By Jasmine Harding | Updated Mar 18, 2021 7:40 PM

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Regular cleaning can keep laminate floors clean and shining like new, but you’ll want to keep in mind an important rule of thumb when cleaning this particular kind of floor: Avoid excessive moisture. Too much moisture can cause a laminate floor base to swell or warp, ruining the smooth finish.

The best mop for laminate floors isn’t very wet; in fact, it should be barely damp. The ideal mop is also gentle. Although laminate is scratch resistant, tough scrubbing can damage the flooring’s surface and reduce its shine. Read on to learn more about cleaning laminate flooring and the best mops for this popular floor type.

Since laminate flooring is sensitive to moisture, choosing the right mop—one that won’t get sopping wet—is important to prevent damage. Choosing an appropriate mop type, material, and wringing mechanism are key. Additional features like spray mechanisms, adjustable handles, and multifunction mopheads can add to ease of use.

Popular household mop types include string, strip, flat, spray, sponge, electric, and steam mops.

Common household mophead materials include cotton, synthetics, microfiber, and sponge. These various materials affect how soft, abrasive, or absorbent a mop is, and how well it cleans certain messes.

When it comes to laminate floors, microfiber is a popular pick, as it is an affordable, gentle, and easy-to-find material. Microfiber mops are soft, dry quickly, and are easy to keep clean. Other synthetic materials like chamois will also work for laminate floors.

Absorbent cotton and sponge mopheads are excellent scrubbers but hold too much water for laminate floors. It is best to avoid these mop types to prevent damage to flooring.

The wringer gets rid of excess water from the mophead. Since laminate flooring needs a drier mop, the wringing mechanism is an important feature to consider.

Handle wringers often have a lever or twist mechanism, which triggers the wringer to squeeze excess water from the mophead. Bucket wringers are located in the mop bucket. Basic bucket wringers need manual pressure to squeeze water out of the mop.

A more advantageous option is a spin mop. Spin mops are string mops that feature a bucket with a spinning mechanism to wring the mop for the user. Spin mops can dry the mophead quite effectively, enough for use on laminate flooring.

Many flat mops and spray mops don’t include a wringing mechanism. Instead of dipping the mop in a bucket and wringing it out, the mopping pad or the floor can be sprayed directly with a cleaning solution.

An ergonomic handle makes mopping more comfortable. Common handle materials include plastic, stainless steel, aluminum, and wood. Metal and wood are the sturdiest options, while plastic can feel more comfortable in the hand and can be shaped into ergonomic designs.

Many mops feature curved handles, nonslip coatings, or squishy foam grips for added comfort. Some mops feature height-adjustable handles that allow for even more flexibility. The best mops for laminate floors have a sturdy and comfortable handle that withstands frequent use.

A height-adjustable handle adds to the comfort and versatility of a mop. Adjustable-handle mops can switch to a range of different heights so there’s no need to stoop over or maneuver an unwieldy handle while mopping.

Some wet mops double as dusters. This feature is especially common with microfiber or synthetic mops, which are ideal for laminate floors. An adjustable handle helps the mop tackle versatile household jobs, like dusting walls or the ceiling. A telescoping handle means you can clean high-up or hard-to-reach places.

The ideal mop for laminate flooring should glide across the floor and around obstacles. A well-designed mop is easily maneuverable to get into corners and under furniture.

Flat mops are quite thin, and most are able to slide under furniture. Most feature a swivel head to make it easy to change directions and move around obstacles. Flat mops are also lightweight, which contributes to their ease of use.

String, strip, and spin mops often have rounded heads. Thick fibers may allow them to clean into corners. However, since they aren’t as thin as flat mops, they may have more trouble cleaning underneath furniture.

Electric and steam mops are the largest and heaviest options, which may cut down on their maneuverability. Their superior cleaning power makes them an attractive option, but keep in mind that steam mops are not the best pick for most laminate floors.

Multiuse mops are a versatile pick to tackle more than just one household chore. It is common for microfiber mops, which are one of the best choices for laminate flooring, to function as both dry and wet mops. Mop sets may include extra dust and mop pads to dust and clean walls, ceilings, and floors.

In any case, having extra mop pads is handy. It means you can still get the job done if one set is dirty or in the wash. Some mops have disposable, one-time-use pads. Most microfiber mops include reusable or machine-washable pads.

Electric mops offer a deep clean with little effort, but it is important to find a gentle option for laminate flooring. An electric mop with microfiber or other soft mop pad can give a shiny clean.

A gentle and slightly damp mop is the best choice for laminate flooring. The best mops for laminate floors don’t leave any moisture behind and are nonabrasive to protect the flooring’s smooth outer layer. With these factors in mind, the top picks below are soft and easy to dry to give laminate floors a safe and streak-free clean.

With an extra-wide 18-inch swivel head, this microfiber mop can quickly tackle large cleaning jobs. The wide frame covers more surface area with each swipe, and the 360-degree rotating head allows the mop to swerve around furniture.

This set includes one dust pad and two mop pads, and each is machine washable and made of soft microfiber. The dust pad features a perimeter of microfiber loops surrounding a soft pad to grab and lock dust and hair. The two mop pads have a foam core to absorb messes and a soft microfiber outer to leave a streak-free shine.

