The Best Mops for Hardwood

Flat mops are easy to use and clean hardwood effectively.

Flat mops are easy to use and clean hardwood effectively.

Hardwood floors present a special problem for the person who tries to keep them clean. The cracks between the boards tend to collect dust and fine dirt particles, and the boards themselves eventually turn dull with surface grime. If you use water to clean them, though, you have to use it sparingly, or the boards could warp. The best mop for a hardwood floor reaches into cracks, attracts dirt and removes it; it doesn't just move it around.

Strings and Sponges

You have to keep water to a minimum when cleaning hardwood floors; any that you leave standing on the floor could stain the finish or, or worse, seep between the boards and warp the wood. For this reason, neither a conventional string mop nor a sponge mop is the best choice. The main advantage of a string mop is that it spreads a large amount of water quickly, which is ideal for cleaning vinyl or tile, but not for hardwood. A sponge mop, on the other hand, makes it too easy to push down too hard and force water out of the sponge and between the floorboards.

Microfiber String Mops

Despite the danger of water damage that string mops present, some people prefer them, because they are easy to maneuver and effective for scrubbing. String mops retain water, though, and if you don't air them out, the strings can get moldy. You can avoid this by using a microfiber string mop. It has the cleaning ability of a string mop without the weight. Choose one that comes with an attached wringer to provide extra insurance against water damage. You get even more insurance by drying the floor with a cloth immediately after mopping.

Flat Mops

A number of companies manufacture flat mops with microfiber pads that clean hardwood efficiently, and these are best for small areas. Some come with a non-water-based cleaner; if the pad isn't infused with the cleaner, it comes in a removable cartridge. Others come without the cleaner, but the heads are removable, so you can clean and re-use them. The microfiber pad covering absorbs the cleaner and attracts dirt, but it isn't as absorbent as string or sponge. It has a mild abrasive quality that allows it to rub dirt off the floor without damaging the finish.

Sonic Motion Mops

Even when you're using a strong cleaning solution, it can be difficult to get ground-in dirt and stains off the floor, unless you happen to have a sonic motion mop. This variation of a flat mop has a battery-operated vibrator that oscillates the pad at a high frequency, much like sonic vibration toothbrushes. The vibrating function -- which you turn on with a switch only when you need it -- takes care of the tough dirt without any extra effort on your part. When used in conjunction with a hardwood-friendly cleaning solution, it dissolves dirt in much the same manner as does a vibrating toothbrush when it removes stains from your teeth.

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