The Best Mops of 2023

Your flooring is the largest surface area in your home and, not least because it gets walked on every day, it’s a surface that needs regular cleaning. In the average household, experts recommend mopping the floor once per week. You don’t need anything fancy to get the job done.

For hard surface floors like wood, laminate, tile, or stone, the best mop is often a basic one—albeit some prefer electric models to get the job done faster (or with less effort). Read on to learn more about taking floors from smudged to spotless and how to choose the best mop for your home.

1. BEST OVERALL: Libman Spin Mop with Bucket
2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Kit
3. BEST STEAM MOP: Bissell Power Fresh Steam Mop
4. BEST FLAT MOP: Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop Kit
5. BEST SPONGE MOP: Casabella Painted Steel Original Mop
6. BEST VACUUM MOP: Shark VACMOP Pro Cordless Vacuum Mop
7. BEST ROBOT MOP: iRobot Braava Jet M6 Ultimate Robot Mop
8. BEST WET/DRY: Swiffer Sweeper Dry and Wet Starter Kit
9. VERSATILE PICK: Libman Wonder Mop

How We Chose the Best Mops

With an array of models on the market, the best mop for you depends on your cleaning tasks and personal preference. Many of the above picks were selected for materials used, mophead type, ease of use, and their special features.

The above list prioritizes variety when it comes to mop types. Sponge mops are the go-to for heavy-duty jobs and scrubbing. A flat mop and cleaning pad are more suitable for light-duty jobs and everyday upkeep, especially hose models with integrated spray functions. Meanwhile, steam mops disinfect floor surfaces while they clean and usually come with reusable and machine-washable pads.

If you’re willing to pay more, a vacuum mop or iRobot mop offers high-tech features that make cleaning a breeze such as smart home compatibility and an automatic turn-on feature. Some of the above picks also come with LED lights for visibility and cleaning solutions for their built-in reservoirs.

Our Top Picks

With the above shopping considerations in mind, choose the best mop for your home out of these recommendations, each highly effective in their respective category.

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If your home has multiple types of hard surface floors, owning several different mops can be expensive and a pain to store. With the Libman Spin Mop and Bucket, you can clean every floor with just one mop. It features a deep-cleaning microfiber head and a 2-gallon bucket with a stainless-steel spin chamber to make wringing a breeze.

You can use the microfiber mop as both a dry-dust mop and a slightly damp mop for hardwood floors. Plus, this spin mop has 2 handles with the lower handle being adjustable. For deep cleaning, use the right solution for your surface and scrub away dirt and grime. The mophead is removable and can go straight into the washing machine to be laundered.

Product Specs

• Type: String
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Both

Pros

• Mop and bucket included
• Two-sided bucket; clean and dirty water separate
• Adjustable handle
• Suitable for hardwood floors
• Machine-washable mop head

Cons

• Only 1 machine-washable mophead included

Get the Libman mop at Lowe’s or The Home Depot.

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Hardwood or engineered wood floors can easily be ruined if you use too much moisture on them. This Swiffer WetJet mop features ultra fine mist spray nozzles near the mophead that offer you greater control of solution dispersal and help to coat floors evenly. The removable pads are made with a microfiber-like material that cleans your wood floors without fear of scratching. The mop can be used wet or dry, and replacement cleaning pads and solutions (specific to flooring material or all-purpose) are available for purchase separately.

Product Specs

• Type: Spray
• Mophead: Microfiber-like material
• Wet or Dry: Both

Pros

• Fine mist spray feature
• 10 mop pads included
• Suitable for multiple floor types

Cons

• Mist spray function may clog over time
• Not as eco-friendly as comparable options
• Some assembly required

Get the Swiffer mop at Amazon, Lowe’s (5 pads), Target (5 pads), or The Home Depot (5 pads).

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The power fresh steam mop from Bissell kills 99 percent of germs and bacteria. The flip-down scrubber makes it easy to clean the tough stains, as it reaches the grout and crevices.

