When it’s time to clean hardwood flooring in your home, there are a few ways you can handle the situation. Vacuum cleaners are often the first line of defense, but not always the best choice depending on the circumstances. A good mop can be just as effective.
Have a fear of water on your hardwood? Well, a dry or dual-purpose mop can alleviate those concerns, although that’s just one of several mop styles you can use on hardwood flooring. In our guide, we’re going to tell you which mops are the best choice for your home and tell you what to look for in order to choose the best mop for hardwood floors.
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a mop for hardwood flooring, although you may want to when you see some of the high-tech options available. The best mops for hardwood flooring can be extremely cheap or cost more than an upright vacuum depending on what you’re looking for.
No matter which type of mop you choose, remember to go easy on hardwood despite its durable nature. While all of the options on our list are made to work with hardwood flooring, make sure your floors are properly sealed before using a steam mop or wet mop of any kind. If you’re uneasy about cleaning agents or have frail flooring, consider an option from our hardwood vacuum cleaner guide.
Rubbermaid is the one brand on our list that almost everyone will have some experience with. While not known for making cleaning products, they have introduced a few systems over the years. The Reveal Spray Mop is one of their best, and a fantastic mop if you want to use your own cleaning solution.
The Rubbermaid Reveal is an all-in-one mop that can be used wet or dry, depending on your needs. There are dry dusting pads and pads made for wet mopping, which work alongside their refillable tank system. This mop uses 22 ounce bottle you can remove and fill with whatever you’d like, and it’s incredibly easy to use.
No batteries are required for the Reveal even though it has a trigger-based spray system. The head is around 15”, but easy to push dry or damp. Weight won’t be a concern considering it only weighs 3.8 pounds. While we typically don’t like anything too “scrubby” on hardwood flooring, this mop has a scrubbing pad attached to the front you can use to remove stains on certain surfaces.
The ability to use any cleaning solution you like and ease of use are two reasons the Rubbermaid Reveal ranks high on our list. We’re big fans of anything with a simple design, and you’ll be able to cover quite a bit of ground with this one as well. This package includes the mop, two refillable bottles, and several washable microfiber cleaning pads.
We’ve seen an influx of steam mops in recent years, but only a handful are suitable for hardwood flooring in our minds. Shark is responsible for two of them, and the Genius Pocket Steam Mop is one to consider if you aren’t a fan of cleaning solutions and prefer to stick with H20.
The Shark Genius Pocket is arguably the most attractive mop on our list, but also one of the most intuitive to use. Steam is guided to the mop head through a unique channeling system. This ensures even coverage so that there are no dry spots on the mop head. There is a spot-cleaning feature built-in as well, along with a direct steam feature.
The Steam Blaster will direct a concentrated jet of steam towards tough stains and other stubborn substances on your hardwood floors. It’s a nice feature to have, and something we’d like to see from more steam mops. The company’s Dirt Grip pads are also noteworthy as they are dual-sided and washable.
That’s a huge advantage over spray mops that use disposable pads, and the company installed a unique dirt-free system on this mop. When a cleaning pad becomes dirty, simply press a button on the mop to drop the pad into your laundry bin. The Shark Genius S5003D also has three electronic levels of control, so you can use low for hardwood or bump up the power for tile and other surfaces.
If you’re interested in an affordable steam mop, the Genius is a fine choice and one of the best mops or hardwood flooring. It takes a more natural approach to keep your floors clean than other systems, and you’ll only have to replace the pads after dozens of cycles in the washing machine. The water tank is a bit small at 11.8 ounces, but that’s been one of the only complaints about this model.
Dry mops are a great way to deal with dust bunnies and tidy up rooms that don’t experience heavy foot traffic. When your hardwood sees a lot of action, you may need something damp, and one of the best solutions comes in the form of the popular Swiffer WetJet.
From light-duty dusters to steam mops, Swiffer makes a variety of cleaning tools for residential use. The WetJet is one of their top sellers as it’s easy to use, which makes it an ideal way to clean up spills quickly or spot clean. There are two jets on the cleaning head, one on each side, which spray cleaning solution on your floor, when you depress a button.
The nozzles on this model are illuminated, but the overall design has remained the same for years because it’s effective. Cleaning pads cling to the bottom of the mop head and are disposable unless you opt for the company’s washable pads. While you can use any type of Swiffer cleaning solution in the WetJet, this bundle comes with their special hardwood flooring cleaner.
