7 Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors – 2022 Review

Who doesn’t love laminate floors, we all do. It’s beautiful and receives lots of compliments from guests. That said, cleaning these adorable laminate floors safely without causing damage must be put into consideration.

The beauty of laminate floor brightens up a home, hence an adorable atmosphere. This beauty must be maintained meticulously for a long-lasting glowing floor.

Are you looking for new ways to deep clean your laminate floor? A Steam mop is an excellent tool to use, it sanitizes your floor without the need for a chemical. But is it safe to use on laminate floors?

We have different models of laminate flooring, while some are water-resistant, a few aren’t. Water-resistant laminate floors can withstand water spills but that doesn’t make it indestructible.

Cleaning laminate floors most especially with the wrong steam mops can be a free ticket to damaging the floor if not done properly, a lot of things must be considered.

Read: How to achieve a shiny laminate flooring

Things To Consider

If you want to go for the best steam mop for laminate floors then there are a lot of things to consider. Buying a steam mop for laminate floors doesn’t go as straight forward as it might be for tile flooring.

Taking the right precautions is crucial to avoid damage to your laminate floor. So here are a few things to consider when choosing the best steam mop for laminate floors.

Fortunately, the steam mops reviewed below has most of these mentioned features, making them the perfect fit for laminate floors.

Heat Settings

High temperature and moisture can damage the seal on your laminate flooring and once this seal is broken, the material is at high risk. The best way to avoid this is to pick a steam mop designed for laminate floors.

While making a choice can be difficult, some brands also choose to steer off this area due to the risk involved. In this case, the best move is to choose a steam mop with heat settings.

Steam mop with heat setting usually have two or three settings, this ranges between low, medium, and high. For a safe laminate floor steam mopping, ensure to go for the lowest settings. Only use the “high” settings for tough stains and grime.

Also, consider going for steam mops with a fast heat-up time. Best steam mops should heat up within 20 to 30 seconds of it being plugged. This signifies it has a powerful motor.

Pad Material

Laminate floors are very sensitive and the pad material used on your steam mop must be carefully chosen as this is what will be in contact with the floor when cleaning.

When choosing a pad material, make sure to always go for microfiber, this enables a gentle and efficient cleaning of the laminate floor surface. Microfiber is also excellent in absorbing.

Since moisture needs to be kept at minimum, its best to use an absorbing pad.

Another great advantage of a microfiber pad is its ability to be washed and used multiple times on different occasions.

Tank Capacity

A Tank’s capacity is one of the most important characteristics of a steam mop, even the greatest steam mop has limitations, which is its tank. To create steam, water is needed. If the tank runs out of water when cleaning, the steam will stop.

Using a steam mop with a small tank, You could be at a great disadvantage if you have a large area to cover. You will have no option than going through the stress of stopping to refill and reheat. This can be frustrating especially if you still have a lot to cover.

That said, you need to keep in mind that steam mops aren’t the same as their steam cleaner cousins. Steam cleaners have a large space to store large tanks due to its canister, it’s on the contrary for steam mops which makes them lightweight and easy to carry around.

Tools And Attachments

The key to an outstanding steam mop is its versatility and multi-functionality. Everyone’s favorite steam mops are those with the ability to convert into a handheld.

This enables cleaning hard to reach areas around the house. They also made things economical by reducing the need to spend on additional cleaning equipment.

Steam mop comes with a variety of these attachments. Smaller brushes help in targeting smaller areas such as grout lines, corners, and around the faucet.

Some steam mop also comes with an upholstery and fabric tool that enables sofa cleaning or shirt ironing. That said,  it all comes at a price so it’s suggested to consider what you need before purchasing.

Also, go for mops with a power cord between 15 to 30 feet, this will allow you to move around easily without the need to be near the socket all the time.

Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors

The best steam mop for laminate floors has specific features and we’re going to define them as we guide you on the right steam mop to settle for. After inputs from experts and reviewing feedback from customers, we’ve gathered the best steam mops for laminate floors.

Here’s our top pick, LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3101 Laminate Floor Steam Mop and after that, Bissel 2039A Spinwave Hard Floors Steam Mop Cleaner follows,

These two are very easy to use, they have quite a long life span and also comes with a different attachment for versatility.

While these two steam mops for laminate floor has top-notch features that make them unbeatable and the most accepted steam mop for laminate floors, others steam mops are still a great alternative.

1. LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3101 Laminate Floor Steam Mop

It’s as easy as pumping the handle several times for emission of steam from the steam mop. Stop pumping if you need to stop the steam from emitting. Alternatively, you can just wipe the surface of your floor using a piece of clothing.

This steam mop can be used on all kinds of floors such as hardwood floors, tile floors, and laminate floors. To ensure an efficient and manageable cleaning experience, a replaceable and washable microfiber pad is made available for this steam mop.

The most interesting part? It has a super quick heater, so you can be ready to clean in no time. This powerful steam cuts through tough stains, grease, and dirt without the need to add any chemical.

Pros

Super Quick Heater

With the super quick heater, your steam mop is ready to clean in just 20-30 seconds. All you need to do is to fill the tank with water and plug the steam mop into an outlet.

Very Effective On Dirt

This steam mop cuts through stain without the need of scrubbing, this is due to the powerful steam from the steam mop. It’s as simple as pressing the trigger to release the steam and letting go to have a good wipe.

Safe for multiple surfaces

This awesome steam mop isn’t limited to just laminate flooring, it can also be used on hardwood floors, ceramic floors, and marble floors.

Since we rarely have one type of flooring in our home, Light ‘N’ Easy steam mop is one tool that can serve any of the mentioned flooring types.

Reusable Microfiber Pads

Some steam mops aren’t pocket friendly, requiring a regular pad replacement. The case is different for Light ‘N’ Easy steam mop. The pad from this mop can be washed and reused multiple times, thereby saving you money.

It is multifunctional and can be used on a wide variety of floor surfaces. The mop is efficient and easy to use, just pump and mop.

Cons

Small Tank

The reservoir can’t accommodate much water making this a challenge for multiple customers. They find it inconvenient to stop, refill, and reheat when cleaning.

2. The Shark Genius Pocket Mop

Other amazing features include hand-free dirt pad attach and detach, you don’t ever need to touch a dirty pad again. With this steam mop weighing a little under 6 pounds, it’s very easy to carry around and also store in any closed or any tight space available.

Pros

Dual Sided Pads

The dual-sided pad is absorbent and can remove excess water from the floor, thereby preventing damage. They are very effective at gripping dirt and dust while cleaning.

Hands-Free

Attaching and removing the pad is super easy, you don’t ever need to touch a dirty pad again. To attach it, simply place the pad on the floor, place the mop directly above the pad and it will grip onto the pad. Once you’re done, press the button on the handle and release the pad. It can then be washed and reused later on.

Dual Function Steam

You can set your steam mop to clean the who e floor or a specific spot. The whole-floor settings distribute steam evenly on the floor through the pad fibers, the second function is the steam blaster.

This emits a powerful burst of steam directly above the stain, thereby dissolving the dirt or grime wherever the steam is applied.

Easy Assembling

Assembling a steam mop can be overwhelming. The ease in assembling the shack genius pocket mop has won the heart of a lot of customers.

Cons

Can’t Stand Alone

While this might not be a dealbreaker, you can’t pause mid-clean and leave your steam mop hanging, you will have to lean the mop against a wall. This can be annoying when you want to take a break or make space for cleaning.

3. Bissell 2039A Spinwave Hard Floors Steam Mop Cleaner

Bissel Steam mop also features a unique on-demand spray, this spray is used to sprinkle cleaning agents on the right spot, thus making the steam mop easy to use and economical.

Pros

Power Spin pads

The power spin pad eliminates the need to run the mop in different directions. The power spin pad consist of two steams that work in pairs in different directions to scrub away stubborn stains.

It also maneuvers around furniture and gets into corners well. The most interesting part? The spin pads are reusable and replaceable

Auto-Stop

The spinning action stops once the spin mop is left upright. This is a great advantage and you might need to pause to move furniture, take a break or answer a phone.

On-demand Spray

There’s a spray trigger on the handle of this steam mop, this allows you to control how much solution gets on the floor. You can use as much as you want or as little as you like.

Cons

Swirl Mark

Since this steam mop uses a swirl pad, a few customers have complained that it sometimes leaves a swirl mark on the floor

4. PurSteam ThermaPro 10-in-1 Steam Mop Cleaner

Pros

Multifunctional

The attachment included for this steam mop made it versatile and gives it the ability to clean different floor types ranging from laminate floor, ceramic floors, marble floor, and hardwood floors.

Cons

Heavy Handheld Steamer

This steam mop comes with an in-built handheld steamer, this can be used for clothes, mirrors, windows, etc. Assuming the tank is filled up with water, this can be very heavy to maneuver, making it difficult to clean.

