What are the best steam mops? The fact is that floors can get dirty very quickly indeed, especially in high foot traffic areas. In winter, especially, all of that mud gets tracked in and spread around. Not only that, but floor surfaces can build up all sorts of germs and other pathogens. So, what’s the best quality steam mop for cleaning those grimy floors?
What Is a Steam Mop?
Many people use a regular old mop and a bucket full of water and disinfectant to clean their floors, but all of those harsh chemicals can be harmful to the finish of the floor. In fact, it is not recommended to use water and chemicals like this on hardwood floors.
A steam mop does away with all of those harsh and smelly chemicals. Instead, a small reservoir on the steam mop is filled with water. This is then heated and moved through a microfiber cloth or pad at the bottom of the mop. This very hot and steamy water hits the floor and kills germs and bugs and helps to lift off dirt and grime.
The Benefits of Using a Steam Mop
Before you go out and invest in a steam mop, you need to know why you should care about using one in your home. Here are some of the benefits of which you may not have been aware:
No Chemicals
It’s an obvious one, but you don’t need to use chemicals, such as bleach, with a steam mop. This is because the hot jets of steamy water do all the work when it comes to cleaning the floor and killing pathogens.
You won’t have to deal with harsh smells and the hazards of cleaning agents when you use a steam mop. It’s safer for you and safer for your pets. Furthermore, some people are very sensitive to cleaning chemicals, and a good steam mop will save their health.
As an added bonus, not using any of those chemicals means that you are being eco-friendly. That means no chemicals and dirty water to throw out into the environment. In this day and age, that’s a big issue.
Kill Germs Quickly
When you use a regular old mop and bucket, at some point, you’re just going to be sloshing dirty water onto the floor. That just creates more grime and mess to clean up. It can also mean that those germs and other nasties stick around on the floor surface.
Because the jet of water in a steam mop is heated up to boiling point, it will kill most germs on the floor. It will even kill dust mites and other little critters. The regular mop and bucket with disinfectant is less likely to do that.
Get Rid of Mold
Mold spores are all around us, but they don’t germinate until conditions are right. Unfortunately, many homes have black mold growing in them, and this can cause serious health problems for those who are sensitive to them.
Many people use bleach to get rid of mold, but the truth is that this doesn’t work. The bleach doesn’t actually kill the mold at all. It simply bleaches it white so it’s harder to see.
A steam mop filled with hot water will kill off the mold. The best way to do this is to ensure that the whole area is mopped and steamed and then scrub it off. The hot water will have loosened it at this point so it should be easier to eliminate.
The Best Steam Mops
If you want to buy yourself a steam mop, there are a number of things you should look for, including the following:
- A removable water reservoir
- Fast heating
- A dial to control the amount of steam
- An indicator light to tell you when the water is hot enough and when the reservoir is empty
- The capacity to use a continuous steam delivery setting so you don’t have to pump a button all the time
Some steam mops have all of these features and some only have a few. Ideally, you should look for a model that has as many of these features as possible. This will make your life a lot easier.
Here are some of the best steam mops available on the market right now:
Bissell 1940 Powerfresh – One of the best steam mops
The Powerfresh only takes around 30 seconds to heat up the water so it is ready to be used. That’s much faster than inferior models and will save you loads of time.
In use, the Powerfresh was able to get rid of lots of grime, mud, and dirt quite quickly. In fact, it was one of the best of the bunch in testing, and we found that it produced consistently clean and shiny floors very fast.
It’s not the lightest steam mop, but it does feature a 23-foot cord. This is longer than most, and will serve you well when mopping around a medium-sized home.
It’s also nice and quiet during actual use, although there is some kind of noise when the water is heating up. A full reservoir will also last about 20 minutes during regular use, which is very respectable.
Bissell 1940 PowerFresh
Shark Steam Pocket Mop Pro S3601D
Like the Powerfresh, the Shark Pocket Pro performs very well indeed on very dirty and muddy floors. It gets through this grime about as quick as the Bissell model and leaves a nice clean floor surface. In addition, the water only takes around 30 seconds to heat up for use.
The biggest advantage it has over the Bissell model is that it’s nearly half the weight. It may make slightly more noise during actual use, but the fact that it’s so much lighter means that it will suit daily use and not strain the user’s muscles.
Final Verdict
A good steam mop will save you time, be friendlier to the environment and your health, and do more to get rid of germs and mud than a regular mop and bucket. All three steam mops – the Bissell, the Shark, and the Symphony – are well worth a look.