What is the Best Mop for Laminate Floors?

Have you recently installed laminate floors and are worried about cleaning because you know about the dangers of water damage? Laminate floors have many benefits, but water resistance is not one of them. Join us as we search for the best mop for laminate floors to keep your home nice and clean.

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Top 8 Best Mops for Laminate Floors

What You Should Know About Laminate Flooring 

• How It’s Made

Direct-pressure laminate (DPL) construction is an astonishing manufacturing technology that fuses four layers in a single press operation at high heat of over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This takes place at an extremely high temperature. The most common type of fusing technique utilized in the production of residential laminate flooring is called DPL.

When purchasing laminate flooring, the first thing you should do is determine whether or not laminates are suitable for your needs. Laminate floors are more long-lasting and robust than many of the materials they copy, and higher-end designs can be utilized in any room of the house. 

Even so, if a laminate floor is not well maintained (for instance if you allow water to pool between the planks) edge swelling may occur. This may be avoided by keeping the floor dry. In most cases, the warranty will not cover this type of issue. 

Because of concerns about how they react to moisture, many low-cost brands of laminate flooring can’t be installed in kitchens or bathrooms. If you choose a budget brand of laminate flooring to install in a high-traffic location, there is a possibility that the wear layer will become less visible after a few years. The guarantee does not extend to cover this, either.

• Water Damage

You do not want to combine water and laminate flooring. Laminate is very different than tile or ceramic when it comes to water resistance, as it falls in the same category as bamboo or engineered wood flooring. 

The latter group includes the use of laminate flooring. The installation of laminate flooring in areas with high levels of moisture can be a disaster if it is not done correctly. If it is laid according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer, laminate flooring has at least a reasonable chance of withstanding the effects of water.

Delamination is the first thing to fear. The image layer and the wear layer on the top of the board both start to delaminate in a very slow process. Drying laminate takes more than two full days due to the dense fiberboard that it is made of. It may take many weeks for laminate flooring that has been installed to dry completely, if at all.

After the drying process is through, the laminate flooring will never again be the same size as it was when first installed. Taking this into consideration, it is of the utmost importance to keep water as far away from laminate flooring as is humanly possible.

• Professional Laminate Cleaning

Calling in professional help to restore laminate floors is a good idea if they have streaks and have lost their sheen as a result of wear and tear. It may cost approximately $300 to have them assess and clean your flooring, which works out to approximately $1 per square foot. 

This additional cost can seem like a lot, but if it will help extend the life of your floor and save you the costly cost of replacing your floor, then it is money well spent. There are many different types of flooring surfaces, and professional floor cleaning firms are equipped to clean them all. 

Types of Mops for Laminate Floors

First thing’s first: you should know that there are many different types of mops out there, so let’s discuss what you can find on the market and which of them are good for laminate floors.

• String Mops

The mop head of string mops is composed of fabric strings, typically cotton. These mops are extremely absorbent, yet difficult to wring out. Because of the high water content, they are unsuitable for laminate flooring.

• Flat Mops

Flat mops are one of the best options for cleaning laminate flooring. They are designed with a cleaning pad on a flat head. Flat variants are user-friendly and effective for daily mopping. Many come equipped with microfiber cleaning pads, which are an ideal material for cleaning your laminate floors.

• Strip Mops

This category of mops has synthetic fabric strips but is otherwise very similar to string mops. Since they don’t use cotton, the manmade fibers will not absorb water as efficiently, which makes them a better choice for laminate floors. 

• Sponge Mops

The head of a sponge mop is spongy and typically has a honeycomb-like structure. This makes it particularly effective for washing hard flooring. However, because the sponge can soak up a considerable quantity of water, they are not an ideal choice for laminate flooring.

• Spray Mops

The vast majority of spray mops are flat mops that have a spray mechanism attached to the handle of the mop. Spray mops are a time-saving alternative to traditional mops because they include the cleaning solution directly into the mop head, eliminating the need for a separate, awkward bucket. 

Spray mops provide for a more complete cleaning because the cleaning solution can be distributed with a button or lever.

