Choosing a mop for the home: the pros and cons of popular options

Maintaining flooring in perfect condition is impossible without the acquisition of high-quality and convenient tools. If a few years ago there were no options except wooden blocks brought down together, today today, before choosing a mop, you have to review dozens of models.

Starting to evaluate existing household appliances for mopping, it is necessary to compare not so much raw materials and prices as their convenience. Each housewife during the cleaning of the house has very specific specific problems, and this is what needs to be guided.

Important little things that you need to pay attention to first

If the process of maintaining cleanliness of the floor is accompanied by inconvenience and negative emotions, then the reason is most likely in the tool used. What is convenient for some housewives may not be suitable for others. Do not blindly believe in fashion trends and buy promising new products, first you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. A pen. It can be solid, foldable, adjustable, hollow or massive. Very tall or miniature women are more likely to fit models with the ability to correct lengths, but their mechanism will loosen over time. Middle-aged girls can do just fine with standard products, which will last much longer.
2. Spin function. For someone, frequent tilting to the bucket during cleaning the house becomes a real punishment, but there are those who consider such options unnecessary.
3. Weight. Here you need to evaluate your own strength and endurance. One is much easier to use heavy units for mopping, which do not need to create additional pressure. Others find it easier to work with lightweight tools that provide quality surface cleaning.
4. Type of nozzle. Here, the role is played not so much by personal preferences, but by the type of coating that is planned to be processed. Today you can find types of mops designed specifically for laminate flooring, tile, linoleum.
5. Profile Especially popular today are multifunctional devices that allow the possibility of replacing the nozzle. This is very convenient for cleaning a house that uses several types of flooring at once.

Having assessed all of the above factors, you can choose the optimal device for mopping. The final decision will help to take the specific features of existing nozzles for mops.

Types of mops for mopping, their technical characteristics

Before going to the hardware store, you must pre-determine the appearance of the mop. Today, manufacturers of floor cleaning tools offer the following product models:

Squeegee

• Wooden. The oldest, affordable and easiest to use option. It is represented by a handle to which a wooden beam is attached. By tradition, it does not have any additional devices.
• Rope The nozzle consists of numerous strands, straight or twisted into bundles. The cotton base of these elements allows you to absorb a lot of water. Comes with a plastic bucket, which is equipped with a special spin system.
• Rubber The nozzle is represented by a rubber roller, which can be solid or equipped with a spinning device.
• Flounder. A flat product, simple in appearance, but a complex structure for mopping.The coating may be cotton or microfiber. Nozzles can be changed, using for processing all surfaces of the house.
• Steam. A fixture that looks more like a vacuum cleaner than a mop. The surfaces are cleaned by supplying hot steam. If desired, you can change the shape and texture of the nozzles.

Steam Mop

Technical specifications alone may not be enough to make a final decision. In this case, you need to be guided by the specific effects of objects on the surface.

Positive and negative sides in the operation of various types of mops

Each mop designed for house cleaning has its own advantages and disadvantages. In order for the former to be used to the fullest, and the latter not cause problems, you need to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the products, choosing a middle ground.

Mop Flounder

The advantages of the rope attachment include the following points:

• It is easily wrung out, without the need to use hands.
• If necessary, the nozzle can be washed in a washing machine, its functionality will not decrease.
• The nozzle can be exchanged for a new one without any problems.
• This appliance is ideal for mopping tiled floors and linoleum.

At the same time, one should not forget about the obvious disadvantages of the product:

• After such cleaning, stains may remain on the surface.
• Due to the abundance of moisture, the appliance is not suitable for cleaning a house with marble, parquet and laminate floors.
• The nozzle needs additional care (washing, cleaning, drying, disinfection).

Tip: Regardless of the type of tool, it is recommended that you immediately purchase replacement nozzles for it. From the acquisition of cheaper monolithic items that do not allow the change of the washing part, it is better to refuse. They will have to be changed too often, which in the end will be economically disadvantageous.

Giving preference to a mop with a rubber roller, it is necessary to consider the following advantages of the device:

• It perfectly collects small debris, even as unyielding as wool and thread.
• It can be used to clean skirting boards.
• Most often, the spin system is built directly into the mop, so the use of additional tools like a bucket is not necessary.

In this case, we must not forget about the disadvantages of the product:

• Before cleaning the house, the sponge will have to be soaked for a long time. The product is not intended for emergency treatment of flooring.
• For the treatment of wood or laminate flooring, use is not recommended.
• The sponge begins to deteriorate very quickly, leaving stains after cleaning.

Laminate Mop

There are much more pluses and flounders than other products:

• The unique design with a swivel mechanism allows you to clean as efficiently as possible. Such tools perfectly clean the coating, even under low furniture.
• It can be used for processing absolutely all types of flooring, as well as for walls and ceilings.
• Nozzles wear out slowly, if necessary are replaced without unnecessary trouble.
• Surface cleaning takes place without traces and streaks.
• If necessary, such a mop can replace the brush and can be used for dry cleaning.

Against this background, the minuses do not seem so critical:

• Not suitable for processing baseboards.
• Pretty expensive model.
• It is not very convenient to wring.

As for the wooden mop, it is easy to use, universal, has a low cost and can be accompanied by rags of any type (depending on the floor covering). At the same time, the product is not very convenient when cleaning under furniture, does not have a convenient spin system and is rather clumsy.

The indisputable advantages of the steam structure is its ability to disinfect and ideally wash the floor without any effort. At the same time, the device is expensive and, contrary to popular belief, is not suitable for furniture processing.