Surfaces You Can Clean with a Steam Mop
Tile floors
Tile walls
Grout
Outdoor spaces like patios
Hardwood floors
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Best Steam Mop
UPDATED January 2020
The best steam mop for your home is one that works effectively on all types of hard surfaces.
BEST STEAM
MOP 2019
BOTTOM LINE
Kill germs and bacteria quickly with the PowerFresh from Bissell, which comes up to the right temperature in just 30 seconds. You can use the variable steam control and/or the scrubber attachment when tackling any type of mess around your home.
PROS
Bissell added a scrubber to this steam mop, which works on tile, grout and other surfaces. It also features a variable steam control that lets you select the amount of steam necessary for any type of job.
CONS
Some customers posted negative reviews because parts on their steam mop broke or because the water tank cracked. A small number of reviewers wish that the handle on this one was adjustable also.
BOTTOM LINE
With three steam settings to choose from, the Genius makes cleaning any type of floor easy. Though this mop is a little more expensive than others, it lets you remove and throw away the cleaning pad without touching the pad with your hands.
PROS
Suitable for use on any type of flooring, the Genius from Shark has touch-free technology that lets you change the pads on the bottom without getting your hands dirty. This model also features Intelligent Steam Control that allows you to use the right amount of steam on each job.
CONS
Some shoppers complained that the water tank on this one doesn’t come off, which makes filling that tank difficult. It also ranks as one of the more expensive steam mops on the market.
BOTTOM LINE
With this O-Cedar steam mop, you can clean your home and kill the germs and bacteria that make your family sick at the same time. It comes with a glider attachment that lets you clean carpets in addition to tile and hardwood floors.
PROS
Weighing just five pounds, this O-Cedar steam mop is both easy to use and carry around your home. The manufacturer guarantees that it will remove up to 99.9% of common germs and bacteria.
CONS
It takes longer for this mop to produce steam and come up to temperature than other models. Some shoppers also complained that the microfiber cloth didn’t do a good job of removing dirt from their floors.
BOTTOM LINE
The larger water tank found on this model allows you to do more cleaning. It comes with a 25-foot-long power cord and pocket pads that clean dirt and stains off your floors while sanitizing those surfaces at the same time.
PROS
Shark designed this mop for fast and efficient cleaning. It comes up to the temperature you need in around 30 seconds and will both clean and sanitize your floors. You can use on most surfaces.
CONS
Most of the complaints registered by customers about this steam mop surround the pocket pads, which you may need to change multiple times when cleaning. Other customers found that it worked better on smaller jobs than larger cleaning tasks.
BOTTOM LINE
Designed for use on all types of flooring. The SmartSelect from BLACK + DECKER features a unique technology that makes using it as easy as selecting your flooring type. It also comes with a feature that saves on your water usage.
PROS
BLACK + DECKER added a feature to this steam mop that stops it from producing steam when placed in an upright position, which keeps you from wasting water. Its SmartSelect technology lets you select your floor type and automatically set the mop to work on that flooring.
CONS
A small number of users complained that this steam mop stopped working within six to 12 months. Other shoppers found that it didn’t generate as much steam as they needed for regular cleaning.
Shopping Guide for Best Steam Mops
No matter how often you sweep and mop, you will likely suffer from problems with bacteria, germs and mold. Using a mop can help, but this often leaves you just pushing dirty water across your floors. When you use the best steam mop, you can use water at a high temperature and steam to fully clean your floors. The best steam mop 2018 products include those from major manufacturers and come companies you probably never heard of before. Many shoppers do not realize that the best models vary from home to home, which is why our handy guide is so useful.
In addition to ranking the top steam mop 2018 models, we also took a look at some of the things that shoppers should look for as they consider those models. You can use our shopping guide to get an idea of the most important features that matter to shoppers today and the features that are most important based on the size of your home and the type of floors that you have. We also included helpful information on how much steam mops cost and detailed reviews of the top five steam mops that we think are worth your money.
