How To Choose The Best Spray Mop: The Ultimate Buyers Guide

When you are buying a mop, there are several factors to consider and many types of mops to choose from. This guide will help you buy the best one for your needs.

We’ll also review 3 of the best spray mops available in the UK market that are easy to use, well priced and provide a good thorough clean.

We’ve picked the Vileda 1-2 Spray Microfibre Flat Spray Mop as the best mop overall. We love its convenient features and the fact that it comes with an extra pack of cleaning fluid and a bonus microfiber pad as well.

For non-wood flooring, the Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Spray Mop is a great choice. The rotating head makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas a breeze.

If you have hardwood floors, you’ll want to get the Bona Professional Spray Mop for Hardwood Floors. It comes with a PH-neutral cleaner formulated specifically for hardwood floors.

Mop Buying Guide

Vacuum cleaners are great when you need to rid of dust, food crumbs and pet hair on the floor. But now and then, a wet mop is necessary to remove stubborn dirt and debris.

There are many different types of mops depending on the material, design and how they work.

The 2 general categories are wet mops that clean the floor using water and there are dust mops that are great for sweeping dust and pet hair off the floor.

Some mops can be used for both functions.

When it comes to materials and design the most common types of mops are:

• String mops. They have a head consisting of absorbent cotton strings.
• Flat mops that have an attached cleaning pad that is disposable or reusable.
• Sponge mops with a spongy head and a wringer. They are great for tiled floors.
• Microfiber mops. They have highly-absorbent heads that last long and are gentle on floors.

In terms of cleaning mechanism, there are the traditional mops that need to be wringed, steam mops for a deep clean and spray mops that spray a cleaner as they move about on the floor.

Our buying guide focuses on spray mops. They are easy and convenient to use without being too expensive.

Factors to Consider When Buying a Mop

1. Material

Microfiber mop heads are considered the best.

They are very absorbent, are non-abrasive and last very long without wearing. They are also great for delicate floors such as wood where you don’t want to leave any scratches.

2. How It Works

You can get a regular mop if you are on a budget. For something easier to use and better at cleaning, I recommend a spray mop or a steam mop.

3. Floor Type

Some mop heads are made specifically for specific floor types. So check whether the mop is ideal for your floor before you buy it.

If you are buying a spray mop that comes with a cleaning liquid, check that cleaner is the right one for your floor type. There are specific ones for hardwood, vinyl, tile and so on.

Best Spray Mop Reviews

1. Best Spray Mop Overall: Vileda 1-2 Spray Microfibre Flat Spray Mop

Pros

• High quality microfiber flat cleaning head.
• Includes extra bottle of cleaning liquid (for a total of 2 bottles).
• Comes with a replacement mop head.
• Removable mopping pad for easy washing.

Cons

• Poor packaging that is tedious to remove.

Overview

Spray mops are so much more convenient than traditional mops that you have to use with a bucket. With a spray mop, there is no need to lug a bucket around or wring the mop.

It simply cleans as it goes, spraying water or cleaner fluid onto the floor for a thorough cleaning.

The Vileda 1-2 Spray mop is specifically designed for vinyl, laminate and tile floors. It’s great for cleaning up messes in the kitchen, cleaning bathroom tiles and quickly cleaning up accumulated dust.

The microfiber mop head is delicate yet tough. It doesn’t struggle to clean off even the most stubborn of dirt and stains but it’s still very gentle on your floor. The material is non-abrasive so you don’t have to worry about scratches and scuff marks.

What It Does Best

This is a complete all-in-one spray mop. You don’t need a bucket, water or anything else to clean.

The package includes two bottles of cleaners for vinyl, laminate and tile floors. Just pour the cleaner through the handle and close it tight with the leak-proof rubber cap.

Then as you clean the floor, you simply press the handle trigger to release a controlled spray. The trigger lets you choose when to release the cleaner and how much you want to spray.

There is no need to wring the mop. The microfiber can absorb a lot of liquid without leaving the floor damp and swirly.

When you finish, remove the mopping pad and throw it in the washing machine.

There is an extra pad included as well as an extra bottle of cleaning fluid.

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

Several customers have complained about the poor packaging. It takes forever to take the mop out of whatever they’ve wrapped it in.

Be careful not to damage the mop when using scissors to open the packaging.

What Other Customers Think

Customer reviews for the Vileda 1-2 Spray are overwhelmingly positive. It is one of the most popular spray mops online.

For most customers the best part about using it is the utter convenience. Mopping doesn’t feel like work anymore. Even their kids want to help with the mopping.

After you manage to open the tedious packaging, the mop is super easy to use. The cleaner lasts a long time especially since there is an extra pack. So it will be sometime before you need to buy a refill.

Should You Buy It?

Definitely. If you are looking for a good quality spray mop that cleans well without any hassles, I highly recommend this one.

2. Best Mop for Tile and Laminate Floors: Bona Stone, Tile & Laminate Spray Mop

Pros

• Rotating head which makes it easier to clean difficult-to-reach areas.
• Lightweight ergonomic mop design.
• Convenient spray mechanism.

