The Best Steam Mops for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker
Published on
August 20th, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Adam has a passion for cleaning from his youth growing up in England, and he has carried it with him to the US. Adam’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the Advanced System Cleaning specialist (For HVAC cleaning / ductwork), through NADCA (this is the highest certification that NADCA has), as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Adam has either advised, consulted, or done research with dozens of cleaning and cleaning related business entities. Adam holds an undergraduate degree from Oxford, a Master’s degree from Oxford, and a Master’s degree from Harvard Business School.

The Cleaning Institute

Steam mops are an essential household item to own if you are a pet owner with hard floors. The mops are revolutionary because they don’t use any soap or harsh chemicals on the flooring material, so you don’t have to worry about your pet accidentally ingesting something they shouldn’t. But these mops don’t compromise their effectiveness by ditching chemicals; they will quickly pick up whatever mess your pet leaves behind.

Testing Categories

Cleaning is a constant and essential activity in every household because the overall cleanliness of a house reflects on a person’s character. The basic tools for cleaning consists of brooms, mops, and brushes which have continuously evolved in recent times so products are developed for the most effective cleaning with minimal effort and time consumption. One of the newest trends in cleaning materials is the steam cleaner, which has multiple functions such as washing, scrubbing, and drying combined in one convenient apparatus for cleaning any surface in your home.

Top Pick

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,
Detachable Handheld
Steam Cleaner

The LIGHT ‘N’ EASY steam mop delivers powerful steam and can detach to become a handheld steamer. This means you can easily reach around furniture and your dog to clean whatever mess you're aiming for.

Price Check

The LIGHT ‘N’ EASY steam mop delivers powerful steam and can detach to become a handheld steamer. Three different settings are available.

Most notable upside: The Light ‘N’ Easy can be used on ceramic, stone, vinyl, and laminate and reaches 230 degrees to remove pet dander, muddy pawprints, or sticky remnants from tipped over food bowls.

Biggest downsides: The handheld section doesn’t lift as much dirt as our testers expected, and the floor version proved to be more effective.

Honorable Mention

BISSELL
PowerFresh
Steam Mop

The BISSELL PowerFresh Steam Mop cleans and sanitizes sealed hard floors and can eliminate 99.9% of germs

Price Check

The BISSELL PowerFresh Steam Mop cleans and sanitizes sealed hard floors and can eliminate 99.9% of germs with the use of natural steam. Low, medium, and high settings are available.

Most notable upside: With BISSELL’s swivel steering and a 23 power cord, this steam mop is easy to use and navigate throughout the house.

Biggest downsides: The steam mop is prone to leaving trails of water that doesn’t dry quickly, which can be hazardous, especially if your pet is out and about.

Green Pick

Shark Steam Pocket
Mop Hard
Floor Cleaner

The Sharm Steam Mop includes a 25-foot cord and kills up to 99.9% of germs. It delivers powerful steam in under 30 seconds

Price Check

The Sharm Steam Mop includes a 25-foot cord and kills up to 99.9% of germs. It delivers powerful steam in under 30 seconds and has a natural mopping motion for ease of use.

Most notable upside: The Shark mop is lightweight and easy to push with a soft-grip handle, and includes two washable microfiber pads.

Biggest downsides: The microfiber pads included don’t hold up well to frequent use and have fibers that begin to fall out over time.

All Our Picks

STEAM MOPS

Cleaning is a constant and essential activity in every household because the overall cleanliness of a house reflects on a person’s character. The basic tools for cleaning consists of brooms, mops, and brushes which have continuously evolved in recent times so products are developed for the most effective cleaning with minimal effort and time consumption. One of the newest trends in cleaning materials is the steam cleaner, which has multiple functions such as washing, scrubbing, and drying combined in one convenient apparatus for cleaning any surface in your home.

Steam cleaners, also called steam mops, are lightweight electronic tools which use water in the form of steam to clean dirt and debris off sealed floors. The water is usually heated in the reservoir to a temperature of 121°C, the standard for killing most microorganisms and the steam is ejected through a jet situated underneath a detachable mop pad which covers the head. The purpose of the steam and mop pad is to loosen up and siphon off dirt so that you can clean surfaces without using cleaning detergents with harmful chemicals and it will dry off quickly and will not leave any streaks on the surface. Steam mops come in different types with different features and it is important to evaluate the variety of this apparatus to know the best fit for your cleaning needs.