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Selection Criteria
If you did a simple search for “steam mop” on your favorite shopping website, you would get back hundreds of results. It seems like every major manufacturer and every lesser known manufacturer makes and sells their own mops. After doing that search, you would also need to go over the results and weed through the replacement parts that pop up. Many of these mops use pads that attach to the bottom. You need to replace that pad each time you clean, which keeps you from spreading germs around your home.
Once we searched for steam mops, we looked at the average rating that each one had on a scale of one to five starts. We then weeded out any products with a rating of below three stars and focused on those with a higher rating. As we looked at the top models, we identified those capable of cleaning different types of floors and those that could handle high-traffic areas. We also looked at ease of use to determine which models any shopper could use in their homes. Our list of the best steam mops for 2018 include the top five models that are worthy of your home and your money.
The Most Important Factors That Matter to Steam Mop Shoppers
Ease of Use
Length of cord
Price
Longevity
How Do Steam Mops Work?
The chances are good that you have questions about how these mops work. Old-fashioned mops use rope and similar materials that you dunk into a bucket of soapy water. You then move the mop across the floor and dunk it back in the water again as needed. These mops require that you use a dry mop head to remove the moisture from your floors or that you let the floors air dry. Steam mops work in a completely different way.
One of the most important parts of any steam mop is the boiler inside. You’ll add water to a tank, press the buttons on the handle to turn on the boiler and wait for that boiler to bring the water up to the right temperature before you move the mop across the floor. The bottom of the mop features some type of attachment like pads or a scrubber that lodge stuck-on debris off the floor.
With these mops, you can remove stains and debris in two different ways. As the mop moves across the floor, the steam breaks up any debris and loosens it. The pad or brush on the bottom then lifts that debris. You can throw this piece away when you finish cleaning.
Rectangular vs. Triangular Pads
Rectangular
Rectangular pads have a rectangular shape. They are usually wider than the base of the steam wand and wrap around the sides. You can secure one in place on the edge of the machine.
Triangular
Triangular pads are slightly smaller but allow you to clean deep into the corners of your room. Many steam wands will only work with rectangular pads.
One of the only steam mops on the market that comes with double-sided pads is this Shark Genius model. Those pads let you do more cleaning each time that you use the mop. The pads collect any debris located in front of the mop or around its sides. Shark created a unique design for these pads that will actually grip any dirt or dust.
Built into this mop are three Intelligent Steam Controls that let you select the perfect amount of steam for any job. Those controls also make it easy to use more steam when working on tougher jobs and less steam when handing smaller jobs without swapping out the pad. It also has a Steam Blaster mode specifically designed for removing greasy and oily stains from floors.
With a three-step process that you follow, this steam mop is easier to use than others. You simply attach the pad to the bottom, clean your floors and then hit a button on the handle to drop the pad right in your trash can. This lets you clean the dirtiest of floors without getting your hands messy.
Features Customers Liked Best About the Shark Genius
Long Cord
Convenient Handle
Touch-free Technology
Steam Blaster Mode
Benefits of Steam Mops
Some people think that they can keep their homes clean with a standard mop and a liquid floor cleaner. Using a steam mop has a number of benefits for both you and your home, including:
- Steam mops let you thoroughly clean your floors without stooping over or bending.
- Many of these mops will work with just water and do not require the use of any harsh chemicals.
- You can kill all the common germs and bacteria that you and your family bring home with you.
- Steam mops help you clean many different types of floors and some walls and other surfaces too.
O-Cedar used the slogan, “O-Cedar Makes Your Life Easier” for a number of years, and its Microfiber Steam Mop can definitely make your life a little easier. This steam mop has a triangular base that works with the microfiber pads that the company makes. This unique shape helps you get into the tightest of corners and clean beneath counters. As the pads use a soft microfiber material, they won’t scratch or damage your floors like other materials can.