The stainless steel handle is sturdy, comfortable, and extendable, making it good for scrubbing and daily cleaning. It adjusts from 42 inches to 70 inches with a twist of the locking mechanism to reach from floor to ceiling.

The Bona Microfiber Floor mop is also on the wide side, with the mophead measuring 16.5 inches across to quickly mop hard flooring. To tackle other cleaning jobs, the aluminum telescoping handle can extend up to 60 inches.

This handy mop also has a 360-degree swivel head to maneuver around furniture. In case of accidental bumps, the mophead features rubberized front corners to lessen the damage if it hits furniture or baseboards.

This mop set includes two microfiber pads. A fluffy dusting pad grabs dust and hair, and the mopping pad can clean dirt, dust, and scuffs. The reusable pads can be machine washed up to 500 times while maintaining their cleaning power. The two pads offer full-floor dusting and cleaning at an affordable price.

An electric mop takes the hard work out of mopping. The Nellie’s Wow Mop is cordless and lightweight, bringing the benefits of an electric mop to an easy-to-use design. With the included charging cable, just plug the mop into a wall outlet for about 3 hours to charge. Each charge lasts up to 50 minutes to give plenty of time to scrub floors in one go.

The mop features two soft scrubbing pads that oscillate an impressive 1,000 times per minute to scrub and buff floors. To distribute water or cleaner, the top of the mop head features a built-in water tank. A push-button liquid-delivery system allows users to control the flow of water or cleaner.

Because this handy electric mop does not emit any steam, it is safe for all types of flooring, including laminate, offering a deep clean at the push of a button.

Keeping the mophead clean while mopping prevents dirty water from being spread around the floor. This microfiber mop and bucket set features a mop-cleaning mechanism and wringer. This handy design keeps the mop clean and relatively dry for mopping laminate floors.

To wet the mop, one section of the bucket contains the water and a washing groove. When the mop is dirty, a few swipes on the washing groove can knock out dirt and dust. Then the separate drying mechanism can squeeze out excess water. A couple of passes should dry the mop enough to use on laminate flooring.

This user-friendly design is completely hands-free; there’s no need to fiddle with a dirty mophead or squeeze the pad manually. For deep cleaning, this mop set includes two machine-washable microfiber pads: one with ultra-fine microfiber for light cleaning and dusting, the other with a microfiber and nylon bristle blend for scrubbing.

A spray mop eliminates the need for an unwieldy mop bucket or spray bottle. The O-Cedar ProMist Max takes the convenience factor up a notch with its dual-sided mop head.

The microfiber pad fits over the entire mophead, covering the top and bottom. When one side is dirty, the mophead can flip 180 degrees to use the other side of the pad. This design provides double the cleaning surface with no need to switch out the mop pad in between. The mop pad is machine washable and can be used dry or wet to grab dirt, hair, and dust.

For wet mopping, use the handy spray feature. The comfortable handle includes a manual trigger to release the spray, so no costly batteries necessary.

This spin mop set from O-Cedar includes a soft microfiber strip mop and a bucket with a spin-wringing mechanism. The built-in wringer is controlled using a foot pedal for hands-free use. There’s no need to bend or stoop to use or wring the mop; the extendable handle adjusts from 24 inches to 51 inches to suit all heights.

The strip mophead features soft and fluffy strands of microfiber that trap dust and grime. The triangular head is on a swivel mount to allow the mop to reach into corners and under furniture. When the mophead is looking a little dingy, it can be thrown in the washing machine for a deep clean.

The O-Cedar Dual-Action Flip Mop features a dual-sided design to gently dust and mop flooring. One side has a dusting pad, with thick chenille strands to trap dust, hair, and fur. The other side has a microfiber mopping pad. The pad features gentle scrubbing strips to remove embedded dirt and grime from floors. The mophead is machine washable and is gentle enough to use on all hard floor types from hardwood to laminate.

This simple and lightweight mop has a telescoping handle to adjust to different heights. The simple but functional design can help to dust and clean floors, walls, ceilings, and more for a full-home clean.

Messy households may need a tougher scrubbing mop. With a microfiber mop pad and a separate non-scratch scrubber, this spray mop from Rubbermaid can handle daily, light messes as well as stuck-on gunk.

The mophead features a soft microfiber mop pad for tackling daily dirt and grime. On top of the mophead, a non-scratch scrubber is useful for cleaning tough messes on all types of flooring, including hardwood and laminate.

The spraying solution is held in a 22-ounce refillable bottle, which can be filled with either water or a floor cleaner of choice. The spray trigger offers on-demand spray to avoid oversaturating sensitive flooring.

Cleaning laminate flooring is simple with the right mop. The best mops for laminate floors leave a streak-free and shiny clean. Still unsure about the best choice? Here are some common questions and answers to consider.

Floors should be mopped every two weeks, at minimum. High-traffic areas and homes with pets or children may need more frequent cleaning.

Once the mophead starts to collect stains or picks up a lingering smell, it is due for a deep cleaning. Many mop heads are also replaceable and can be swapped out for a new one every two to three months, if needed.

Using too much cleaning solution can contribute to dull and dirty-looking laminate floors. Consider using a laminate flooring cleaner to remove the residue, or avoid soap-based cleaners altogether and use a damp mop with plain water instead.

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