Preparation
A good mop can be a game-changer for your homekeeping routine. “A well-designed mop can make your cleaning experience go more smoothly by providing easier access to hard-to-reach spots and surfaces—reducing both frustration and back pain,” says Donna Dougherty, founder of Go Green Cleaning Experts. “Furthermore, a good mop will leave your floors cleaner.” However, with all the mops available on the market, separating the best from the so-so can be tricky. “While there are many choices with lots of bells and whistles, there are some things that all mops should be able to do,” says Michael Silva-Nash, executive vice president of Molly Maid of Greater Little Rock, a Neighborly brand. “They should absorb well—so you aren’t just moving around the same dirt and mess from place to place—they should be machine washable, have a comfortable grip, be height adjustable, and ideally, offer a scrubbing action and require little (to no) wringing.”
In addition to being efficient and easy-to-use, Rosa Nogales-Hernandez, head of home cleaning at Valet Living, says the best mops are ones that can be used for a variety of home cleaning tasks. “Beyond just cleaning floors, mops can be used to clean windows (so you can avoid using ladders), scrub shower walls, and clean baseboards,” she explains. “Certain types of mops, such as microfiber mops with rotating heads, are helpful in cleaning under the couch, bed and other furniture that is too heavy to move.” Interested in learning which specific mops professional cleaners deem the best to use at home and at work? From super sturdy styles with telescoping handles to electric ones that you can control from an app on your smartphone, cleaning experts share their favorite mops ahead.
