The best floor cleaners keep hardwood, tile, and other surfaces spotless and sanitized, free of bread crumbs and grime for a better appreciation of cleanliness and order. Our evaluation criteria focused on ease of use, construction, steaming power, floor compatibility, and ability to clean.
After more than 15 hours of research and testing, our top pick goes to the O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop. It delivers a refreshing clean using microfiber strands, an easy to use foot pedal, and an agile mop head that can cut into the tightest corners. Continue reading to learn more about our picks, but also check out our guide to the best vacuum cleaner, if you want to maximize your cleaning.
Top 7 Best Floor Cleaners Compared
#1 O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop
Award: Top Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: This microfiber spin mop is a cleaning dynamo, featuring a bucket with built-in wringer and a Splash Guard. It is a great choice if you hate wringing and rinsing dirty mops by hand.
- Best quality
- Quick wringing with foot pedal
- Spongy microfiber
- Small bucket
- Not good on laminate floors
- Flimsy handle
Thanks to its foot pedal, the mop head rotates and rinses off quickly. A splash guard also prevents cleaning formula and dirty water from splashing out. It is incredibly convenient if you live in a small apartment or have limited strength to wring mops by hand.
This microfiber mop works well on all types of wood floors, including hardwood, cherry wood, and tile. Just like some of the best vacuums for tile floors work similarly. A triangular-shaped mop head and an adjustable-length, telescopic handle also does a fantastic job cutting into tight corners. It can even rotate 360 degrees to reach under couches and tables. While this product is great for non-carpeted areas, you still need something to keep your carpets clean. The best carpet cleaner detergent is pretty handy for that job, as long as it’s paired with the best dog vacuum brush.
#2 BISSELL PowerFresh Steam Mop
Award: Honorable Mention
WHY WE LIKE IT: This steam mop lifts dirt and grime off hard floors with a flip-down scrubber and swivel steering. Unlike our #1 pick, this steam mop disinfects, making it an excellent choice for hospitals, large households, and other major breeding grounds for bacteria.
- Sanitizes without chemicals
- Scent fragrance discs
- No chemical smell
- Short cord length
- High steam setting may create puddles
- Small water tank for large rooms
Our favorite feature is its 3-level steam output, with the choice of low, medium, or high. Low to medium steam can be used for light dirt and smudges while high steam can be used for heavier jobs. It works equally well on all types of floors, including marble, tile, granite, hardwood, and laminate floor.
Another plus is its scented fragrance discs which freshen up the air as well. Simply insert them into the mop pad for an instant burst of freshness. There are several scent “flavors” to choose from, including our favorite “Spring Breeze.” Only two of the picks on our list use fragrance discs. Using the best mop is another great way to keep your floor clean and shiny.
#3 Swiffer Sweeper Cleaner
Award: Best Budget
WHY WE LIKE IT: This dry and wet mop starter kit helps break dirt off of your floors using easy to use disposable wet pads. It is an excellent choice if you are into frequent, lighter ‘touch ups’.
- Nothing to wash & easy to store
- Excellent for quick jobs
- Little maintenance required
- Non-reusable pads
- Storage container lid not leakproof
- Does not pick up heavy debris
This cleaner is easy to set up, taking no more than 1 minute to assemble. A push-button spray dispenser allows you to squirt formula while sweeping. Pad fibers act like a magnet, clinging onto dust and grime clinging until it is time to replace it.
Thanks to its 360-degree swivel head, squeezing under tight spaces is easy, making it great for those with limited mobility. The mop only weighs 1.5 pounds so it is very easy to maneuver. Plus, its thin profile allows for easy storage in small closets and pantries. It is a great way to quickly clean your kitchen floor when in a hurry, and also similar to the Black Diamond Wood & Laminate Floor Cleaner.
#4 BISSELL Spinwave Powered Hardwood Floor Mop
Award: Best Floor Cleaner for Tile
WHY WE LIKE IT: This hardwood floor mop cuts through dirty floors by using washable rotating floor pads with an on-demand spray.
- Power spin mechanism get a deep clean
- Reusable pads
- Safe for hardwood
- Learning curve to avoid swirl marks
- Mop pads can shrink in the wash
Like the Swiffer Sweeper, this hard floor mop uses a spray dispenser to coat your floors before passing through. One bonus over our #3 pick is that its microfiber pads are dishwasher-safe and reusable, which helps with cleaning costs and reducing waste. We really liked how well it cleans floors, which is why it’s one of the best hardwood floor cleaner. There’s no need for the best stain remover here.
This mop’s multi-surface formula works on all types of surfaces, including wood floors and sealed hard floors. In our testing, there was a slight learning curve in mopping the floor without creating superficial swirl marks. However, they should disappear after several uses, and once you’ve had enough practice. Two scrubby and two soft mop pads are included. Go ahead and add this ready to use, bona hardwood floor cleaner to your floor cleaning gadgets. These are great because you won’t have to get on your hands and knees with the best cleaning cloths.
#5 Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner
Award: Best Carpet Cleaner
WHY WE LIKE IT: This automatic carpet cleaner does wonders in clearing up your carpet, featuring Automatic Cleaning technology that pushes the vacuum forward to clean and pulls back the vacuum to dry.
