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These Powerful Steam Mops Work Wonders — Even On Hardwood Floors
There's nothing worse than watching idly by as everyday grime and dirt sullies your beautiful wood floors. Luckily, the best steam mops for hardwood floors can provide a thorough cleaning using nothing but water and a little electricity to get steam action going. But, given the expense of installing and maintaining hardwood floors, it's important you know which steam mops will treat your wood floors with the respect they deserve.
For background, the best steam mops generally come with at least two to three temperature settings that are used to deliver various amounts of steam to clean and disinfect your floors. And while there are plenty of steam mops that work well on hardwood floors, unless you're dealing with caked-on debris, you should use the lowest setting possible to ensure your floors don't get too wet (think of water as an enemy of your hardwood floors).
It's also important to make sure your hardwood floors are sealed — even floors that look sealed may have little crevices that can trap moisture and warp your wood — a big no no.
To save you some legwork, I've done the research and can say that these are the five best steam mops for hardwood floors. This list includes mops with features like a gentle scrubber brush for stains, a triangular mop head for hard-to-reach corners, and even attachments that make them multi-functional. Your hardwood floors will look and be cleaner than ever before.
1The Best Steam Mop For Most People
With a built-in scrubber brush that you simply flip down to get off caked-on messes, this budget-friendly steam mop is the best steam mop for hardwood floors for most people. It comes with two types of soft pads that perform different functions: one is for everyday cleaning and light messes; the other is slightly more abrasive and used to get rid of stains. It has three steam temperatures: light, medium, and heavy, so that you can customize the level of steam depending on your needs that day and an optional odor-fighting disc. Plus, its removable tank means less mess because you can take it out and fill it over your sink to prevent spills.
One thing to note? Be careful when using this mop on its highest setting. It creates a lot of moisture that can damage wood floors if they aren’t properly sealed.
2The Upgrade Pick
For the best upgrade, this steam mop with attachments will clean your floors, and can be used on the most surfaces. It comes with 13 tools and attachments that can be used to clean pet spaces that accumulate debris, so it goes beyond just cleaning hardwood. With that said, it’s still a top choice for hardwood floors, as well (and since your pooch or kitty probably doesn’t stay off your hardwood, this is a blessing). Like the other Bissell on this list, this mop features a flip-down scrubber, which comes in handy for all stains, and has odor-eliminating scent disks to neutralize pet smells.
This is a more versatile mop than most: A LiftOFF Pod can be removed from the steamer to perform “above the floor steaming” functions like cleaning grout and tile, windows, and more, which helps justify the added cost.
3A Great Multi-Purpose Mop
This steam mop serves five functions: it can steam hardwood and tile floors, clean carpets, be used as a handheld steamer for grout/tiles, steam wrinkled garments, and clean windows, mirrors, and glass. It has three temperature settings and you'll find yourself breaking it out time and time again to clean a variety of surfaces. The one downside is that you can use this steamer for about 20 to 25 minutes on its lowest setting, but for only about 10 minutes on its highest setting before you'll need to refill the tank. That being said, reviewers don't seem to mind: Over 750 five-star reviews say this mop is a "nifty floor steamer, does a great job on our hardwood, tile and slate floors."
4A Great Mop For Large Spaces
Because this powerful steam mop can run for a full 40 minutes (compared to 20 to 25 minutes like the other models) before needing to be refilled, it could be worth the investment if you need to mop a large space. Similar to the other mops, it features adjustable steam settings and has pads that are reusable and washable. This is also a two-in-one mop that is amazing at cleaning hardwood floors but can also be used for above-the-floor cleaning: windows, grout, and even mattresses. Overall, this mop is a popular choice that will deliver a long-lasting cleaning experience before you have to refill the tank.
5A Unique Mop For Hard-To-Reach Corners
This affordable, lightweight steam mop is pretty bare bones, but it does have one standout feature that some people may find pretty attractive: the triangular head. The unique head allows it to get into corners to wipe away dirt, dust, and grime. Not to mention, its cushioned microfiber pads are also made with rag fibers, so it's safe on expensive hardwood floors as well as other types of flooring. Simply plug the mop in, wait 20 seconds for it to heat up, and it's ready to use. This steam mop even comes with a filling cup that allows you to measure out water ahead of time and avoid spills. Best of all, its triangular mop head even works on carpet: A snap-on glider can be used to give carpets a quick freshening up.
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