Steam Mops Save Water & Cut Chemical Use

Regular mopping is a big waste of water because of the constant dirt you’re slinging into the bucket (chagning out the water). It’s also not very efficient because you simply can’t keep a bucket of mop water hot enough to be a super efficient cleaner. With this in mind, folks tend to add chemical cleaners to their bucket of mop water.

In many cases a greener option (beyond a typical mop) is a steam cleaning mop which will get super hot and does save water. However, there are pros and cons.

Pros of steam cleaning mops:

• Use less water than traditional mops.
• Very hot steamy water cleans well so you won’t feel the urge to use chemical cleaners.
• Less work for you – i.e. no changing buckets of water and no wringing out gross mops.
• Can be used to safely clean all types of floors; tiles, wood, marble, slate, and more.

Cons of steam cleaning mops:

• Traditional mops are smaller and take fer materials and resources to manufacture.
• Very few steam mops are made with recycled materials.
• Unlike regular old fashioned mops, there can be ongoing costs – such as the replaceable pads that go on the mop’s end or replaceable water filters.

Choose a greener steam mop:

• Look for the lightest steam mop model you can – lighter = fewer materials.
• A good typical model should heat water in 60 seconds or less and have a good warranty.
• There are a few companies making steam mop with eco-friendly or recycled materials so search around before you buy.
• If your steam mop needs a specific brand of mop pad, try using a reusable, washable microfiber cloth or other washable towel as the mop top instead. This will save money and resources.

One good brand is the HAAN SI-35 Upright Slim Steam Mop (shown above) which cleans sans chemicals and comes with reusable pads vs. non-reusable.