For ease of use, and quick cleaning, you can’t go wrong with Swiffer’s WetJet system. It can clean an entire home or a single room, and you’ll never have to trip over a cord. Refills and cleaning solution are reasonably priced, although disposable cleaning pads do add to the cost over time if you plan on using the mop frequently.
While you don’t have to look hard to find a spray or microfiber mop, some styles are a little harder to come by. The spin mop is one of those styles, and if you’re interested in one of these unique mops, the Spinwave from Bissell is your best choice.
One look at the Spinwave tells you why it’s unique. On the cleaning head, there are two circular cleaning pads that spin at a high rate of speed. A jet in the middle of the head applies cleaning solution to your floors, just like a regular spray mop. It’s easy on hardwood, and the design allows you to spin right up against baseboards and furniture in your home.
The water tank on the Spinwave 2039A holds plenty of cleaning solution with a total capacity of 28 ounces. It’s larger than a spray mop, but still light at 11 pounds and easy to maneuver thanks to a swivel steering system. Your cleaning range is limited to 22,’ which should get you through a couple of rooms depending on your plug placement.
If you have a lot of hardwood in your home, mopping can be tiresome, but it won’t be with the Spinwave. It’s one of the more affordable options in its class and will put a shine on your floor when appropriately used. Users found the Spinwave extremely quiet, although it doesn’t work as well as other electric mops with third-party cleaning solutions.
When you want a system to handle the hard work in your cleaning routine, iRobot is a brand you can turn to with trust. The company has several mop bots available, although the Braava Jet M6 is the best mop for hardwood flooring when you want something automated.
The M6 is capable of whole house cleaning, provided you don’t have an upper floor. It can’t climb up the stairs, but it won’t fall down them either because of an array of sensors. This system takes advantage of iRobot’s iAdapt 3.0 and vSLAM technology with smart mapping features to navigate your home.
It won’t falter with transitions, and you can set Keep Out Zones as well. This is the best way to keep the robot away from carpeted rooms and other areas in your home without having to shut doors or put up a barrier. That’s a problem with robotic mops that are less intelligent, although not an issue with the Jet M6.
This robot can clean wet or dry, and automatically selects the mode based on the cleaning pad you attach. That’s a nifty feature, but so is the ability to connect with Alexa or Google through Wi-Fi. While it is slow compred to other types of mops, it’s simple to use and maintain. You just need to change the cleaning pad and fill the water tank with cleaning solution as needed. When the battery gets low, the robot will recharge itself and resume cleaning from its last position.
The iRobot Braava Jet M6 is the company’s flagship mop bot and on par with their top-tier robotic vacuum cleaner systems. In fact, it will work in conjunction with several Roombas through iRobot’s Imprint Link tech. It’s expensive but well worth your time if you want to keep your hardwood clean without performing manual labor and aren’t a fan of traditional mops or vacuums.
Bissell basically has the market cornered on steam mops by sheer volume alone, although they also happen to make some of the best residential models around. Steam mops like the PowerFresh 1940 Steam Mop are proof of that, and it’s another excellent alternative for hardwood floors.
Steam cleaners can make your floors look and “feel” by using high heat and water to remove dirt and grime. The PowerFresh 1940 has a SmartSet digital control system that allows you to choose low or medium steam for your hardwood floors. That’s ideal, but you can also crank up the heat to high for tile and other surfaces. It heats up extremely fast and is ready in less than 10 seconds.
With a weight of around 6 pounds empty, the Bissell PowerFresh isn’t challenging to push, although the swivel steering system helps in that regard. There’s no trigger, so it is a continuous steam system, not steam on demand like similar cleaners. It has a 16 ounces water tank that can clean a few rooms on low or medium but can go through its water supply quickly on high.
If you want to safely clean your sealed hardwood floors with heat and steam, the PowerFresh Steam Mop is a great option. It’s a well-built system that will outlive its warranty, and a mop homeowners have been happy with for years. This steam mop comes with a couple of cleaning pads, two fragrance discs, and a carpet glider that can freshen up carpeting or rugs in your home.
