Mops are one of the oldest types of cleaning tools alongside the trusty broom. While there haven’t been many innovations with the latter over the years, today you can find mops in a half-dozen styles. There are mops geared towards tile and hardwood, but also flooring like luxury vinyl and laminate.
The best mop for laminate flooring will be capable of working on other surfaces, but narrowing down the field can be tough. If you have dirty floors and need to find a great mop fast, keep reading as we’ve put together a quick list of buying tips and have chosen a handful of top-tier mops.
Before you begin to think about the types of mops available for laminate flooring, it’s good to understand a little more about the material itself. Laminate flooring is a multi-layered product and a type of synthetic flooring. It’s not natural like stone or wood, although it shares similarities with hardwood as neither does well in areas where moisture or water is present.
Laminate simulates wood with a photographic image that’s topped off by a wear layer. The core and bottom layer can vary to a degree, but trust us when we say, water and laminate don’t get along. That means you can’t use any type of mop or cleaner on this type of flooring, and you want to be careful with cleaners as it’s almost impossible to repair and can be extremely difficult to replace.
No matter what type of mop you choose to purchase, never use an aggressive cleaning product on laminate flooring. Even if it’s rated as water-resistant, don’t let water or floor cleaner puddle up on the floor. It’s also a good idea to read your manufacturer’s for your laminate if you know the brand before considering any style of wet mop.
Types of Mops
As water causes problems, you won’t see us recommend any traditional bucket-based systems. Instead, we are mainly going to focus on dry mops, spray mops, and mops that can clean laminate with minimal human intervention.
Dry Mops – These mops have been around for decades, but it was Swiffer that helped put them into millions of American households. A dry mop typically uses a microfiber cleaning pad, which can be reusable or disposable. While they vary in size, you can find the largest mops in this category, which will make quick work of dust and dirt.
Spray Mops – Any mop that sprays fluid on your flooring is considered a spray mop, and there are hundreds of options to choose from. The biggest knock on this type of mop is the fact they can leak or leave small puddles behind. A poorly designed model won’t ruin your floor, but it will be a waste your time and money.
Robot Mops – There aren’t too many models we’d recommend in the robotic class, but these mops will handle the hard work. The smartest mop bots have excellent navigation and may even let you connect to a mobile app or Alexa. They are slow if you’re looking for whole-house cleaning, and can be expensive if you’re interested in premium features.
Cleaning Path Width
It’s hard to gauge how long mopping takes, as it will vary for everyone. The size of the room and type of mop play a part in that equation, but so does the cleaning path width. It’s one of the few specifications you’ll want to keep an eye out for as it refers to how wide of a path your mop cleans in one pass. Smaller mop heads can allow you to apply more pressure but take longer to clean an entire room than a mop with a 13” microfiber mop head.
Ergonomics
This isn’t something you’ll need to worry about with robotic vacuum cleaners but can make you hate a stick mop within a week. Unless you are looking for a mop with a spinning cleaning head, the weight won’t be a concern. The length of the pole can be, however, especially if you are tall, and it isn’t adjustable. That’s actually a rarer feature than you’d think on a mop, but an uncomfortable handle can also ruin your day.
Refills
Dry mops have an advantage over wet mops as you only need to pick up one type of refill – cleaning pads. In this case, that would be a microfiber cleaning pad, which can vary from 6 to 20,” depending on the mop. All are soft and won’t harm laminate flooring, and most are washable. Some are also designed for extra scrubbing power.
Other spray mops have disposable pads, which you simply throw away when you’re done. They are the most effortless style to use but can get expensive quickly. Wet mops that go the microfiber route can be used wet or dry, although cleaning them is can be trickier than you think. Do you really want to toss a pad that was used to clean a pet accident in the wash? Consider the types of messes you’ll encounter if you come to a crossroads between disposable and reusable cleaning pads.
Laminate Floor Cleaner
If you plan on using a dry mop, skip ahead to our next section. For wet mops, you need to think about cleaning solution and the type of system used to feed your machine. Most mops are bottle-based, but some can be refilled while others are one-use only. While there are ways around that with certain brands, a refillable mop for laminate flooring gives you more options.
Premixed floor cleaner isn’t expensive, and you can find formulations for laminate from dozens of manufacturers. The best floor cleaners can brighten up laminate flooring while freshening up the room, whereas the wrong clean will leave your floors looking dull and lifeless. If you prefer to mix your cleaner, look for a mop with a refillable system.