TYPES

Dry Steam

This is the more common type of steam mop because it can be used to clean a wide range of surfaces. It uses an integrated boiler to heat waters at temperatures ranging from 115-140°C. The hot steam produced by this type of mop facilitates heavy-duty cleaning suitable for tightly packed grime and dirt stuck on tiles, wood, and laminates.

Wet Steam

Also called cool steam, the water used in this type does not boil so more water is needed. To aid the steam in cleaning, the surface is saturated with water and a vacuum action is incorporated to eliminate excess water. This is recommended to use for carpets and other surfaces which are not sensitive to excessive moisture.

FEATURES

Pressure

High pressure steam mops use dry steam for a deeper and more sanitary cleaning. The maximum pressure is measured in psi and quality steam mops can reach as high as 50 psi. There are usually gauges with dials or buttons attached to the device to monitor and adjust the pressure to the optimal range.

Water Tank

The size of the water tank determines how long your steam mop will last. A regular water tank should be able to clean for at least 30-45 minutes without interruptions and the best brands have a removable reservoir for easy fill. A large water tank will last longer but will take longer to fill so it is recommended for cleaning large surfaces. Cylinder and vapor steam cleaners use this type of tank. Small water tanks are easy to fill and heat up for light and quick cleaning which is common for handheld steam cleaners.

Style

All steam mops have disposable or detachable microfiber mop pads which are important for siphoning off dirt. These pads can be very troublesome to wash and may cause delays in cleaning due to the excessive grime and dirt buildup. There are two mop styles: one sided and two sided cleaning. One sided cleaning is for small steam cleaner types. Two sided style is recommended for thorough cleaning because you would not need to shut down the device just to replace the mop pads. Some designs have a hands-free drop system so you can just drop off the dirty pad on the laundry without contact.

BRANDS

Bisell

This brand is renowned for its top quality vacuum cleaners and now they have expanded into steam mops. Bisell produces affordable steam mops which come in different varieties which can be ready to use in about 30 seconds. Its Powerfresh series is currently on the top selling mops on the market but its drawbacks are usually about the considerable amount of leftover water after cleaning.

Shark

Shark’s biggest selling point is its versatility. It has a high velocity steam blasting and each model features double sided cleaning for sealed hard floors. It offers direct steam over the surface which is adjustable to suit the type of surface you will use the mop on. Shark models are easy to navigate with a sturdy construction, with a downside of being less effective on tile.

McCullough

The McCullough brand is well known for heavy duty type of cleaning. Its best product is a canister steam cleaner with an extra-large tank that garners around 48 psi of pressure and temperatures of up to 200°C from 5-15 minutes of heating time.

Sienna

This brand has a wide variety of steam cleaners: handheld, steam mops, canister, and vapor steam cleaners. It is recommended for first time users and consumers with small rooms for minor clean ups. Its later model can heat up to 212°C allowing it to dry faster than most products.

The Best Steam Mops for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,
Detachable Handheld
Steam Cleaner

BISSELL
PowerFresh
Steam Mop

Shark Steam Pocket
Mop Hard
Floor Cleaner

All Our Picks

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,
Detachable Handheld
Steam Cleaner

BISSELL
PowerFresh
Steam Mop

Shark Steam Pocket
Mop Hard
Floor Cleaner

STEAM MOPS

TYPES

FEATURES

BRANDS

Quick Links

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The Best Steam Mops for Pet Owners

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Adam Barker

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,Detachable HandheldSteam Cleaner

BISSELLPowerFreshSteam Mop

Shark Steam PocketMop Hard Floor Cleaner

All Our Picks

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,Detachable HandheldSteam Cleaner

BISSELLPowerFreshSteam Mop

Shark Steam PocketMop Hard Floor Cleaner

STEAM MOPS

TYPES

FEATURES

BRANDS

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,
Detachable Handheld
Steam Cleaner

BISSELL
PowerFresh
Steam Mop

Shark Steam Pocket
Mop Hard
Floor Cleaner

LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop,
Detachable Handheld
Steam Cleaner

BISSELL
PowerFresh
Steam Mop

Shark Steam Pocket
Mop Hard
Floor Cleaner