- Deep cleans carpets
- Automatic cleaning technology
- Wets and dries
- Slight high cost
- Dirty water tank only 1-gallon capacity
- Weighs close to 20 pounds
This carpet cleaner uses helically-formed bristles that pound away on all types of carpet. A SpinScrub accessory also helps attack larger stains with a more concentrated scrub. During our testing, we regularly saw carrot and avocado stains being removed like a champ, doing as good of a job as the best all-purpose cleaner.
Our favorite feature of this carpet cleaner is its ease of use, with its Automatic Cleaning technology. It auto mixes cleaning products and auto-dispenses the top carpet cleaning solution formed for optimal carpet washing. A removable nozzle also makes it easy to clean brushes. Portability is reliable, not great, weighing close to 20 pounds with an easy-to-grip handle and rubber wheels gliding the vacuum across the carpet.
#6 Bissell Steam Mop
Award: Best Smelling
WHY WE LIKE IT: This steam mop offers solid performance across the board, featuring, low and high steam control settings and a fragrance add-on. It is an excellent choice for heavily trafficked areas, hospital rooms, and similar areas that could use a sanitizing.
- Uses steam to sanitize + fresh odor
- Slim profile design
- Fragrance included
- Some users report poor customer service
- May leave streaks if not used properly
- Durability issues
This floor cleaner uses high and low steam modes to sanitize all types of floors. Like the Swiffer Sweeper, it uses swivel steering to hit tight spots under counters or couches. Our favorite feature is its accessories kit, which includes fragrance discs, one washable soft mop pad, and one scrubby mop pad for light or tough jobs. There’s no need to use the best power scrubber here as it does a fine job.
One neat feature over the #4 Bissell Spinwave is its weight, only 6.2 pounds – enough to make it feel like a feather. Its leak-free operation beats the Swiffer Sweeper, with an extra-wide reservoir opening and a well-designed water tank lid to keep water from spilling. Lesser quality steam mops can get messy and create puddles if not used and stored properly.
#7 LINKYO Microfiber Hardwood Floor Mop
Award: Best Floor Cleaner for Laminate
WHY WE LIKE IT: This budget hardwood mop offers necessary clean-up at a basic price, using an aluminum mop frame with an adjustable handle. It is a solid choice for the budget-conscious person looking to save on formula with reusable microfiber pads.
- Extends up to 70″
- Machine washable microfiber pads
- Easy maneuvering
- Durability issues
- Steep learning curve to attach clothes
- Flimsy plastic clamps
Unlike the Swiffer Sweeper which uses disposable wet and dry pads, this hardwood floor mop uses reusable microfiber pads for cost savings. It comes with 2 reversible microfiber cloths and one microfiber mop pad. During testing, they felt great to the touch, slickly absorbing dust for a clean we loved. This is like having the best duster built-in.
A 360-degree rotating metal mop frame makes it easy to maneuver, with the handle dropping parallel to the mop pad to clean under couches and other hard-to-reach areas. Its adjustable handle also extends up to 70 inches. This is perfect for touching up ceilings and higher cabinets. But, is it better than the leading cordless vacuums for hardwood floors?
How We Decided
In determining the best floor cleaner to buy, we looked into size, weight, swivel/height adjustability, ease of use, cleaning power, pressure, and noise levels. Adjustable height handles, like the one found with the EasyWring and the Linkyo, extend to make it comfortable for short and tall users to operate. Mop pads should work with a swivel to sneak into tight spaces and fold parallel to the ground to reach under couches and other hard to reach areas. This is especially useful for the elderly and those with limited mobility.
Cleaning power is very important. Steam mops like the three-setting Bissell Powerfresh work to scrub and sanitize, making it a refreshing choice for hospital rooms, a sick child’s play den, or other high germ areas. Note, sanitizing power is often exchanged for convenience, with the Swiffer Sweeper and the Linkyo microfiber mop better suited for smaller apartments and lesser trafficked rooms.
Best Floor Cleaner Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Ease of Use
360-degree swivels, adjustable handles, and flat-lying mop pads help cut through hard to reach corners and accommodates users of different heights. Some, like the Swiffer Sweeper, also carry built-in dispensers, which prevents users from having to continually pour and refill buckets or containers. In general, larger units provide a deeper clean at the expense of portability and convenience, so it is important to keep that in mind. - Steaming Power
For a deep and sanitizing clean, consider steam cleaners. Steam cleaners do a better job of penetrating dirt and loosening grime than formula-based mops and reduce up to 99% of all bacteria, making it an excellent choice for highly trafficked areas. - Scrubbing Pad
We like microfiber pads and mops, which do an excellent job of trapping dirt, absorbing spills, and removing germs and bacteria. It also attracts dust really well and keeps swirl and streak-marks at bay. - Auto Dispensing Cleaner
Auto dispensing cleaners, like the one found on the Sweeper Swiffer, are very convenient, as it encourages dispensing formula and passing the spray mop in one pass. This helps with efficiency, as you do not have to continually pour formula using a spray bottle on to floors.