Durability
You’re not going to find a stick mop with a 5-year warranty like a vacuum cleaner but may get a 1-year guarantee if you’re lucky. That’s because of the simplistic nature of a mop; there aren’t many points of failure. A microfiber mop with an aluminum pole will likely outlive any other style, and you can replace the head as needed on the best models.
Spray mops, on the other hand, have more plastic parts and one or more spray jets that can clog over time. As mentioned, leaking can also be an issue, and that applies to any robotic vacuums with a wet mop function as well. Those systems will have the longest warranties, but can also experience the most issues for obvious reasons.
O-Cedar is a brand that’s well-known in the cleaning world, and their mops have made several of our lists. For laminate flooring, their best spray mop is the ProMist MAX, a microfiber mop with several interesting features.
This is one of the best mops for the eco-friendly crowd. There are no disposable pads, and you never need to replace the batteries – there aren’t any. The trigger-based system lets you control the spray, which will cover the entire area in front of the mop head. Consumers found the handle comfortable to use, and the trigger is large and easy to pull as well.
A 750ml bottle holds the cleaning solution for this system, and it’s designed to let you use your own solution or any aftermarket mix you choose. Cleanout is a breeze when you want to switch fluids for different types of flooring. The mop head is substantial at around 16”, and while the pole isn’t adjustable, it should be long enough to suit most folks.
The other reason we love this system is the cleaning pads. As mentioned, they aren’t disposable, but washable up to 100 times according to the O-Cedar. Each pad has “scrub zones,” which are designed to remove stains, and they are reversible to boot. That, along with the broad cleaning head will allow you to cover a room quicker than you could with an ordinary laminate flooring mop.
We voted the O-Cedar ProMist MAX the best mop for laminate flooring, because of the cleaning pads, its refillable system, and the price. It’s one of the cheapest mops for hardwood, tile, or laminate, and it actually lives up to the hype and thousands of positive reviews. This version only comes with one cleaning pad, but compatible refills are cheap if you opt for a third-party option.
Swiffer is one of the biggest and most well-known brands in the mopping world, and you’ll find one of their sticks in millions of homes around the United States. Their Swiffer WetJet system is one of the best mops for laminate flooring and perfect for homeowners with laminate flooring.
The company took a different approach to the WetJet compared to other spray mops. There are two jets on the head, one on each side, which provides an excellent range of coverage with the cleaning fluid. It’s a great way to clean up dirt and mud from your flooring, and at around 4 pounds, this mop is light and easy to use.
You’ll use a button, not a trigger, to apply the cleaning solution to your floor with the WetJet. The cleaning solution included with the Starter Kit is 500ml, so it will last for quite a while. You can’t refill it or use your own mix, unfortunately. That said, bottles of cleaner are cheap, and the premixed solution is geared towards laminate.
There are two types of mop pads you can use with the Swiffer WetJet. There are “regular” mopping pads, which you dispose of when they get dirty, but they also sell washable microfiber mop heads. If you’re trying to go green or go through a dozen pads when you clean, they are an excellent alternative to their refills.
As one of the top-selling wet mops over the past decade, you can’t go wrong with the Swiffer WetJet on laminate floors. It’s a mop millions of homeowners use, and aside from an occasionally clogged jet, they generally work flawlessly. It’s not the sturdiest mop on our list, however, so keep that in mind if you’re known to be heavy-handed with cleaning equipment.
If you’re fearful of using liquid or other cleaning agents on your laminate flooring, a dust mop is an excellent option. If you’re in the market for a large dust mop, Homevative has the solution for you with their Stainless Steel Microfiber Floor Mop kit.
With a 20” head, this mop can cover more ground than the rest of the picks on our list. It’s not hard to move, and the 360-degree head allows you to maneuver around obstacles in your home. While it won’t fit into smaller nooks and crannies, you can clean a large room in a matter of minutes with Homevative’s sturdy dust mop.
Tired of flimsy poles that bend or feel like they’ll break when you apply pressure? That’s not a problem with this mop, thanks to a heavy-duty pole with an aluminum shaft. Its light and the pole has a telescopic action with a range of 5 feet, which is perfect for consumers that are short or tall. The microfiber cleaning pads are washable and affordable to replace when their lifespan expires.
The size of this one isn’t ideal for smaller rooms, but you won’t find a better dry mop on our list for large areas. It’s durable, and the telescoping pole is a huge bonus as well. We didn’t come across any significant negative reviews on this one, although several consumers have claimed their mop is plastic and aluminum – not stainless steel. This mop comes with three cleaning pads, a detailing tool, and a lifetime guarantee.
Bona Stone may not be a familiar name compared to Hoover or Swiffer, but they’ve made a name for themselves with a fine lineup of cleaning goods. That includes several mops, although the Bona Stone Premium Spray Mop for Tile & Laminate floor is our top choice from the company.
