Best Microfiber Mops

Buying guide for Best microfiber mops

Microfiber mops make quick work of daily dirt, spills, and dust, and they’re now found in several designs and systems to make your life easier. They come with or without a bucket or a built-in sprayer, and some have a triangular head to reach deep into corners. The options continue to grow every year.

Before buying, take a good look at how and where you’ll be using the mop. Most microfiber mops work on any type of flooring, including hardwood. However, if you have spaces that are hard to reach or lots of spills from pets or kids, you need to consider different designs than someone who’ll mostly be dust mopping.

Our guide takes you through the key considerations like the different mop heads and mopping systems. We also dive into the features to watch for, including a telescoping handle, pad attachment, and bucket design. When you’re ready to buy a new microfiber mop, check out our favorites, too.

There’s no set rule for how often you should mop. Your best bet is to go with the old “mop when the floor looks dirty” method. For some people, that could be every couple weeks. For a busy home full of kids and pets, it could be twice a week.

Key considerations

Mop head shape

The shape of the mop head makes a difference in how and what the mop cleans best. There are three basic shapes: rectangle (flat), triangle, and round.

• Rectangle: A rectangular mop head, also called a flat mop head, is a popular shape. This shape covers the maximum amount of square footage with each stroke, and if the mop head is on a swivel, it can easily work around furniture and into corners. On the downside, this shape doesn’t always get deep into corners because the pressure from the handle gives the middle of the mop a cleaning advantage.

• Triangle: Triangular mop heads reach deep into corners, getting places that a flat mop head might miss. These typically have a rag or fringe design to get farther into those tough-to-reach areas.

• Round: Rag mops have round heads. We cover rag mop heads below. This traditional design works best for spills or stains that need heavy scrubbing.

Mop system

A mop system includes everything about the mop itself and any additional tools needed for cleaning. The kind of system you need depends on how much floor space you want to clean, the type of flooring, and the layout of the area. The most common mop systems include wringable, bucketless, and, charging.

• Wringable: A wringable system requires you to wring the water manually from the pad or mop head. Some mops include a bucket with a wringing device, while others need to be wrung out by hand and require a bucket to be purchased separately. These mop systems might include several pads or mop heads so you can swap a dirty one for a clean one.

• Bucketless: A bucketless system includes a disinfectant spray dispenser mounted to the mop. These all-in-one systems are easy to use and eliminate the need to drag around a bucket. However, the spray bottle is typically small, which means you’ll have to refill or replace it often if you have a large area to clean. These systems are best for spot cleaning rather than taking on an entire house worth of dirt and grime.

• Charging: Charging systems are for serious moppers. These systems have a bucket/container into which you load several mop pads (some hold as many as 20) and then fill the bucket with a cleaning solution. Once the working pad gets dirty, a new one can be pulled out of the bucket where it’s already “charged” and ready to clean. As you can imagine, charging systems are used in large institutions, daycare centers, and other places where cross-contamination could be an issue. If you have lots of square footage to cover, this kind of system might be right for you.

Microfiber mop features

Pad/head types

Each mop has a specific type of pad it can use. Some might be compatible with more than one, such as a fringed pad and a dust pad, while others might only be compatible with one type. Some mops come packaged with more than one type of pad or head, offering extra versatility.

• Fringed: These mop pads have varying lengths of microfiber. Some are short, which gives them extra scrubbing power, while others are long, providing extra surface area for absorption and allowing them to reach into corners. Some pads have a mix of short microfiber on the body of the pad and longer at the edges to catch dust and debris. Other pads are composed entirely of long strands of microfiber, giving them a fringed appearance and making them highly absorbent.

• Rag: These mops have multiple thick strips of microfiber in long loops. They look like the white cotton rag mops used to clean high school cafeterias. These mops have a built-in attachment mechanism so the head can be changed out when it gets dirty. These mops have a lot of absorbent surface area and work well for soaking up spills and scrubbing stains.

• Dust: Dust pads are made of a very soft microfiber that is absorbent like other mop pads but designed to pick up dust. Some mops include a dust pad to clean up surface dirt before using a fringed head to wet mop the floor.

Pad attachment and replacement

The heads or pads on most microfiber mops are designed to be quickly and easily replaced. There are several different attachment methods, including Velcro, slots, straps, and built-in connectors.

