Steam Mop to Cut Water and Chemical Use

Regular mopping can waste a lot of water and because it’s hard to get a bucket of mop water hot enough to be super efficient, you may be inclined to use harsh cleaners in your mop water. An option beyond a typical mop is a steam cleaning mop. However, there are pros and cons.

Pros of steam cleaning mops:

• Use less water than traditional mops.
• Because the steamy water cleans well, you won’t need chemical cleaners. Just your mop and H2O.
• No messy wringing out.
• Can be used to clean tiles, wood, marble, slate, and more.

Cons of steam cleaning mops:

• Take more resources to make than a small traditional mop.
• Very few are made with recycled materials.
• Most have ongoing costs – such as the replaceable pads that go on the mop’s end.

How to choose a more eco-friendly steam mop:

1. Look for the lightest model you can without sacrificing strength (fewer materials). The steam mop should heat water in 60 seconds or less and have a good warranty.
2. If you can, look for a steam mop made with eco-friendly or recycled materials and one that’s made by a company with eco-ethics. There are a few like this, see below.
3. Skip the pads that most companies sell and use a reusable, washable microfiber cloth or other washable towel as the mop instead.

Steam mops to consider:

• Bissell Steam Mop – chemical free cleaning (hot steam only), reusable, washable microfiber pads, and packaging made from a minimum of 75% recycled materials.
• HAAN SI35 Upright Slim Steam Mop
• Shark Steam Mop – read a review.