Mostly I hate mops. Not to be insensitive toward long-handled cleaning implements, but string mops, sponge mops, buckets… awful.
A Swiffer Wet-Jet works okay (without the heavy bottle of so-so cleaner that squirts all over the baseboards) but the pads are expensive, environmentally unfriendly, and I came to suspect that the chemicals in the pad itself were leaving a weird residue on my customers’ floors over time.
Steam mops might be fine for a project day, but it’s a slower more cumbersome process that I generally don’t have time for. Plus I don’t need one for a good result.
Which brings us to the one mop that I don’t hate…
Yes, it’s a microfiber mop- but not just any…
AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE WINNER IN ‘BEST MOP EVER’ CATEGORY IS…
Drumroll please :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE SCOTCH-BRITE MICROFIBER HARDWOOD FLOOR MOP!! (insert ‘roaring crowd’ audio here)
This is why I like it:
- It’s sturdy yet lightweight
- The bottom of the mop is hard plastic so it glides along easily… not a spongy pad that creates drag and makes your back ache
- The microfiber pad slips on easily from its ready-to-mop floor position (no velcro; no elastic; no need to turn the mop upside-down to wrestle with edges) and stays on securely
- The pad is a good weight, rinses easily and washes up well (mine have lasted for years)
- Its dimensions make for quick mopping of a large area, but with a turn it is narrow enough to slip into small spaces between furniture legs and walls. (Plus super easy to run along a baseboard or skim under the stove and fridge for perfect floor edges)
- The design allows for all kinds of swiveling fun, plus the handle will practically lay on the floor so you can easily reach (even dust mop with a dry microfiber cloth) under low furniture
- A clean microfiber pad can tackle odd chores like shower stall ceilings (True story: last week I used my mop to clean every square inch of sawdust-y walls for my customer’s ‘new construction’ move-in!)
- Plus, it’s easy to carry, transport, and store
With the exception of floor grout (which no regular mop can actually reach since it’s recessed) it gets a great result with very little hassle… the combination I’m always looking for. (They call it a “Hardwood Floor Mop” but it works on all hard floors)
To use, I spritz my floor cleaner across a reachable area then mop with a damp microfiber pad. The pad holds a good amount of floor dirt so rinsing it out a few times during the mopping process is important; especially if the floor ‘really needs mopping’.
The bad news: it is nearly impossible to find in stores. My original mop lasted for years and when I recently went to replace it I couldn’t find one anywhere. (Mr. Libman must have won the winner-take-all poker hand, cuz Libman mops are everywhere and Scotch-Brite can’t be found)
But worry not~ anything can be found online and Amazon came through for me. (Check out the reviews; I’m not alone in my raves!) Be sure to get enough microfiber pads to last through the workweek while you’re at it!
(And something to note: Libman actually has a ‘Wet & Dry Microfiber Mop’ with a similar design. To me it doesn’t seem to be the quality of the Scotch-Brite, but if you are loathe to order things online it might be your best bet in the cleaning aisle)
And so… to you I wish: Happy Mopping!