• Velcro: Some mop pads attach to the mop with Velcro. This method is quick to remove and replace. However, the longevity of the mop depends on the quality of the Velcro.

• Slots: Some mop heads have slots on the top side into which you tuck each corner of the microfiber pad. This method isn't as quick to replace as a Velcro system, and the pad may come off if you mop hard enough, but there's no risk of the slots wearing out.

• Straps: These models have microfiber pads with Velcro straps that secure to one another on the top of the mop head. Depending on the quality of the Velcro, this style can last longer than those that put direct pressure on the Velcro itself. However, like those with slot attachments, these pads take longer to remove and replace.

• Elastic: Pads with elastic edges hug the mop head to stay in place. This style comes off easily so it’s not the best for tough scrubbing.

• Built-in connectors: Rather than relying on a replaceable microfiber pad, a built-in connector allows the entire mop head to be removed. Many come with at least one extra head, while others require you to buy an extra head separately.

Rotating mop head

Mop heads that swivel 360° allow you to maneuver around furniture and into corners. Some high-end, professional designs have a mechanism that locks the swivel in place for dry mopping.

Telescoping handle

Adjustable, telescoping handles let you choose a comfortable length. This is especially important for households where more than one person will be doing the mopping. For most people, a handle at about chin height provides a comfortable and effective length.

Bucket

You might think that a bucket is a bucket, but some mops come with a bucket that has extra features. Buckets with wheels are easier to pull or push around the house. Others have a wringer or draining feature to remove water from the mop head without having to wring the mop by hand.

Machine washable pads/heads

Microfiber is machine washable so the mop pads can simply be thrown in the washing machine. However, mop heads with built-in connectors might not be machine washable, so read the care instructions first.

Built-in dispenser

This feature is only found on bucketless mop systems. The dispenser might be mounted to the mop handle or a small sprayer on the mop head itself. While these designs can save you time, the dispenser isn't usually big enough to cover a large area unless the mop also includes several replacement dispensers. You can supplement with a bucket if you don’t want to refill the dispenser.

Microfiber mop prices

Inexpensive

Microfiber mops start at around $20. At this price, you'll find flat and round mops with varying types of attachment features. Bucketless systems with built-in dispensers and rag mops are common as well. Some models have a replacement pad or head while others don't. Buckets aren’t usually included in this price range.

Mid-range

Most microfiber mops – flat, round, triangle, bucketless, wringable – fall in the $20 to $50 range. These mops come with several pads of differing types and/or a bucket. The buckets might have a mechanism for removing water and debris. These models can have heads with built-in connectors or have replaceable microfiber pads that attach with either Velcro, slots, or straps.

Expensive

Microfiber mops with a charging system start at around $50, but commercial models can cost well over $200. These include a bucket for charging and several replacement pads.

Tips

• Remove surface dust and dirt first. Before mopping, make sure the floor has been cleared, swept, or vacuumed. All that gunk would fill your mop in no time. Save the mop head for the wet work.

• Wet the microfiber pad or head before mopping. A dry pad will simply soak up water or cleaning solution if it's not wet first. Without water, the pad can leave streaks as well.

• Start in the corner of the room farthest from the door. Walk backward using a figure-eight motion. If the mop leaves streaks, the pad is either too dry or you're using too much cleaner. You can try again by rewetting the pad and/or using only water.

Short-fringed pads work well on laminate and hardwood floors, while pads with longer fibers reach into the cracks and crevices of tile and some types of vinyl.

FAQ

Q. Do microfiber mops work better on certain types of flooring?

A. Microfiber mops work on almost any flooring, including vinyl, tile, hardwood, and laminate. Short fringed pads work better on hardwood and laminate, while longer loop mops work into the seams of tile and vinyl. If you use a cleaner with the mop, be sure to check the label to make sure that it won't damage your flooring.

Q. Do I have to use a cleaning solution with my mop?

A. One of the great benefits of microfiber is its ability to clean on its own. The majority of your cleaning can probably be done with water, so you don't have to use a cleaner if you don't want to. However, you can also use a water, vinegar, or soap solution for deep cleaning or a commercial cleaning solution if you prefer.

Q. Why is microfiber so good at picking up dirt and absorbing liquids?

A. Microfiber is typically made of either nylon, polyester, or polypropylene. Each fiber of the mop has split ends, which allows it to collect more dust and debris than your average mop. It's also highly absorbent, so you can do the same amount of cleaning with less water.