The Microfiber Steam Mop is super easy to use too. Once you plug it in, it reaches the maximum temperature available in only 60 seconds. You can use the knob on the front to adjust the temperature up or down to either the minimum or maximum setting. A bright green light comes on when the map is ready for use around your home.
Another nice feature is that the microfiber pads are machine washable. You can toss one right in your washer and have it ready for use the next time you want to work on your floors. O-Cedar also gives you a glider attachment that helps you freshen up the carpets in your home.
How Long Will a Steam Mop Really Last?
If you’re like most shoppers, you probably want to know how long one of these mops will last in your home. The simple answer is that it depends on factors like how much you paid upfront, how well you take care of your mop and how often you use it.
The more expensive models will generally last longer than cheaper models do. While you may not want to spend $100 to $200 upfront, doing so will help you avoid paying more to replace that model later. If you clean or replace the pad each time that you use, it the mop will also last longer. Those who use their mops on a weekly or daily basis will find that they need to replace their mops faster than those who use one every other week or just once a month.
You should get around six months of use out of a cheaper or budget model. Higher-end models can last for five years or even longer.
Signs That You Need to Replace Your Pad
- Fraying along the edges of the pad
- Stains that do not come out
- Odors that stick to the pad
- Pad looks thin when compared to new ones
When you want to clean your floors quickly and without wasting time, you want a steam mop that will come up to the temperature that you want in less time. This Bissell model works so quickly that you can begin cleaning your floors just 30 seconds after you plug it into an outlet. It comes with a 23-inch-long power cord that gives you a nice amount of freedom and a variable steam control. This steam control, which is digital, allows you to use the same amount of steam and the same temperature the entire time that you clean, but it also lets you adjust that temperature to use more or less steam on the same floor.
Capable of cleaning floors up to twice as fast as other models, the PowerFresh comes with a scrubber that flips down from above the pad. This scrubber makes quick work of stuck-on stains left on your floors. It also kills up to 99.9% of common types of bacteria and germs found in most homes. Designed to both scrub and give your floors a nice shine, this model is safe for use on most types of floors. You can use it on hardwood or tile floors.
Bissell and Febreeze
Bissell partnered with Febreeze on a line of cleaning discs that will work with this model and some of its other steam mops and cleaning products. Those discs come in different scents and leave behind a nice scent that lingers in the air.
SharkNinja is the company behind a line of products that you can buy on television and in stores, including blenders and vacuum cleaners. It also makes the Steam Pocket Mop, which you may occasionally see on infomercials on television. The Steam Pocket has a smaller shape and size than other steam mops, which makes it easy to carry and easy to both fill and use. It comes with a rounded handle that you can easily hold in one hand for fast and efficient cleaning.
This model comes with both a larger tank and a longer cord than other models do. Its 25-foot-long cord lets you work as far away as you need from any outlet in your home to clean an entire room or two rooms without stopping to find a new outlet first. The Steam Pocket Mop comes with an extra large tank that holds more water than any other model does to let you clean as much as possible without refilling the tank multiple times. Every pad that comes in the box has a double-sided design that helps you do more cleaning. Those pads have a textured design that attracts and collects dust and dirt.
Shark Cleaning Products
Shark makes a number of products that you can use with this mop when cleaning your home, including:
Hardwood floor cleaners
Tile floor cleaners
Replacement microfiber pads
Not everyone can afford to spend as much money on steam mops as others can, which is why our list includes some budget models like the SmartSelect from BLACK + DECKER. Unlike other mops that require you use cleaners, this mop will work with just water. That lets you clean without using any chemicals that can leave behind a residue on your floors and other surfaces. Even when you use plain distilled water in this steam mop, it will still kill up to 99.9% of the germs found around your home.
Many customers like the automatic shut off feature that this model has. When you lift the mop into an upright position, it shuts off its production of steam. This feature keeps you from wasting water and power as you clean.
Customers also like the SmartSelect technology that BLACK + DECKER designed. When you adjust the knob on the front of the mop to the type of floor in your home, it will automatically adjust its steam setting for that type of flooring. This takes the guesswork out of cleaning and helps you avoid common problems like the warping that can occur in hardwood floors exposed to too much water.
