How to Buy the Best Mop for Laminate Floors: A Detailed Buying Guide

Laminate floors are tougher than your average laminate floors. Nevertheless, they must still be maintained correctly if they are to last for a long time. To that end, one of the tools that you will need to have in the house is a good mop for laminate floors.

In this detailed buying guide, we’ll show you how to pick the Best Mop For Laminate Floors - How To Never Pick The Wrong Mop Again

Different Types of Mops for Laminate Floors

On the market are dozens of different kinds of mops that you can buy. However, here are the most popular and the ones that we recommend you should get for your laminate floors.

Flat Mops

The classic, humble flat mop is great for laminating floors because it doesn’t use much water. Despite having a tough protective coating at the top, laminate floor planks are still very susceptible to moisture.

Its design is also a particular advantage. The slender shape of the mop means you can squeeze it into tight spaces and corners. Some mops have removable and reusable cleaning heads, too. After it has gotten dirty, you can take it off, throw it into the washer, hang it to dry, and then reuse it again the next day.

One problem this mop can have is that since its cleaning head is small, cleaning large spaces can take longer.

Sponge Mops

Sponge mops are the best type for cleaning spills on the floor. Like we said earlier, laminate floors are susceptible to moisture. A water stain can develop if you spill liquid on the floor and don’t deal with it quickly. Armed with a super-absorbent sponge cleaning head, a sponge mop can clean up the mess in seconds.

There are two issues with sponge mops, though. Firstly, the sponge cleaning head doesn’t glide smoothly across the floor like a flat mop with a microfiber cleaning head. Secondly, a sponge mop can be very heavy when it's laden with water.

Spray Mop

A spray mop comes with an integrated water tank. You can fill it with soapy water, and while scrubbing the floor, you can spray it with a trigger on the mop. Since the water tank is built directly into the mop, you don’t have to carry a heavy water bucket around as you work.

It’s a little bit heavier than standard laminate floor mops and may not hold as much soapy water as a full-fledged bucket. Nonetheless, these are small sacrifices considering how convenient it is to use compared to the traditional mop-and-bucket combo.

Spin Mop

A spin mop usually comes as a set, which includes a mop and a water bucket. The bucket is the special part. Inside is a mechanism that can spin the mop at high speed, wringing it dry without requiring you to laboriously knead the cleaning head. The mechanism is actuated by a foot pedal, so it takes very little energy.

Microfiber Mop

A microfiber mop has a cleaning head made from soft, non-abrasive microfiber. It has become extremely popular in the industry recently due to its versatility. You can use it to clean any sensitive floor, from laminate to hardwood.

The microfiber mopping pads used by this type of mop are usually washable, too. You can wash and reuse it hundreds of times before you have to replace the mopping pads.

Steam Mops

Steam mops have a built-in heater that can convert water into steam. The mop then shoots this steam through a nozzle on its cleaning head onto the floor to dislodge stubborn gunks and kill germs. It’s the best tool to deep-clean and sanitize the floor.

Do note that the use of steam mops is quite controversial when it comes to laminate floors. The lamination at the top of the floor planks could be damaged by a steam mop if the steam flow is too hot. But there are techniques that you can use to minimize damage if you want to steam mop your laminate wood floors.

For example, use a steam mop at the lowest steam setting available and move quickly to avoid burning a hole into the floor.

Things to Consider Before Buying a New Mop

Once you have decided on the type of mop you’re going to buy, there are a few more things that you have to sort out. How heavy do you want your mop to be? Does it come with a bucket, or do you want it to be self-contained? How expensive?

Here are things that you need to take into consideration before getting a new mop.

Weight

A good mop must have a perfect weight and not be too heavy. It’s especially important for people with a bad back, wrist, or the elderly. Choose the lightest mop that’s available to you.

Bucket or Not?

If you decide to buy a traditional mop, like a spin mop or a flat mop, it will most likely be shipped with a water bucket. A bucket can hold a lot of water and detergent. However, it’s heavy and awkward to lug around the house.

If you want to avoid that situation, then a bucketless mop like a spray mop will be a better choice.

Mopping Head Material

Laminate floors are sensitive. That means the material your mop’s cleaning head is made of is essential. You don’t want it to be made out of excessively abrasive materials. Instead, what you want to look for is something gentle and smooth, like microfiber.

Microfiber mopping pads are usually washable and reusable. So, you will save a lot of money in the long run, as well. Most microfiber mopping pads can be reused hundreds of times before they’re worn down enough to warrant a replacement.

Alternatively, you can use chenille scrubby pads. They can help you deal with stubborn stains and debris on laminate floors with a slightly rougher texture. However, they should still be gentle enough not to scratch your floor’s surface.

Extra Features

Consider the extra features or accessories that the mop you intend to buy will have. Many brands bundle the mop up with an extra bucket, or extra cleaning heads and mopping pads. These extras can separate a decent mop from the best mop for laminate floors .

Conclusion

We hope this buying guide has helped you with deciding on what kind of mop to buy for your laminate floors!

Next, have you ever wondered how to seal laminate flooring ? This guide: https://thekinglive.com/how-to-seal-laminate-flooring.html can show you exactly how to do so.