The steam mop boasts three steam settings of high, medium, and low so that the user can choose the best setting for the type of flooring or stain. In addition, the 23-foot power cord and swivel steering make it easy to reach around the room and in all the nooks and crannies. The steam mop comes with a microfiber soft pad, a microfiber scrubby pad, two spring breeze fragrance discs, and a carpet glider.

Product Specs

• Type: Steam
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• Kills 99 percent of germs
• Compatible with multiple floor types
• 23-foot power cord
• Swivel steering

Cons

• Some users report manufacturing defects
• Pricey

Get the Bissell Power Fresh steam mop at Amazon.

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The Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop features a gentle and wide microfiber pad that is suitable for daily cleaning. For deep-cleaning jobs, a non-scratch scrubber on top of the mop head swipes away stuck-on material.

To use the spray feature, fill the 22-ounce refillable spray bottle with cleaning solution and water and squeeze the on-demand trigger. The trigger controls the amount of cleaning solution distributed. It can help saturate messes or lightly mist sensitive flooring. This simple design means there’s no need to lug around a mop bucket or extra scrubbers; this all-in-one mop is ready for any job.

The Rubbermaid Reveal mop is safe to use on all sealed floor types, including hardwood, laminate, tile, and vinyl. The microfiber pads are machine-washable up to 100 times to provide an effective clean again and again.

Product Specs

• Type: Flat
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• 3 machine-washable mop pads
• 2 refillable bottles
• Non-scratch scrubber
• Manual trigger
• Wide mop head

Cons

• Pricey
• Some users report difficulties using the trigger

Get the Rubbermaid spray mop at Amazon or The Home Depot.

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Tile and ceramic floors have nooks and crannies that need a more vigorous scrub to get clean. Sponge mops work best for uneven surfaces and the Casabella features a super absorbent mophead that delivers top-quality cleaning for quick pickups or deep cleaning.

The sponge mop features a heavy-duty lever that is rust-resistant and is effective in squeezing out excess water and cleaning solution. The pole is made of steel, which makes this mop durable and built to last. And, as mops go, the Casabella lives up to its name—it’s beautiful, stylish, and will make your ceramic floors look great.

Product Specs

• Type: Sponge mop
• Mophead: Sponge
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• Replaceable 10-inch cellulose sponge head
• Steel construction
• Heavy-duty lever
• Built-in, rust-resistant wringer

Cons

• Sponge head can be susceptible to mold and mildew
• Limited grip; no handle included

Get the Casabella mop at Amazon.

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For ultimate ease while you clean hardwood floors, Shark’s VacMop is both lightweight and cordless. Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, it performs both wet-mopping and vacuuming actions at the same time.

The vacuum mop sprays cleaning solution onto hardwood floors and suctions up dirt simultaneously. A disposable pad traps the dirt and debris. Then, the no-touch disposal system allows users to release the soiled pad into a trash receptacle without touching it. The refillable Shark VacMop includes multisurface cleaning solution in spring clean scent and hardwood cleaning solution in citrus clean scent. Extra disposable, microfiber-like mop pads are also included.

This lightweight and cordless machine measures a slender 5.3 inches by 9.5 inches and stands 47.87 inches tall. The unit includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Product Specs

• Type: Vacuum mop
• Mophead: Microfiber-like material
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• Comes with 4 disposable pads and 12 ounces of cleaning solution
• No-touch pad disposal
• Suitable for hardwood floors
• Affordable price point

Cons

• May not pull stains from grout between tiles

Get the Shark mop at Amazon, Lowe’s, Target, or The Home Depot.

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Boasting a single-charge battery life of more than 2 hours and a coverage area of 1,000 square feet, our pick for the best robot mop is the iRobot Braava Jet M6 Ultimate Robot Mop. It benefits greatly from its patented navigation system, which enables the robot mop to learn the layout of a home.

While using either the iRobot HOME app or a smart-home assistant like Alexa and Google Home, the iRobot Braava Jet M6 microfiber mop can be instructed to clean specific rooms on a programmed schedule. The device also can be programmed to ignore areas within rooms.

