These Steam Mops Will Leave Your Floors Sparkling

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Get those floors squeaky-clean faster with the help of these steamy gadgets.
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The best steam mop for you depends on a lot of different factors. How big is your space? How often do you clean your floors? Do you want a machine that vacuums, that self-cleans, or that simply swipes things down? I've spent three months testing three different machines, like my top pick—the Shark 3-in-1 Steam Pickup for $130. More testing is ongoing, but you'll find my favorites (so far!) below. I'll never go back to my spin mop again.
Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including the Best Robot Vacuums, the Best Cordless Vacuums, and the Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies. The Shark Steam Pickup 3-in-1 Hard Floor Cleaner (SD201) is a great, well-rounded steam mop. It has built-in suction and a brush roll that efficiently picks up lint, crumbs, and other debris from the floor. I like that I didn't need to pre-sweep or bust out my vacuum cleaner. The steam output is satisfactory—particularly heavy-duty stuck-on messes might need a few seconds' worth of steam, but the mop usually cleaned my tile floors with a simple pass or two—and the machine is quiet while it works. I also like the long cord and the built-in light on the mop head. The edge support could be better—it struggles around tight spaces and baseboards—but overall, it's a very handy machine to have around. It includes a stand with a space for the brush roll to dry, and the machine is easy to clean too. Just dump out the water, dump out the dry debris compartment, rinse out the pieces, squeeze out the brush roll, and let everything dry. This leaves floors a bit damper than the Tineco recommended below, but they still dry efficiently with few, if any, streaks. It can be a little tricky to find this in stock, but I think it's well worth it if you're in the market and you don't need a ton of extra-fancy features. Cord Length 25 feet Water Tank Capacity 0.42 liters Included Accessories Brush roll and stand Replacement Schedule Replace brush roll every 6 months Weight 7 pounds Warranty Length 1 year Honey Test Results 40 seconds, 6 or 7 passes
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
This all-in-one cleaner from Tineco has lots of bells and whistles. It's easy to set up and easy to use, though I had to read the instructions a few times to make sure I understood all the different modes and options. Press the power button and it'll start up in Auto mode, which detects how dirty the floor is and automatically adjusts steam output as needed. Use Steam Mode to deep clean, and Boost mode for stubborn spots and stains. Using the companion smartphone app, which requires 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, you can also put your mop into suction-only mode for dry vacuuming—which is handy when you accidentally spill half a bag full of coffee grounds on the floor. The companion app can also let you know the status of your mop's charge, and help walk you through any errors. It'll also track how often you clean, if you want that feature for some reason.
The mop has two water tanks—one for dirty water, one for clean—and you can fill it up with water or Tineco's cleaning solution. (I haven't tried this solution, but the manufacturer recommends that you use its product and not one from a different company.) It left my floors drier than any other mop I've tried thus far. When you're done cleaning, you can return it to the included charging dock to top off the battery and enter self-cleaning mode. This mode is loud and it takes a few minutes, but it washes and dries the brush roll and moves everything to the dirty water tank. Rinse out the dry filter, rinse out the dirty water tank, and your mop will be sparkling clean. There's even storage for the dry filter and brush roll on the charging dock.
In addition to the various modes, this steam mop has a neat ring light around its display that moves from red (dirty) through purple and finally blue (when the section of the floor you're on is clean). That, combined with the built-in lights on the mop head, helps ensure you never miss a spot. This mop is also self-propelled, which is a blessing and a curse since the machine is on the heavier side—I found it was easiest to turn it off by pressing the button, rather than trying to stand it fully upright. If you're taller or stronger, this may not be an issue. I also wish the battery charged up faster—it takes four or five hours, and the battery can die quickly depending on what mode you're using the most and how big the cleaning area is. I also wish the battery was replaceable. And similarly to the Shark model recommended above, this Tineco doesn't have fantastic edge support—you might have to do some manual cleaning around corners and baseboards.