5. LIGHT ‘N’ EASY Multi-Floor All In One Steam Mop

This steam mop glides across the floor easily and can also be used on carpets, just tilt it and it will begin to steam as you go.

Pros

Multifunctional

This steam mop is also not limited to cleaning laminate floors, it can also be used for other purposes. The handheld steamer can be detached while one of the tools is attached to it.

Smart switch

Light ‘N’ easy All In One Steam Mop is very smart, just tilt it to release steam whenever you want to mop, it stops immediately when you up it upright.

Customers have complained about other steam mops not stopping when in an upright position, resulting in a ruined finish or floor. However, this feature on the Light ‘N’ Easy All In One steam mop will make sure your floor is safe.

Multiple Settings

You can choose between three steamer heat settings on this steam mop. This steamer settings is an excellent feature since the laminate floor needs extra care when cleaning.

With its additional carpet glider, you can also use this steam mop to clean your carpets.

Cons

Inefficient Handheld

A few customers have complained about the handheld not being as effective as expected.

6. Bissell 1806 PowerFresh Deluxe Steam Mop

It comes with a boost brush for tackling stubborn stains on laminate floors.

Pros

Powerful Steam

Heating takes just 20 – 30 seconds on this steam mop. It can clean any floor ranging from laminate, hardwood, and marble floors. The steam removes bacteria and grime it comes across while the pad removes extra grimy spots.

Swivel Steering

The floor head of this steam mop has good coverage, giving it the ability to fit under furniture and close to walls. With its 13 inches width, this steam mop will follow all your moves as you clean the house.

Versatile And Multifunctional

The nine different attachments of this steam mop make it versatile. You can choose between any of the nine attachments. You can also remove the stick and use this steamer as a handheld.

The use for this device is endless, ranging from removing stuck substances from any flat surface using the flat scraper, cleaning grills, ovens, and countertops using the bristle scrub brush, cleaning grout lines using the steaming grout tool and steaming clothes using the clothing steamer.

On-hand Storage

This steam mop allows you to store all tools close to your hand since small attachments are easily lost, this steam mop avoids such to occur. Simply attach the tools under the steam handle and carry them with you.

Cons

Large and Heavy To Hold

The tank, motor, and attachment are stored in the handle making it heavy to hold. Customers have complained about it being cumbersome when cleaning because everything is in one place.

7. SKG 6-in-1 Floor Steam Cleaner

If you need a large variety of items steam cleaned then SKG is the right model for you. Although Light ‘N’ Easy is our best recommendation, it doesn’t have the grout cleaning feature.

Pros

Versatile

This model was built clearly to be versatile, so if you have other areas to steam clean apart from laminate floors, this steam cleaner covers it all with its attachments. This gives you the ability to clean windows, glass, and even grouts.

Cons

Small Tank

The SKG 6-in-one floor steam cleaner has a very small tank requiring you to fill up the water tank every 10 minutes. This is one of the setbacks that kept this model from ranking higher.

Benefits of Steam Mop for Laminate Floors

Steaming has been popular for a very long time, the same goes for mopping. But steaming mopping which was introduced not so long ago has taken over the traditional method of bucket mopping.

This is due to its cleaning efficiency and ease of use, although it has its little limitations.

That said, it’s versatility has made it a game-changer, a steam mop isn’t limited to floor surfaces but also windows and mirrors. This is possible with the various attachments.

While steam mops can clean a wide variety of hard floors, our highlight here is laminate floors.

Using the recommended steam mop for laminate floors with proper care and guideline with definitely give you an amazing result. Below are the benefits you’ll get from your steam mop.

• Excellent cleaning efficiency
• Easy-to-use
• Economical and pocket friendly
• Environmental friendly
• Easy maintenance
• Easy to maneuver and deep surface reach
• No use of toxic chemicals
• Anti-allergen
• Footprint and sticky stains removal
• Pet hair removal

What Is The Best Quality Laminate Floor Steam Mop

This is one question a lot of people ask before deciding to settle for a steam mop. It’s always tough to choose due to a lot of reputable brands out there. That said, brands represent quality.

You must have heard about a few brands multiple times either by word of mouth or by search. While most of these brands are commendable for specific types of floors, some aren’t.

There are a lot of brands out there that manufacture cleaning products with steam mops being one of their lineups, but not all brands produce steam mops specially designed for laminate floors.

