The best spray mops for speedy and sparkling results

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we lived in a world where floors cleaned themselves? Alas, that technology doesn’t quite exist yet (although robot vacuum and mop hybrids are getting close), and mopping floors continues to be one of the essential household chores, for both sparkling surfaces and a hygienic home.

Of all the different types of mops available, spray mops are the kings of convenience. Thanks to their built-in containers for cleaning solution, they allow for quick mopping without the fuss of a bucket. They can also help save money on cleaning products, as they can be used with water alone or homemade solutions with natural oils.

These are the Good Housekeeping Institute's tried and tested mops that that will have your floors sparkling in a flash but keep scrolling for the full reviews.

How do spray mops work?

Spray mops have built-in reservoirs that hold water or your chosen cleaning solution. You simply press the trigger on the handle and the mop spritzes whatever is in the reservoir directly onto the floor in front of the mop head. Sweep the mop across your floor and – ta-dah! – clean floors in seconds.

Here are some features worth looking out for if you want the best spray mop experience possible.

Electric and battery-powered options

If you want some real power behind your mopping, consider a battery-powered model like our runner-up, the expert Vileda Looper Spray Mop. It’s a cordless charge-up-and-clean option with extra power for those tougher stains. Some designs, such as the Flash Power Mop, also have battery-assisted trigger sprays for more force behind every spritz.

Microfibre cloths or pads

Almost all the spray mops we tested feature microfibre ‘pads’ or ‘cloths’. Made from a synthetic material, durable microfibre cloths can be used with water alone to pick up microscopic dirt and dust particles. As well as choosing a spray mop with a microfibre head, it’s also worth checking whether you can pop them in the washing machine after use.

Reservoir size

The reservoir size on spray mops can range from 300ml to almost a full litre. It goes without saying that if you’re looking to mop multiple hardwood floors, then a larger reservoir means less chance of having to refill. However, if you’re short on storage space or looking to blitz smaller spaces, a small tank will still get you far and will be more compact.

Flexible heads

We’re fans of swivel heads at the Good Housekeeping Institute. These versatile heads can move and flex, enabling you to get under tables, chairs and into small spaces with ease. Not all spray mops have flexible heads though, so be sure to check the head manoeuvrability before purchase if that's a priority for you.

Are spray mops worth it?

What's the benefit of a spray mop? One word: speed. Without the fuss – not to mention, heavy lifting – of preparing a warm cleaning solution and bucket, spray mops are the perfect grab-and-go product for achieving sparkling floors, fast. They really come into their own if you’re regularly dealing with muddy paw prints, toddler spillages or cooking mess in the kitchen. They’re also ideal if you want to do a speedy blitz of an ensuite or an entranceway without having to commit to mopping your whole home.

Another perk of spray mops is that you tend to need less water, so you can say goodbye to ringing out excess drips or having to pour large quantities of dirty water down the sink after mopping. In fact, if you find that your floors sometimes appear dull or dirty even after a thorough mop, it could be because the water in your bucket is collecting dirt and dust as you clean. Spray mops don’t have this problem as the cleaning solution is kept in the internal container, so you get a fresh spritz every time.

It’s worth noting that when we tested string and flat mops, they tended to perform better when it came to removing hardened food stains and mud, so a spray mop may not be the best option if you’re looking to deep clean large areas, but for convenience and speed, they can’t be beaten.

How we test spray mops

When it comes to spray mops, we consider everything from set-up and ease of storage to how many sweeps it takes to achieve that clean, shiny finish. We started by checking how easy the process from box to use was, inspecting the design and instructions.

We then put them through their paces on different types of floors – for ceramic tiles, we checked how they fared against mud, while for vinyl and laminate flooring, we noted their ability to remove cooking oil and black tea. We recorded exactly how many strokes it took for them to mop up every stain. Any spillages that required more than ten wipes failed testing.

But that’s not all; after testing each individual spray mop, we also used kitchen towel to check whether there was any residue left on the floor. The mop head covers? We gave those a wash too to check that they didn’t shrink or stretch.

These are the GHI Approved spray mops to buy now.