in Austin, Texas. I primarily cover deals and consumer shopping, and previously worked as a deals staff writer for Wirecutter. My byline has also appeared in the New York Times. I have over four years of experience writing in the e-commerce sphere, and spend most of my time scouring the web for the latest consumer news and best discounts.
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Leah Koenig's writing and recipes have appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Epicurious, Food52, and Tablet, among other publications.
Leah is the author of six cookbooks including The Jewish Cookbook (Phaidon, 2019) and Modern Jewish Cooking. (Chronicle Books). In addition to writing, Leah also leads cooking demonstrations and workshops around the country and world. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and two children.
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