Product Specs

• Type: Robot
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• Compatible with iRobot HOME app, Alexa, and Google Home
• Patented navigation system included
• Programmable schedule for cleaning

Cons

• Some users report manufacturing defects and tire tracks

Get the iRobot Braava mop at The Home Depot, Target, or Ace Hardware.

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This mop can be used as a wet or dry mop and is perfect for small homes where storage space is limited. This mop is simple—it’s a basic flat mop with removable pads. You can attach a dry pad for dust mopping or use a wet pad for cleaning. You can purchase replacement wet and dry cleaning pad refills as needed. If you have pets and lots of foot traffic, the Swiffer Sweeper is not going to efficiently clean floors that are really dirty, but it’s a great choice for light cleaning and touch-ups.

Product Specs

• Type: Flat
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Both

Pros

• Comes with dry and wet pads
• Suitable for light cleaning
• Lightweight
• Compact for storing

Cons

• Some users have reported poor quality

Get the Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit at Amazon, The Home Depot (10 refills), or Target (10 refills).

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If you need a reasonably priced, basic mop that is compact with a removable and washing machine-safe mophead, the Libman Wonder Mop is the best pick. It comes with a built-in wringer, so there’s no need to touch the cleaning solution or mucky water. The wringing mechanism is thorough and requires some effort, so it may be difficult for those with limited hand and wrist strength. This mop is economical and durable, and it comes with 3 mophead refills.

Product Specs

• Type: Strip
• Mophead: Microfiber
• Wet or Dry: Wet

Pros

• 3 refills included
• Wringer mechanism
• Durable construction

Cons

• Some users have reported poor quality pole
• Wringer may be difficult to use

Get the Libman wonder mop on Amazon, The Home Depot (2 refills), and Lowe’s (1 refills).

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Types of Mops

The most common mop varieties for household cleaning include string, strip, flat, sponge, steam, robot, and vacuum mops. Each has its pros and cons and will work more effectively than others depending on your floor.

Manual

Most people are satisfied with a standard mop that doesn’t have the steam or vacuum features of an electric model. These basic manual tools get the job done without breaking the bank.

• String mops are the traditional, go-to mops for residential and commercial cleaning. The mophead is made from strands or loops of string, usually cotton. These mops are very absorbent and effective at cleaning large surfaces. However, they can be tough to wring out or fully dry because the strings absorb a lot of water and can become rather stinky as a result.
• Strip mops are very similar to string mops, but the mophead consists of strips of fabric rather than cotton strings. The fabric strips are usually made of synthetic materials. These mops tend to absorb less water and dry quicker, so they’re less likely to stay damp and develop an odor.
• Flat mops have a flat head with a cleaning pad. The mopping pad can be disposable, reusable, or machine washable. A lightweight and easy-to-use option, flat mops are a popular pick for daily home cleaning.
• Sponge mops feature a spongy head that is useful for scrubbing. One possible drawback to sponge mops is that they may push dirty water into grout lines. For this reason, those who have light-colored tile grout might want to consider a different mop type.
• Spray mops eliminate the need to tote around a mop and bucket as you clean. Spray mops have a bottle of cleaning solution mounted on the mop handle. At the squeeze of a trigger, the solution sprays on the floor for easy cleaning.

Electric

If you’re looking for a mop upgrade, consider an electric model. These mops are usually cordless and battery-operated, so they offer the same flexibility of movement as a basic mop. Electric mops usually have a runtime between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on battery power.

