The best mops for different floors, tested by our cleaning experts

Score: 88/100

This mop comes with a bucket that has a built-in spin system designed to wring out water more efficiently. It's a really handy feature, although we found the splash covering around the top of the bucket a little tricky to remove when trying to empty it.

The microfibre mop head cleans up all dirt with two speedy swipes though, and the telescopic handle means you can adjust it to suit your height. The mop head struggled to clean corners and grouting on test due its round shape, but it's machine washable and our floors were dry just 11 minutes after cleaning, making it a top all-rounder.

Score: 86/100

This flat mop is made for sprucing up hallways and kitchens. Its large head makes quick work of big spaces and is flexible enough to clean under appliances or furniture.

It performed particularly well on vinyl and the cleaning cloths are attached with Velcro, meaning they can be easily removed for machine washing. It’s also lightweight to use with an extendable handle to save you from back ache.

Score: 84/100

Simply a scaled-down version of the previous mop, this miniature model is perfect for bathrooms as it's nifty enough to reach into awkward spaces. It’s compact in design and really easy to store, making it a top choice for smaller homes.

Like its big brother, it fared fantastically on vinyl. However, it tends to redeposit a small amount of dirt and it struggled to clean grouting thoroughly.

Score: 91/100

This mop is designed for use on wood floors, but it impressed our testers on all surfaces. Two sweeps cleaned mud from ceramic – including from the grouting – and three lifted oil from vinyl flooring too.

The large brush head simplified the cleaning process by distributing the solution across a wide area. And when the solution bottle was empty, testers noted how simple it was to remove and refill. You can even pop the microfibre head into the washing machine – it came out like new after a 60-degree cycle.

Score: 86/100

This slim, battery-powered spray mop nips easily into all those hard to reach places, from around the bin to down the side of the fridge. It took seconds to assemble, with the included recyclable pads proving easy to attach, but the average-length handle sadly isn’t telescopic.

Performance-wise, it impressed us the most when cleaning ceramic tiles, quickly lifting grime out of grouting without the need to scrub. It glided well across vinyl and laminate, leaving it shiny and streak-free in only a few sweeps, although a little bit of dirty residue escaped its grasp.

Score: 84/100

Given its bargain price, we were surprised by how smoothly this spray mop swivelled and glided across everything from wood laminate to tiles. It cleaned the latter best, removing every speck of dirt, and it left vinyl completely grease-free. It took a few sweeps to leave laminate clean and free of smears, but we were pleased with our gleaming finish.

It has a big spray bottle, meaning fewer refills when cleaning large areas, but it did leak a little and sometimes failed to spray. The handle is a good length, but it can’t be tweaked if you want it longer or shorter. Overall, however, it ticked all our key boxes for under £30.

Score: 90/100

This smartly designed mop’s telescopic handle ensures comfortable cleaning for people of all heights. Its sponge head scrubs and dries floors at the same time and there’s a wringing lever for removing excess water.

It gave us gleaming tiled, vinyl and laminate floors, and pet owners will be relieved to hear that it proved particularly effective at picking up hair. Our only complaint is that the head isn’t machine washable.

Score: 77/100

This sponge mop is sleek and innovative by design, with a handy “kickstand” mechanism that means it can be folded flat and propped up during use to ensure even and speedy drying. We enjoyed great results on wood laminate and vinyl flooring but the wringer didn't remove enough water.

Its performance on grouting was notably lacklustre but we liked the comfortable feel of the non-slip handle. It's just a shame it's not telescopic to suit all statures.

Score: 95/100

Mopping moisture-sensitive wooden floors can be stressful, but this string mop’s spin technology makes wringing out effortless – simply push the mop head into the supplied basket, press the handle and it will spin out excess water. The bucket comes with four wheels for splash-free movement between rooms, with finger indents in the handle for comfortable lifting.

But how well did it clean? In short, brilliantly. It made light work of everything from liquid spills to dried-on stains across all floor types, and it scored full marks for cleaning tiles without redepositing any dirt or murky water. Its swivel head meant no corner or fiddly crevice went uncleaned, making it worth the price tag.

Score: 93/100

This mop’s red fibres banish stubborn stains and dirt, while the white fibres absorb grease. The unique torsion wringer in the bucket (sold separately) grabs the strings like a hand and squeezes them to remove any excess water, speeding up the drying process.

On test, it performed well across all types of flooring and picked up lots of dust without clogging. It left even heavily soiled floors spotless and tackled tile grouting with ease. We just wish we could buy the mop and bucket as a set.

Score: 83/100

If you're looking for a budget buy, try this bargain entry from Addis. We saw particularly impressive results on tiles and vinyl floors, and it comes with a refill head.

For the price, there are some compromises though. It struggled with grouting and left streaks on wood laminate, and the heads aren't machine washable. There's no telescopic handle either. Overall, it does a decent job, and is a great basic option.