Tips to Avoid Warping Floorboards
- Use the smallest amount of water as possible when cleaning
- Set up fans in the room to circulate air quickly around the space, which will dry out the wood faster
- Only use liquid cleaners in your steam mop specifically designed for use on hardwood flooring
Top Considerations for Steam Mop Shoppers
After you learn a little bit more about steam mops, you might think that all mops come with the same features and that most of these models are fairly similar. If you read through our in-depth product reviews though, it will quickly become clear that all models are different. Some weigh so little that you’ll have no problem lifting one to fill it in your sink, and others come with a long cord that lets you move effortlessly from room to room. We found and identified all the top features that shoppers like yourself want. You can check out all those features in the following sections.
Pad Type
Though we already explained that steam mops usually feature either a rectangular or a triangular pad, you should also look at the type of pad that comes with the mop. Many of the cheaper models feature a one-time use pad. Once you finish cleaning, you throw the pad away. When you spend a little more, you can get a steam mop that comes with a washable pad. After you finish cleaning, you can toss the pad in your washer and use it in the future. Reusable pads usually use microfiber because this material will attract dust and other types of debris. Manufacturers may use pads made from other materials too.
Swivel Head
One of the top benefits of traditional mops is that you can move that mop head in any direction as you clean. If you ever used one of those products designed to attract dust before, you know that those cleaners don’t always work in the same way. That is why it’s important that you look for steam mops with a swivel head. These models have an attachment on the head that connects it back to the handle. When you move in a different direction, this attachment swivels and pivots in that same direction. A swivel head helps you clean without constantly stopping and moving the mop.
Tank Design
The main problem that people have with old-fashioned mops is the bucket they need to use. Steam mops let you clean without carrying around a bucket of soapy water with you. You should check the tank to find out its total capacity and how you will fill it. Some of the cheaper models require that you use a funnel that you stick into the top of the tank. You’ll then use a cup to slowly transfer water from your sink to the tank. The larger and more expensive steam mops on the market come with a removable tank that you can fill right from your faucet.
Other Factors Worth Considering As You Shop
Length of the power cord
Multiple steam settings
Optional cleaning accessories
Automatic shut off
How Much Do Steam Mops Cost?
The steam cleaners that you can buy for use on your carpets cost quite a bit of money. To get a good machine that will kill germs and odors while removing stains, you’ll need to spend at least $300. If you want to clean tile and other types of floors with steam, you can invest in a steam cleaner that costs much less. You can get a steam cleaner for much less than it would cost to purchase a carpet cleaner or carpet cleaning machine.
- Spending between $100 and $200 will let you bring home a mop that can handle all the cleaning jobs around your home and a machine that will last for years. Some of the higher-end models even come with attachments that you can use on other surfaces like carpet and grout.
- If you want a basic steam mop that you can use in your kitchen and bathroom, you’ll want to spend at least $60 to $75. These models come with fewer features but will still work effectively.
- Cheaper models priced below $50 may work for a few months but will lack the features that you want. These models will likely break down with frequent use.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Most manufacturers recommend using distilled water in their steam mops. Tap water can have certain impurities caused by hard water and mineral deposits. Using tap water can result in the mop leaving behind a residue on your floors.
A: The manufacturers of steam mops typically recommend using their products on sealed hardwood floors. Sealed floors are those that have some type of sealant on top of the wood and in between the planks. This sealant keeps the steam from penetrating the wood and warping your floors.
A: It typically takes around 60 seconds for most steam wands to reach the temperature that you want for cleaning. Some models act much faster and can reach that temperature in between 20 to 30 seconds. Other models may take up to 90 seconds or even two minutes to hit that temperature.
A: A vacuum steam mop is a new type of cleaning tool that combines the power of a steam mop with the design of a vacuum. These tools let you remove larger pieces of debris and dust while steam cleaning your floors.
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