• Steam mops feature a refillable water tank. When steam mops are turned on, the water heats up and turns to steam, which spreads through the mophead and onto the floor. The hot steam is effective at disinfecting and cleaning tough messes. Steam mops are a top choice for sealed ceramic and porcelain tiles.
• Vacuum mops are another electric option, offering dual vacuum and mopping functions at a higher price point. This cleaning tool contains a mopping pad connected to a cleaning fluid container and spray mechanism. Suction from the vacuum draws in debris through a narrow opening that runs parallel to the pad and into a dirt container. While they’re not as effective as a true vacuum, these mops are useful for small messes that would usually require vacuuming first.
• Robot mops tend to be the priciest models, but also the most advanced. These autonomous units do all the mopping for you, usually with a mopping pad and spray function. Robot mops include high-tech features like programmable cleaning times, smartphone operation, and voice control.

The only real downside to these units is their added cleaning requirements. Steam mops must be taken apart regularly for cleaning to prevent mold and mildew buildup, while vacuum mops require emptying the dirt container.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Mop

Before purchasing a mop for your home, think about the floor material it’s intended for. There are multiple types of mops with different features, and not all mop heads are created equal. Additionally, consider wet or dry functionality, and whether you prefer a wringer mechanism in the handle or bucket.

Wet vs. Dry

Mops fall into two categories: wet or dry. Wet mops use water and a cleaning solution in order to cut through dirt and grime. Dry mops, also known as dust mops, use no water. Instead, dry mops are designed to sweep loose dirt, dust, and debris from the floor.

The ideal is to use both types of mops on hard surface floors. Effectively, the dust mop is used to remove fine particles from the surface in preparation for wet mopping. Some mops are designed for wet or dry functionality, so you can choose based on the floor type.

Mophead Material

Mopheads are made from different materials and each comes with its own benefits and drawbacks.

• Cotton: This material is the most economical and extremely absorbent. However, it dries slowly, which makes these mops prone to mildew and quick deterioration if they aren’t dried thoroughly after each use. Cotton is good for cleaning up large spills.
• Cotton and synthetic blend: This combination offers a good balance of affordability and performance. Cotton blends are a good choice for everyday cleaning and disinfecting.
• Synthetic: Man-made mop fibers provide the greatest strength out of all the available materials. Synthetic fibers are resistant to mildew, lint-free, and can be bleached without damage. Synthetic mopheads are popular in healthcare facilities.
• Microfiber: This type of fiber is highly absorbent and offers good cleaning power. Though they tend to be more expensive, microfiber mops are durable and the heads can be laundered without deteriorating. Microfiber is a premium choice for general-purpose cleaning.

Wringing Mechanism

The wringing mechanism for a mop is designed to press the excess water out of the wet mop, preventing floors from becoming overly saturated and slippery. Mops either have the wringing mechanism on the handles or on their buckets.

Mops with handle wringers are popular choices for home use due to their versatility and ease of use. The wringers on mop handles will either have a lever or a built-in ratcheting system. Lever wringers are usually found on sponge mops. They work by pressing down the lever, and then a mechanism on the sponge presses against the sponge and folds or rolls over it, squeezing excess water back into the bucket.

Self-wringing mops are generally easier to use and involve a ratcheting twist-action to remove excess water. The ratchet system also allows for better control of how wet or how dry a mophead is with a simple twist.

Mop buckets with built-in wringers use levers to either squeeze or spin the moisture from mopheads. Most mop buckets with a built-in lever are made for commercial use and are not practical for use in the home because they are large and heavy. Spin mops are sold with their own specialized mop buckets that use a lever mechanism to spin out the moisture in the mophead.

FAQs

If you still have lingering questions about mops, like how to maintain them, consult the answers provided below.

Q. How often should I mop my floor?

Any floor space that encounters significant foot traffic should be mopped once per week. Biweekly mopping is fine for most other areas. Spaces that are rarely used (ex. guest rooms) may only require mopping once a month.

Q. Why are my floors still dirty after I mop? 

There are a few reasons why you may be left with a dirty floor after a mopping session. It’s important to rinse the water frequently as you mop and to start off with a clean mop head.

Q. Can you put a mop head in the washing machine?

For the most part, detachable mop heads and pads can be placed in the washing machine, but check manufacturer instructions. If the mop head is machine washable, choose a gentle cycle and allow it to air dry.