The system that arguably the system that started the microfiber mopping craze in America certainly deserves a spot on our list, and thanks to its design, the Swiffer Sweeper is entirely safe on hardwood flooring. It’s also the cheapest mopping system on our list and one you can use wet as well.
One of the simplest dust mops available, the Swiffer Sweeper works with disposable dust pads that simply fold across the bottom and attach on the top. When dirty, you pull the pad off and toss it in the trash, not the clothes hamper. The dry dusting pads are ideal for light-duty cleaning of dust on hardwood, but Wet Swiffers are also an option.
Wet Swiffer pads are presoaked in cleaning solution, and are just as disposable as the dry pads. While you need to apply some pressure for tough stains, they excel at cleaning hardwood, laminate, and tile flooring. Proceed with caution when using wet pads on oiled or waxed flooring along with unfinished hardwood for obvious reasons.
This Swiffer Sweeper kit is an excellent value for the price and includes a variety of cleaning pads for both light and heavy-duty cleaning. The fact you can use dry or wet pads on a whim is a big draw of this system, although the disposable nature of the cleaning pads could be a drawback if you’ll use this mop on a daily basis.
The second electric spin mop on our list is entirely different from the first from a design standpoint. Gladwell's Coaster spin scrubber is one of a handful of cordless mops in this class, and a system with several other consumer-friendly features.
The engineers at Gladwell had cordless stick vacuums in mind when they designed this spin mop. It's skinny and relatively light with a weight close to 11 pounds but has an advantage over stick vacuums and other mops with an extendable pole. The handle can rotate 180 degrees, and with a height of 3”, it can get under furniture with relative ease. As a bonus, a series of small LED lights will illuminate dirt in dark areas as well.
There are two modes on this mop, so you can use it as a wet spin mop or put it into waxing mode. Recharging times are excellent at around 2 hours for a recharge, but the company was vague with the battery life. Based on a variety of consumer reviews and a few other factors, you should expect around 20 to 30 minutes from this one, which is par for the course with these types of battery-powered systems.
The Spin Scrubber from Gladwell is worth a look if you want to go cordless and have smaller rooms with hardwood floors or areas that could use a good buffing. We haven’t seen any significant complaints with its performance as it’s powerful; just consider the runtime before settling on this electric mop. This mop comes with a 1-year warranty and is available in black or blue.
Pros
Can mop or wax
Cordless power
Low-profile design
Cons
Vague tech specs
How to find the Best Mop for Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring is beautiful and durable, but you can experience some issues with it when it’s not cleaned correctly. Brooms are the safest option, but not nearly as effective as other systems like vacuum cleaners or mops. Things have changed since the days when you could pick out a mop in a few minutes, although that’s still an option if you aren’t picky about what you’ll use. That could be a mistake with hardwood.
There is an abundance of options in the mop world, but you can’t use just any style on hardwood flooring – sealed or not. The best mop for hardwood flooring should be gentle enough to keep your finish safe, while still allowing you to remove dirt or stains with relative ease. In our guide, we’ll tell you what you should look for in a mop so that you can find the best solution for your home.
Wet or Dry mop?
While there are several styles of mops available, all fall into one of two categories with wet and dry mops. Between those two, there are around a half-dozen styles to consider, although you will only find a few models on our list.
Dry Mops – A dry mop is the simplest form of a mop, and the least inexpensive if you pick up a base model. They typically have a microfiber cleaning pad on the end and come in a variety of sizes from broom-sized mops to larger ones with heads 12 to 20” wide.
You can also choose between dry mops that use disposable dust pads like a Swiffer or washable cleaning pads. With the latter, using a cleaning solution on your floor is an option as well. The upkeep is minimal with a dry microfiber mop.
Wet Mops – The wet mop tag can be a bit misleading as most mops in this category won’t drench your floor in H20 aside from mop and bucket systems, which we don’t recommend for hardwood. Instead, we’ve focused on steam and spray mops.
A spray mop shoots a jet of cleaning solution on your floor, which is cleaned up with a dry mopping pad. They are fantastic on hardwood flooring, but refills can get expensive over time. Steam mops are another great option as long as your floors are sealed, and you use low heat.
Automated Mops – Any mop that’s automatic is designed to take care of some of the work for you. They can be used wet or dry in some cases as well. The most popular type of automatic mop are robot mops, although there are only a handful truly worth the price.