Based on experience and customer reviews and feedback from friends using laminate floors, these brands are the best for laminated floor specific steam mops.

• Light ‘N’ Easy
• Bissell
• Shark
• PurSteam
• O-Cedar
• SKG

What Are The Best Ways To Clean Laminate Floors

To avoid a damaged floor surface, laminate floors need to be treated with extra care when cleaning. There are ways of cleaning laminate floors but the most popular method here is vacuuming.

Using A Vacuum

Ensure to choose only vacuum cleaners designed for laminate floors to avoid damage such as scratches on your laminate floor. Also, don’t forget to use a hand-floor attachment. Vacuums get larger debris off floor surfaces.

Dirt such as crumbs, pet hair, and easily be removed by a vacuum. Alternative methods such as a full-blown clean can strip the coating on top of your laminate flooring. This isn’t recommended, so a vacuum is the best option.

Grab one for your day-to-day cleaning, you can do a deeper cleaning for as much as vacuuming 3 times a week

Using Water And Soap

While this can be an old method, it’s still very much used by a lot of people. The methodology here is, mixing plain soap with the right concentration and clean away.

Here’s what most people don’t know, soap has chemicals designed to destroy things such as germs, but sometimes cheap soap destroys anything it comes across.

If you’ve ever noticed your hands looking rough after using a cheap soap, then that’s what we’re talking about.

The soap tried to destroy everything and attempting to destroy to good amongst the bad too, that shouldn’t be the idea and such soap isn’t ideal your floor.

The standard soap and water method isn’t recommended, what if the wrong chemical soap is used? What if you apply too much on the floor? A lot of money has been spent on achieving such a beautiful floor, don’t risk it.

Using A Micro-Fiber Cloth Mop

This is a good option but still not the most preferable, we’ll discuss reasons for this in a minute.

A micro-fiber cloth can be used for cleaning laminate floors on day-to-day basics alongside the vacuum and then something else for a deeper clean.

Microfiber is a better option for the water and soap method, this is because they trap a good chunk of dirt without harming the floor. There’s usually little or no water involved, by now you must have known that floors hate water standing on them.

Once you come across on, tackle it immediately by cleaning it off.

There’s a huge warning, this is also the #1 warning from all manufacturers, DON’T USE EXCESSIVE WATER WHEN CLEANING. This is because it will reduce the floor’s lifespan and damage it quickly beyond repair.

Using A Steam Mop: Our Recommended Method

Using a steam mop to clean laminate floors is the best and most recommended of all methods, this is because it combines all the best elements in a way that works for laminate flooring.

Let’s explain why it can be used on laminate floors.

What Is A Steam Mop?

This might sound silly to those already familiar to steam mops, you can skip this section if you are. For the newcomers, let’s explain more.

A steam mop is a mop-looking device that creates steam by heating water to clean and disinfect surfaces. They are of different varieties, some are geared towards floors, some towards carpets, countertops, bathroom tiles, etc.

Pointing the spotlight to steam mop for laminate floors, they work by filling up the water tank attached to the mop. When the steam cleaner is plugged, the water is heated up to create steam. The steam mop is then pushed around the floor.

Steam mop is the best and they are becoming quite popular because they are easy to use and they disinfect easily.

Here’s a question a lot of people usually ask regarding steam mops, we have short and simple answers for them. Wondering if you can use a steam mop on laminate floor? Yes you can. But Will A Steam Mop Damage Laminate Floors? No, it won’t if used properly.

Here’s a general answer to both questions above. You can use a steam mop on laminate floors when it is compatible but you can’t when it isn’t compatible

Selecting low heat settings and following the manufacturer’s instruction is vital. Applying the wrong steam settings, the released moisture can damage the floor drastically.

Most importantly, if you don’t want to deal with damaged laminate floor, go for quality and avoid investing in cheap generic steam mops. The quality of your steam mops should be the best.

Laminate Floor Care: Things You Should Not Do

If you’re using a vacuum cleaner on laminate floors, avoid using the beater bar type of vacuum cleaners, they can easily cause damage to the floor. Also, avoid corrosive cleaning agents, instead, stick to recommended substance only.

For a long-lasting floor and steam mop, here are some things you should avoid while using a steam mop for laminate floor.

• Avoid plugging your mop without attaching its cloth;
• Avoid keeping a hot steam mop idle;
• Don’t clean a specific spot too long;
• Don’t forget to vacuum before mopping;
• Avoid filling mop’s water tank with other substance
• Don’t continue a cleaning session using a dirty pad or cloth
• Don’t clean your wall with a steam mop;
• Avoid storing your steam mop without cleaning the mop cloth

Vacuum or Mop – Which Is Best For Cleaning Laminate Floors?

