Do Steam Mops Get Floors Cleaner Than Traditional Mops?

We all want our homes to be as clean as possible.  Clean floors not only look good, they prevent floor damage and help get rid of irritants such as dust, dander, and mites.  Mops are certainly the best way to keep your tile and wood floors clean, but do they do the job well enough?  Should you consider investing in one of the new steam mops on the market?  

Steam mops are a great concept in home cleaning. After all, a steam cleaner can do things your vacuum never could.  Try vacuuming out an old pet stain, you won’t get too far.  But the steam mop can tackle the job with no problems.

Does the concept really transfer over to tile and hardwood flooring when it comes to mops however?  According to Consumer Reports, not at all.  While the agency does cite that the mops require less work and less elbow grease, they also point out that a squeeze mop may well do an equal or even superior job to even the best steam mops on a hard floor surface.

This isn’t to count steam mops out entirely, however.  They are certainly much faster than using a traditional mop and are far less messy.  They don’t leave behind puddles of dirt and they can actually remain absorbent so that you aren’t just spreading the mess around like with many of the disposable cloth mops. 

Finding the right option for you can certainly take a bit of consideration, but if you are considering a steam mop solely as a way to get your floor cleaner, you should know that the difference is not worth the price.