The best robot mops can clean your home while unattended, but electric mops are also efficient. Electric spin mops also fall into this class and are an interesting alternative to a standard spray mop. These systems can have longer warranties, although you’ll still need to deal with refills.
Cleaning Path
One specification we always tell consumers to look for with cleaning tools like vacuums, carpet cleaners, and mops is the cleaning path width. You may have to dig a little to find it with some manufacturers, but it’s important to understand unless you enjoy long cleaning sessions.
This specification lets you know how wide of a path your mop can clean in one pass. Obviously, a 12” cleaning path is better than mop listed at 5” as you’re able to clear more ground, which increases your speed. On the downside, you may have trouble cleaning around furniture or getting into small spaces with a larger mop head, bigger isn’t always better.
Ease of Use
If you are capable of pushing or pulling a broom, you can use a wet or dry mop. The back and forth motion remains the same, and even some of the heavier styles are still lightweight. Several other areas come into play with ease of use, however, including overlooked features like adjustable poles.
Detachable cleaning pads should be easy to remove and replace as needed. It’s usually not a problem, although we’ve seen plenty of mops with pads that don’t attach properly. Want a mop that’s easy to push wet or dry? Check out features that make it maneuverable like swivel steering or large wheels.
With robot mops or anything powered, controls should be easy to access. The same goes for removable batteries on a cordless system, and good cord wraps when there are 20’ power cords to contend with. Accessories and attachments are also things that will make life easier during your cleaning routine, although not a necessity if you only have hardwood flooring to clean.
Weight
Do you have stairs in your home? A microfiber mop on a stick won’t cause you any problem with stairs, but you may not want to drag a 15-pound machine full of water up them. Stick mops are the lightest option followed by robot vacuums given the nature of their design. Spray mops are right behind those with a weight of 4 to 6 pounds.
If you’re using a mop that requires cleaning solution or water, you have to take the weight specification listed by the manufacturer lightly as well. That’s almost always an “empty” weight, so you can add a few pounds to the machine depending on how large the water or cleaning tank is. In our experience, regardless of style, an average weight on mops is anywhere between 2.5 to 14 pounds.
Power
If you’re planning on picking up a dry mop or spray-mop, you can skip this section. While a spray mop may need a few batteries on occasion, they don’t require a power cord in order to work. With a powered mop, check on the cord length before you fall head over heels. It’s common to see complaints from consumers on electric mops with short cords, so consider the layout of your home beforehand.
Cordless mops are an option as well, even if there aren’t many models to choose from. When choosing a cordless cleaning tool, check out the battery life and recharging times. It may not be a problem with a robotic mop but can leave you in a lurch with an underpowered upright. Systems with removable batteries are the best option with cordless mops.
Cleaning Solution
You can use any cleaning solution you like to spot clean with a dry mop, provided it won’t gum up the cleaning pad or damage the floor. Steam mops use water, which is free, although some systems have scented discs or other optional additives that can freshen up a room. Spray mops are a different story.
Most spray mops on the market are designed to work with a premixed cleaning solution, which is sold by the manufacturer. With some mops, you can use third-party cleaners, while other systems make that difficult. There are also models with removable water tanks that allow you to mix your own cleaning solution.
No matter which style you choose, consider the size or capacity of the holding tank compared to the size of the rooms you need to clean. Premixed solutions can get pricey, and those types of systems may not be cost-efficient in a larger home. On the flipside, vinegar and water is cheap and will work in a variety of spray mops with open systems.
Mopping Pads
Dry, robotic, steam, and spray mops all have one thing in common. They need a cleaning pad in order to function. That’s a cost you can’t get around, as eventually, you will need to replace the mopping pad. Thankfully, they are inexpensive unless you decide to pick up a mop that relies on disposable pads.
A high-quality mop pad should be able to withstand dozens of cycles in the washer before you need to pick up a replacement. Extras are often sold in packs of two or four, and third-party alternatives are plentiful.
Durability
Durability in a mop depends on the type of mop, and how many points of failure there are. On a robot mop, they would take all day to list as anything from the brush roll to the bin latch could break. That won’t be a problem with the top models, but any type of cleaning system can break.
You won’t find an extended warranty over a few years with a mop unless you pick up a powered model, even then, it can be rare. Some wet and dry mops will have a money back guarantee but will last for years thanks to simplistic designs.
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