They are both good and have their different functions, but when it comes to deep cleaning, the steam mop cleaner is best for dealing with the laminate floors.

That said, you will still find vacuum cleaners without beater bars which can be used on laminate floors.

Our first choice remains the best. LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3101 Laminate Floor steam mop is currently unbeatable.

Natural Cleaner For Laminate Floors

It’s well known that laminate floors are sensitive, hence they demand delicate treatment most especially in terms of treatment. It’s always recommended to use a compatible vacuum or steam mop as this makes the task easier.

However, some natural solutions can be applied on your laminate floor, if appropriately used, it’s proven as an excellent cleaning strategy.

Simply take a combination of water and vinegar in a ratio of 3:1. Add 1 part of liquid detergent in it and mix the combination while it turns into a perfect solution.

Put the solution into a bottle and spray on your laminate flooring, wipe off the dirt using a soft absorbent cloth. Allow the floor to dry with wind or average temperature. This is the best natural way to clean your laminate flooring.

Read: How to repair swollen laminate flooring

How to Remove the Cloudy Look of Laminate Flooring?

Laminate floors are known to be shiny but sometimes it can get dull and cloudy. This happens because you’ve used too many cleaning agents on the laminate flooring.

The best way to avoid this cloudy look is to avoid using too many cleaning products on laminate floors. If your floor is dusty, a cup of white vinegar and a gallon of clean water should do.

How to Prevent Footprints on Laminate Floors

While steam mopping is a good approach to removing footprints from laminate floors, there are other natural measures that can help remove these footprints from your laminated flooring. Get 3-liter of water and 50-ml of vinegar.

Mix the solution and put it in a spray bottle. Spray it directly on the footprint and mop the area using a soft towel, this wipes off the footprint leaving no trace of it.

How to Clean Area Rugs on Laminate Floors?

Cleaning area rugs can be challenging. First off, you need to vacuum the rug, this approach loosens the dust first. Get a carpet cleaner as this will be needed for sucking the dirt from the rug.

Use foam and brush in every possible direction. You can also use shampoo to clean the rug by following the instructions on the shampoo’s label, We’ve written a definitive guide on how to clean area rugs. Do check it out.

Why Should You Use A Steam Mop?

If you are yet to be convinced about getting a steam mop, here are a few benefits that could change your mind.

It Sanitizes

Steam mopping doesn’t only clean your floor, it also sanitizes it. A lot of manufacturers have advertised that their mops are capable of eliminating 99% of bacteria on the surface.

This is possible due to the emission of heat from the steam.

It Is Versatile

Your steam mop isn’t limited to cleaning just your laminate floors, you can also use it to clean hardwood floors, tile floors, mirrors as well as your windows.

There are attachments included for this multifunctional cleaning which can be used for cleaning different surfaces.

It Doesn’t Require Chemicals

The use of chemicals isn’t required for steam cleaning. While the traditional cleaning method requires detergents and cleaners containing harsh chemicals, a steam mop doesn’t require any of that. The heat is enough to kill any germs that come its way.

It Produces A Fresh Scent

The aroma that comes from steam clean is so natural. Remember you don’t have to use any chemical, making it environmentally friendly and saving you money as well. After steam mopping, your home gets this beautiful fresh smell.

It Speeds Up Drying Time

When using the “old school” traditional mop and water method for cleaning the floor, it might take a while before the floor dries. This moisture on the floor can penetrate laminate floors, damage its seal and result in further damage which is beyond repair.

This might not occur immediately but it reduces the lifespan of your floor. Using a steam mop speeds up drying time significantly thereby leaving your floor at no risk.

Note: Before making use of steam mop on your laminate or hardwood floor, ensure that the floors are properly sealed before cleaning. Steam mopping unsealed floors can damage and eventually warp the floorboards.

Conclusion

The best steam mop for laminate floors comes with the necessary features needed for safe cleaning. For example, the LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3101 laminate floor steam mop consists of considerable features such as adjustable heat temperature, microfiber mop attachment for a gentle clean and it’s generally quite easy to use.

With this detailed guide, you should be convinced about the choice of steam mop to make. I’ve been using the LIGHT ‘N’ EASY S3101 for years with no signs of wear on my laminate floor. Go get yours and share your experience with us in the comments.