The newest version of the Bona Stone Premium Spray Mop features a redesigned mop head with a broader base plate. This allows you to clean more area in a single pass, and while the head is 16.5”, the pads are oversized and 18”. They attach snugly and give you a bit more coverage and clearance when getting close to furniture.
Flexible rubber corners will also keep your furniture safe from harm, while a secondary grip is ideal for comfort and deep cleaning. As for the tank, it’s a removable bottle that holds 34 ounces of Bona Stone’s special cleaner for laminate and tile. It has a single spray jet and a trigger-based system that sends the fluid towards your floor.
That cartridge is refillable, which is a bonus if you like to get creative with your cleaning solution, although the company only recommends using their mix. It’s easy to use, and refills are reasonable as well. The cleaning pads can be washed, but are sold in packs of three when you need replacements, and the retractable storage hook on the end is a nice touch.
This spray mop is a little more expensive than similar models, but it has a massive mop head. Consumers found it easy it is to use, and the refillable bottle is a significant bonus. There have been some complaints on the trigger system and a few quality control issues, however. The Bona Premium Spray Mop for Stone, Tile, and Laminate floors comes with a bottle of cleaner to get you started and one mop pad.
If you’re unfamiliar with Nellie’s Wow Mop, you are not alone. While the brand name may not ring a bell, it would be a mistake to overlook this mop. The Wow Mop is one of the most expensive laminate floor mops on our list, but it’s also the only upright that is powered.
Nellie’s Wow Mop is unique, even for a cordless mop. It uses two cleaning pads on the bottom instead of one, has an oscillating head that can do 1,000 cycles per minute. This ensures no stain is safe from the Wow Mop. As it’s a “solution on-demand” type of system, it also allows you to dispense cleaner as needed. While it has plenty of power, homeowners found this Wow Mop surprisingly quiet.
This mop weighs around 7 pounds, so it’s heavier than a typical spray mop, but won’t strain your back. It also has a low profile design so you can get under furniture and other objects with low clearance in your home. Considering its cordless nature, it’s ideal for homes with multiple floors as well, thanks to the 2000mAh battery, which is located in the head of the mop.
That battery has enough juice to clean for up to 55 minutes, while recharging times are average at 3 to 5 hours. It has two built-in LED lights on the base along with a spot where you can fill the cleaning solution reservoir. While the location adds a bit of weight to the base, it’s not as easy to fill as other spray style mops. Other notable features include an adjustable pole and cleaning pads that can withstand the water up to 100 times before needing to be replaced.
If you’re looking for a mop that does the work for you but don’t want to rely on a robotic vacuum cleaner, Nellie’s Wow Mop is an outstanding option. It cleans better than a wet mop or spray mop, and the fact you can use any cleaning solution you like is the icing on the cake. The only downside is the filling system, as you’ll need to use the included cup to fill up this machine.
While the Wow Mop is a semi-automated cleaning tool, this one handles almost everything itself. The Braava Jet 240 robotic mop from iRobot can clean laminate while you go about your day, and it has a unique way of going about its business.
Robot mop bots are nothing new, although they have grown in popularity over the past few years. The Braava Jet 240 is a wet mop at heart, but can also dry mop or sweep your floor. It all depends on the type of cleaning pad you choose. This robot is smart enough to know the difference as it will automatically detect the pad and mop or sweep, depending on which one you attach.
iRobot installed a jet spray system for wet mopping, but the Jet 240 also has a vibrating cleaning head. While it’s not as smart as their flagship mop bot, it has a built-in virtual boundary system. That will keep the robot out of rooms where it doesn’t belong – a handy feature when no doors are present. Navigation is solid, so it won’t tumble down the stairs, but it’s not connected, and there’s no app access.
Aside from the fact you can sit back and relax with this robot, we also like the ejection system. You can simply pick up the robot, press a button, and the pad will drop into your trash can. The runtime is respectable at around 60 minutes, and when it’s done, you just remove the battery, connect it to a charger, and tuck it away until the next cleaning session. There’s no docking system, which means there is also no recharge & resume function, unfortunately.
Despite having a smaller brain than the Braava Jet m6, this affordable robot mop has several nifty tricks. It can wet mop, damp mop, or dry mop, so it’s essentially an automatic version of the WetJet but with far more versatility. The Braava Jet 240 comes with six pads (two of each style) to get you going and sports a 1-year warranty.
Pros
Automatically mops or sweeps
60-minute runtime
Vibrating cleaning head
Cons
Short warranty
Small tank
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