Cons

• Refills are a bit pricey.

Overview

This spray mop is designed for tile, stone and laminate floors.

It comes with a cartridge full of cleaning fluid which you attach to the mop and then use the trigger on the handle to spray it as you clean.

It’s very light, weighing around 1.8kg. This combined with the ergonomic handle design makes mopping easier on your arms and back.

The cleaning pad is made from microfiber, which is the best material for cleaning hard floors. It is durable, tough on dirt and non-abrasive.

After you finish mopping, you can remove it and throw it in a washing machine.

What It Does Best

The Bona spray mop uses a rotating head that ensures you reach every area on the floor. It can go under furniture, clean in corners and reach places where a rigid mop cannot.

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

You are going to love this mop…until you have to replace the cartridge.

The replacement cartridge is a bit expensive. It can be especially costly if you mop often or have a big house and have to replace the cartridge often.

Some users have resorted to using their own homemade cleaning fluids though the company cautions that using other cleaners could damage the mop head.

What Other Customers Think

They love it. It currently has a 4.8/5 rating on Amazon. There are no complaints from customers other than the price of the cartridges.

Should You Buy It?

If you are looking for an affordable spray mop for a stone, tile or laminate floor, then this is a solid choice. It is easy to use and customer feedback is very positive.

3. Best Mop for Hardwood and Wooden Floors: Bona Professional Spray Mop for Hardwood Floors

Pros

• Gentle on wooden floors.
• PH-neutral cleaner – good for the environment and to avoid floor damage.
• Rotating head for hard-to-reach corners.

Cons

• Not ideal for stubborn dirt and stains.

Overview

Wood floors tend to require a bit more work when it comes to maintenance. Using the wrong mop can leave your floor with scratches or cause water damage.

When you are looking for a good mop for a wooden floor, the first choice should automatically be a microfiber mop.

It cleans well without damaging the floor. It is also highly absorbent, which means it leaves the floor almost dry.

The Bona hardwood floor mop is one of the best. Like their laminate and tile mop, it uses a spray mechanism connected to a refillable cartridge.

The cartridge empties quite quickly especially if you mop often. I recommend buying the 2.5l Bona wood cleaner refill. It will last for ages.

What It Does Best

Like other Bona spray mops, this one also has a rotating head which is very handy when you are trying to reach corners and other hidden areas. Just rotate the mop and it slides easily into a corner or under the couch.

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

As I mentioned, the microfiber head is very gentle on wood. This is mostly a good thing. The problem arises if you need to clean some stubborn dirt or stains.

This mop will not help you with that. But then again, it’s only meant for everyday cleaning.

What Other Customers Think

They love it. They say it is easy to use, very convenient and cleans the floor really well without leaving swirl marks or streaks.

Should You Buy It?

If you have a wooden floor, this is the best spray mop you can buy. Go for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to clean a spray mop?

It’s no good trying to clean things with a dirty thing, is it? If your mop is filthy then it will just be smearing more filth onto your floors! Luckily, this is fixable by cleaning your spray mop once in a while.

It is really only the mop head that you will want to clean, although you can run clean water through the liquid tank if you notice that it is developing product build up.

Cleaning the mop head is very easy; all you need to do is detach it from the mop handle, and throw it into some warm water with soap in it. Squeeze it out a few times and rinse it with clean water until all the soap bubbles are gone, and voila!

If you don’t fancy doing this then you can also pop it into the washing machine – and some people even swear by putting their mop heads into the dishwasher (without dishes in it, of course!)

2. How does a spray mop work?

A spray mop is basically a really convenient mop. It does the same job as an ordinary mop, but you don’t need to carry around a cleaning bucket, and you don’t have to wring out the mop, or pour dirty cleaning liquid down the sink.

Spray mops have a fluid tank, into which you place your chosen cleaning fluid, and there is a trigger on the mop handle that you can press to release a fine spray of cleaning fluid. Then you just mop your floors as you would when using an ordinary mop!

The mop heads are generally made of a microfiber material, that is easy to keep clean, and means you can get sparkling shiny results every time. Often, the heads are flat and able to rotate, meaning that you can clean into hard to reach areas as well as the standard flat floor surfaces.

3. What to put in a spray mop?

What you use in your spray mop depends on what results you are looking for. You can buy specialist cleaning fluid (in fact most spray mops that you buy will come with a bottle of cleaning fluid ready to go), and often there are specialised types that are designed for your specific mop.

You can, of course, fill your mop with any type of cleaning fluid that you like (unlike in a steam mop, where only water should be used), if you have a favourite brand or fragrance that is your go to cleaning product.

If you want to get away from using chemicals in cleaning your house, as many of us are these days, then you can use an old fashioned mixture of vinegar and water.  Just a little vinegar (2-3 tablespoons) and the rest warm water will give great cleaning results, and it will cost you very little!

If you have a little more time to invest, then fill a large jar with white vinegar and add orange and lemon peels to it until it is completely full. Leave this mixture for a fortnight, then strain out the peels and discard them. This is now a perfect cleaning fluid – which also smells great!