The Best Steam Mops for Sparkling Floors in No Time

Adria Greenhauff
·7 min read

Courtesy of Amazon

With many of us spending more time than ever at home, you might be finding yourself cleaning constantly—especially your floors.

Keeping floors clean can feel like a never-ending process. Between the constant traffic of kids, pets, and the occasional visitors, it might seem like no matter how hard you try, a slew of dirt, grime, and debris find its way onto your once-sparkling floors.

Thankfully, cleaning your floors doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Enter: the steam mop. Unlike traditional mops, steam mops function by heating up water poured into an internal reservoir. Once the water reaches about 250°F (the exact temperature depends on the make and model of your steam mop), it creates a pressured steam that quickly removes dust, dirt, and bacteria from floors.

And because steam mops work without the use of harsh cleaning chemicals, they’re a great option for homes with pets, small children, and for anyone with allergies or who is sensitive to fragrances. Whether you’re looking to clean tile, hardwood, or laminate, we’ve rounded up the eight best steam mops to tackle messes on every type of flooring material.

Best Overall: Shark Genius Pocket Mop System

Shark has a solid reputation when it comes to delivering effective and affordable home cleaning tools. So it comes as no surprise that thousands of Amazon customers consider this one of the best steam mops on the market. The Shark Genius distributes steam through pockets that allow for an extra-wide cleaning zone. For tougher messes, the brand’s patented Steam Blaster nozzle delivers a strong, targeted burst of steam to loosen up stuck-on stains and stubborn debris from grout and corners. There’s also a convenient function that lets you to easily attach and remove a dirt-grip pad without ever using your hands.

Buy It: Shark Genius Pocket Mop System, $120, Amazon

Best for Pets: Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steam Mop

Easily clean up your pet’s messes with Bissell’s steam mop that was specially designed with your fur baby in mind. This 2-in-1 option works as a traditional steam mop, delivering 1500 watts of power to remove germs and bacteria tracked in by your pets, as well as a detachable handheld steam cleaner. The handheld function makes it easy to refresh pet beds and upholstery, sanitize toys and carriers, remove stuck-on pet food from tile and grout, and squeegee away drool and paw prints from windows and sliding glass doors. One happy customer said, “We have two little boys and a big dog. I use it every day for a quick clean up. It's so easy and I love that it also sanitizes the floor!”

Buy It: Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steam Mop, $129 (originally $150), Amazon

Best Budget-Friendly: Light ‘N Easy Steam Mop

Priced at just $60, this simple and compact steam mop simultaneously sweeps and steams a wide range of surfaces, including tile, hardwood, and carpet, in minutes. Weighing in at just 3.5 pounds, its lightweight design doesn’t affect its powerful cleaning capabilities (and there’s nothing more discouraging than a big, bulky mop or vacuum). This little tool delivers a solid 1150 watts of power and has a 20-foot-long cord that allows you to reach most areas around your home with ease. With more than 1,700 perfect five-star reviews, this easy-to-use cleaning tool comes highly recommended by Amazon customers. Many shoppers specifically called out the convenience of the manual pump, which allows you to control the release of steam. Use more steam to remove stubborn stains or less to protect floors with delicate finishes.

Buy It: Light ‘N Easy Steam Mop, $60, Amazon

Best for Hardwood Floors: O-Cedar Microfiber Steam Mop

Anyone with hardwood floors will tell you that keeping this delicate surface both clean and beautiful is no easy feat. This O-Cedar microfiber steam mop makes it possible to give hardwood floors a deep clean without leaving behind a streaky or sticky chemical residue. The microfiber cleaning pad picks up dust and dirt without scratching floors. Plus, the steam mop’s lightweight design (it's just 5 pounds!) lets you maneuver with ease. One reviewer wrote, “We have unsealed wood floors that collect too much dirt no matter how often I mop. This steam mop has made cleaning the floors easier.”

Buy It: O-Cedar Microfiber Steam Mop, $70, Amazon

Most Versatile: PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner

With this highly-rated option by PurSteam, you’ll be able to tackle much more than just your floors. The handy 10-in-1 steam mop helps you clean your home quickly and easily thanks to a slew of convenient features. At the top of the list is its speed-heating system that creates steam in just 30 seconds, so you can use it to kill up to 99% of germs and bacteria from your floors and surfaces without the use of chemicals. It also comes with a collection of easy-to-use attachments, including a surface scrubber for heavy-duty messes, upholstery and grout brushes, a window cleaner, and a garment steamer to help you remove wrinkles from clothes. And since it has a whopping 7,000 positive reviews on Amazon, you can trust that you’re making a sound purchase. One customer called it a “miracle worker” while another said, “This thing is a lifesaver!”

Buy It: PurSteam 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner, $90, Amazon

Top-Rated: Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop

With more than 14,000 customer reviews on Amazon, this inexpensive steam mop is the best top-rated option, providing everything you need to keep floors squeaky clean. Ready to use in just 30 seconds, the lightweight model (just under 7 pounds) includes high, medium, and low steam settings to tackle a wide range of cleaning needs, including sanitizing sticky messes in high-traffic areas and cleaning bathroom tiles. A microfiber scrubber pad helps reach deep down into grout and crevices, while an optional spring fragrance disk leaves behind a fresh scent as you mop. An ergonomic swivel steering handle and a 23-foot power cord makes mopping even easier.

Buy It: Bissell PowerFresh Steam Mop, $87, Amazon

Best Heavy-Duty Option: Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner

If you’re looking for a more heavy-duty alternative to your average home steam mop, consider this option by Dupray. This do-it-all device delivers 275 degrees of steam that’s comparable to commercial-grade cleaning units. It easily removes dirt and grease while killing up to 99.9% of viruses, mold, and other pathogens. The easy-to-maneuver hose is especially great for deep-cleaning car upholstery, kitchen appliances, and bathrooms. More than 1,800 shoppers left glowing reviews for this powerful steam mop, with many raving over how well it works. One said it offers “professional quality at a reasonable price” while another said it “makes cleaning quick and easy.”

Buy It: Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner, $190, Amazon

Best for Corners: Reliable Steamboy Pro 3-in-1 Steam and Scrub Mop

With its unique triangle-shaped, 180-degree swivel head, this option by Steamboy provides everything you need to tackle every nook, cranny, and awkwardly laid-out room in your home. Its 1500-watt power function instantly heats water to give you up to 25 minutes of continuous steam cleaning. Plus, its washable microfiber pad works well on a variety of flooring, including tile, laminate, and concrete. One reviewer wrote, “I could not keep my home healthy and clean without this steamer.”

Buy It: Reliable Steamboy Pro 3-in-1 Steam and Scrub Mop, $119, Amazon