This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
Until recently, I just used my Swiffer WetJet to clean up spills. Old faithful, that Swiffer. But I always felt like it was doing the most basic surface cleaning, not deep cleaning my floors (is that just me?). When I really thought about it, it brought on an “ick” factor that I haven’t been able to shake since. Especially since we wear shoes in the house!
I started researching steam cloths just to see what was out there and I found a lot on Amazon in a similar price range, but I couldn’t find a great comparison on which one was the best. (You know I love a good product test – check out the nugget ice makers, sharp knives, can openers, and hair towel wraps!) So I wanted to take you along for a little product test while I find out which of these washcloths can handle the heat (and mess and dirt and grime).
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Test
To make my test more “scientific” (I use that term loosely), I decided to wipe up a blue crayon, pink soda, chocolate syrup, and some mud. The test was on our Stuga engineered wood floor in the office, and I went through each substance a maximum of five times (up and back counts as one) to see if that would clear up the mess. I looked at other details, from how hard it was to fill the tanks, to how they behaved, to how loud they were. I even washed the mop heads with OxiClean to see how hard it was to “clean” them again. Spoiler: Let’s just say the differences there were staggering!
Without further ado, here is my review of the best steam mops!
- Reservoir: This was the only steam mop to have both pouring devices and funnel – the opening is so small. You have to lay the mop flat to fill it, which wasn’t ideal. I also felt that the latch did not close properly.
- Clean test: Ok, wow, now I’m impressed. It was a crayon wholly gone in five moves. He had no problem with the soda, and he cleaned both the chocolate and the mud in four strokes.
- Mop Head: Again, wow. I washed the wipe head once and it looked almost like new. They are also attached with velcro, which is my favorite.
- Overall Impressions: I like that the mop head can be rotated ¾ of the way so you can get into tight spaces. Steam was really coming out of this one, and I really felt like it was doing its job. Although filling the tank was a bit of a chore, it was so nice that the mop head got completely clean during the wash. There are attachments that allow this to be transferred to a hand held mortar cleaner and more which is a plus. It’s also one of the cheapest options, and I can’t get over how he got the crayon out. Although not the most aesthetic, this one is the winner for me: 1st place out of 7!
- Tank: An angled opening makes it easy to fill while the mop is standing upright. Gotta love that.
- Test: the crayon was barely visible after five strokes. The chocolate and sodas were taken care of in two and three moves, respectively, but all the bits of dirt in the mud “scattered” and had to be covered up for cleaning.
- Mop head: Uses velcro mop pieces that are easy to remove with one hand. After two washes with OxiClean, there were still stains on the cloth heads, but they were lighter.
- Overall Impressions: This one is a little heavier, but because the mop heads rotate, they kind of move so it doesn’t take as much pressure to move. While you wait a minute for the water to heat up, make sure it is in the “locked and upright” position, otherwise it will start spinning, so you have to hold the handle. It’s fun to use; I feel like my floors are rising really clean. It also has cool little reflectors that light up those dark corners. I would use this with liquids, nothing with particles. I’ll put this 2nd out of 7.
- Reservoir: A small latch opens to fill the reservoir, but the mop must be angled to fill with water or it will spill. That was a little frustrating.
- Test: This one nearly threw out the crayon after five swipes, the soda was done in three, and the chocolate and dirt in just four.
- Mop Head: This has velcro for easy donning and cleaning. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the stains came out easily when washing! The mop head looks practically new.
- Overall Impressions: There is a switch on the front to select the type of floor you are mopping, but it looks cheap and feels like a child’s toy. This is hard to stand up straight. I like that you can control the steam based on the type of floor and it was quite effective. Lots of extras so you can get into the cracks. This was also the quietest we tested. This one was the third of 7.
- Tank: Hmmm…you have to press down on either side and lift to remove the tank, which can be tricky as there is very little grip. Not satisfying and a bit frustrating.
- Pure test: the crayon was slightly visible after five strokes. Mixtures of soda, chocolate and mud were absorbed in four strokes each.
- Mop Head: The shower cap elastic band is quite easy to remove/replace. But what’s not to like? The fact that the head of the cloth still looks almost as stained as before washing.
- Overall impression: This one has the widest surface and steams the floor evenly. I like the three steam levels you can choose from (I tested with the strongest level). It’s quieter than some, but a little nicer to push. I’ll give this one a 4th out of 7 because of the large surface area and mating quality.
- Reservoir: This one is very easy to fill and the lid almost feels like it closes under pressure, which is sure to be more expensive.
- Test: Unfortunately, the crayon is still very visible after five strokes. The soda and chocolate were processed in four strokes, but the dirt was not lifted in five.
- Cleaning the mop head: You have to thread the wiper piece through both sides so the installation is not as easy as the others – it’s really hard to get back. Also, the chocolate and mud didn’t come out in two washes with OxiClean.
- Overall Impressions: It’s nice to have double-sided cleaning so you don’t have to clean the mop head as often, and the squeegee head rotates a good 360 degrees for easy maneuvering. However, it was kind of “sticky” to push – I had to use some muscle – and it was one of the louder ones we tested. I also didn’t like that the wiper head was a bit more awkward to install and still stained after two washes. I’ll have to put this one at number 5 out of 7.
- Reservoir: There is a small opening that makes filling easier, but the steam mop has to be leaned against the wall or fixed in its wall position, which makes it more inconvenient.
- Test: Both are almost completely gone after five moves, just a faint outline. It also felt like it pushed the soda, chocolate syrup, and mud more than it absorbed, so I had to circle the mess more.
- Mop Head: This is a shower cap piece with an elastic band, so it’s pretty easy to install. But she didn’t wash it well so it’s still stained.
- Overall impressions. It’s not the heaviest steam mop, but it feels like it because it’s so heavy. In addition, it puts more strain on the hand and wrist, because you are pressing the steam with the button all the time. There were no clear hooks to wrap the rope around, so it was a mess, and it was one of the loudest we’ve dealt with. I rated this one 6th out of 7.
- Tank: You must remove the tank, unscrew the cap, fill the tank, tighten the cap and replace the tank. I suppose it will make cleaning later (if needed) easier, but I think I prefer filling the tank on the machine itself.
- Clean test: the crayon was still highlighted after five swipes. Soda was solved in three moves, and chocolate in five. The mud didn’t do well with the dirt particles left behind.
- Wiping Head: This has a velcro wiping head, which is the easiest to work with. But unfortunately after two washes, it is still quite dirty.
- Overall Impressions: I couldn’t tell if it was working, even though the light was on. Then I realized that you have to push the lever down to release the steam, but it comes out in quick puffs. I didn’t like how little money actually came out and how much effort it took. This one was in last place for me: 7th out of 7.
The winner is…
Hats off to the PurSteam 10-in-1 steam mop for the most efficient cleaning! I could tell the steam was really powerful on this one, and it really made every mess (at a great price). But don’t shy away from the runner-up, the Shark S7001 Rotating Steam Mop. It’s like a personal Zamboni for your kitchen and so very fun to use. I hope this helps you in your quest for a cleaner home!