• Electric Mops

Some mops are designed to scrub the floor by themselves. They use a power-plugged electrical cord or batteries to activate the rotary pads that clean the floor with minimal effort on your behalf. They might be good for laminate floors if they will not scrub the surface too much to remove sealant or scratch it. 

• Steam Mops

These mops will generate hot steam, which is then used to dislodge grime and dirt. Because laminate flooring contains a high percentage of water, some manufacturers advise against using steam mops to clean laminate floors.

You might be interested: The Best Steam Mop

What to Look for in a Mop for Laminate Floors 

Wringer Mechanism

The wringer removes any extra water that may be present in the mophead. The wringing mechanism is a key aspect to consider for a laminate floor mop because laminate flooring requires a drier mop.

Wringers with handles often contain a mechanism in the form of a lever or a twist that, when activated, causes the wringer to remove excess water from the mophead. The mop bucket is where you’ll find the wringers for the bucket. Simple bucket wringers require the user to apply pressure to extract water from the mop.

A spin mop is a more effective and convenient solution. Spin mops are a type of string mop that come equipped with a bucket with a mechanism that spins to automatically wring out the mop for the user. Spin mops can dry the mophead very effectively, to the point where they can be used on laminate floors

Wringing mechanisms are not typically included on spray, flat, and other kinds of mops. The mopping pad or the floor itself can be sprayed immediately with a cleaning solution, which eliminates the need to first soak the mop in a pail of water and then wring it dry.

Handle 

Mopping is less uncomfortable when equipped with an ergonomic handle. Mops designed for laminate floors are usually made from wood, steel, plastic, and aluminum. Plastic may feel more comfortable and can be molded into ergonomic forms, but wood and metal are the most durable solutions.

The majority of mops have been designed with ergonomic improvements such as non-slip coating or curved handles. There are even more customization options available with mops that have handles that can be adjusted in height. 

Mop Head

Mop heads are made with a variety of different materials, including sponges, microfiber, or cotton. the material used to make the mop head will determine some of its other features, like its softness or absorbing capacity. 

For laminate flooring, one of the most popular choices is microfiber because it is not only delicate but also inexpensive and easy to come across. Mops made from microfiber are gentle, dry quickly, and are simple to maintain and clean. Laminate flooring can also be installed over other man-made synthetic materials such as chamois.

Although sponge and cotton mop heads are great scrubbers, laminate flooring should not be cleaned with them because they hold too much water. If you want to keep your floors in good shape, you should steer clear of these kinds of mops.

Adjustability

The adaptability and comfort of a mop are both enhanced by having a handle that can be adjusted to different heights. While mopping, there is no need to bend down or struggle with a handle that is difficult to manipulate because adjustable-handle mops can be switched to a variety of different heights.

Some wet mops function as dusters. This characteristic is particularly typical of mops made of microfiber or synthetic materials, both of which are excellent choices for laminate flooring. 

The mop’s handle is adjustable, which makes it suitable for a variety of home tasks such as cleaning the ceiling or the walls. Because the handle may extend, it is possible to clean high-up or otherwise inaccessible areas.

Ease of Use

If you have laminate flooring, the ideal mop should be able to glide across the floor and navigate around obstructions. A mop that has been thoughtfully built should be easy to maneuver and get into tight spaces and under furniture.

Flat mops are often quite thin, allowing them to easily pass under most pieces of furniture. The majority of them come equipped with a swivel head that makes it simple to change course and navigate past obstructions. The low weight of a flat mop is another factor that adds to its user-friendliness.

Round heads are typical for the mops that are used with string, strip, and spin. They might be able to clean into corners because the fibers are so thick. On the other hand, given that they aren’t as thin as flat mops, they may have greater difficulty cleaning behind furniture.

Steam and electric mops are the most cumbersome options because of their size and weight, which can make them more difficult to manage. Bear in mind that even though their increased cleaning power makes them an appealing alternative, steam mops are not the ideal choice for most laminate flooring.

Bottom Line

While there are many different mops to choose from, not all of them are suitable for laminate floors. You don’t want a mop that leaves streaks or imbues the floor with too much water, as we have established that laminate floors and moisture don’t make a good pair. And if you’re looking for a steam cleaner for carpets, we’ve got a great list of options!

Frequently Asked Questions