Finally, this mop has a voice that will proudly announce the cleaning mode you're in, when the tank needs to be cleaned, and more. You can turn this voice feature off if it annoys you. I liked having it on, but sometimes it would tell me something during the middle of the cleaning process, and I couldn't understand it over the noise of the machine itself. That's not a detriment, just a quirk. If you're looking for a steam mop that will bust through even the grossest of messes, this is the one you want. Cord Length N/A Water Tank Capacity Clean water: 0.85 liters. Dirty water: 0.72 liters. Included Accessories Two brush rollers, two dry filters, one cleaning brush Replacement Schedule Replace brush roll and filter every 3-6 months Weight 12.7 pounds Warranty Length 2 years Honey Test Results 30 seconds; 4 or 5 passes Photograph: Louryn Strampe $100 $80 (20% off) Amazon The Turonic ST3 is basically a handheld steamer with a mop head and extended handle. It's a floor steamer that can be used all over the house, including on your countertops or upholstery. After assembly, which involves piecing the mop head, steamer, and handles together, you'll fill up the tank with water. Turn it on and let it heat up, and 15 seconds later it'll start emitting steam. It can produce steam for 25 minutes or so before needing to be refilled and warmed up again. It comes with a huge array of accessories (listed below)—when you want to swap to a different cleaning mode, you'll pull off the mop head and remove the handle, and attach your chosen accessory to the adapter (which is also the steamer jet attachment). The included microfiber mop pads attach via Velcro and stay put securely. They're also machine washable. This mop works well on its own, though it does take more elbow grease than the others recommended in this guide, especially for tough stains. During the Honey Test, this mop pushed the honey across the floor before effectively cleaning it. It could have better edge support (though it's a bit better in this regard than the brush roll models I like). I do appreciate that, while the water tank is specifically for water, I can put down my beloved Fabuloso on the ground without worrying about contaminating the insides of the machine. This gadget feels lightweight and a little cheap, and I wish the cord were retractable. But it's handy to have around, not only for your floors, but for nearly every surface of your house. I wouldn't pay more than $100 for it. It goes on sale pretty frequently, and I think it's worth getting if you want a steam cleaner without spending much money. Cord Length 23 feet Water Tank Capacity 385 milliliters Included Accessories Two microfiber mop pads, a refill cup, a steamer jet (which is also the attachment adapter), a scraping tool, a grout brush, a curved nozzle, two sizes of scrub brushes, a window squeegee, a garment steamer cloth, and a carpet glider Replacement Schedule N/A—just wash as needed Weight 5 pounds Warranty Length 1 year Honey Test Results 1 minute, 10 passes
Photograph: Simon Hill
Shark S5003D Genius Steam Mop for $109: This steam mop has three heat levels and detachable mop pads. It also has a blast button for an extra burst of steam as needed. The coolest part is that you can flip the mop head over when one side of the pad is soiled, so you can mop even longer (or simply have a longer break between machine-washing them). There's even a mop head detach button, so you can pop it right in the washing machine without touching it.
Kärcher Steam Cleaner for $208: This is similar to the Turonic steamer, but it has a much longer hose so you can clean hard-to-reach areas like ceilings or tall mirrors. It also has a wider mopping path. It only comes with one microfiber cover, and some accessories are separate purchases. But we like that it has built-in storage for its accessories as well as an included descaling cartridge.
Dreame H14 Pro Wet/Dry Vacuum for $480: This combination vacuum and steam mop automatically detects dirt levels and adjusts the flow of cleaning solution and suction to help you out on tough spots. It's self-propelled both forward and backward, and it even has a lie-flat mode so you can clean under couches or along baseboards more easily. It also has self-cleaning for when you're done mopping. There's a companion app, too, which requires 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. This is a very close alternative to the Tineco S7. FAQs
What Should You Look for in a Steam Mop? AccordionItemContainerButton
Steam mops should primarily be used on hard, sealed surfaces such as linoleum, wood, tile, marble, and stone. You can perform a patch test to ensure compatibility, which is particularly important for laminate floors, LVP, and engineered hardwood since the steam and moisture can warp the boards. (Your flooring manufacturer likely has guidance around this as well.)
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
If you don't want to pre-sweep your floors, look for a model that has suction built in. If you want easier storage, look for a model that includes a stand. Make sure you pay careful attention to the manufacturer's recommended replacement schedule. Usually, you can go six months between brush roll replacements, but if you're cleaning very dirty areas very often, you might need to replace parts sooner. Also take careful note on whether or not you're meant to use distilled water—the models I've tried have said that tap water is OK. AccordionItemContainerButton
In a nutshell, steam mops make mopping easier. The steam helps bust through grime so you don't need to use as much elbow grease to achieve the same result, and your mopping routine will also likely take less time than it does with a manual mop. I especially noticed a difference while cleaning high-traffic areas or really dirty messes (like muddy footprints). I also like that there's no film on my floors after using one.
Some people with scent sensitivities or allergies like steam mops because you can achieve clean floors without the use of chemicals or additional ingredients—steam mops only require water. Finally, steam can sanitize as it cleans. At its base form, like with boiling water, steam is around 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Most bacteria and viruses die at around 150 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, so steam can kill them off. The key word here is 'can.' If your floor is cold, the surface might not reach hot enough temperatures; different viruses require different lengths of steam exposure in order to be eradicated. The most surefire way to sanitize your floor is to use a disinfectant. You shouldn't buy a steam mop solely for this potential benefit, but it is one that some people find appealing. AccordionItemContainerButton
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
I conducted a Honey Test, wherein I put two tablespoons of honey down on my kitchen tile and let it harden for about 15 minutes. I then tested to see how long it took to mop it up with each candidate, and how many passes back and forth it took. Additionally, I only used these mops to clean my 250-square foot porcelain tile kitchen floors during my three-month testing period. I also used them on other hard flooring in my home, like the ceramic tile in my entryway and the polyurethane-finished oak hardwood floors in my living room.
I looked for ease of use, features that worked as advertised, maneuverability, and most importantly, cleaning power. I waited until my floors were noticeably dirty before using the mops so I could accurately assess their power on high-traffic areas, such as near my kitchen sink and garbage cans. Next up I'll be testing steam mops from Bissell, Black + Decker, PurSteam, and Swiffer.
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