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How do you clean dirty tile floors?
If you’ve ever tried steaming them, you’ve seen how easy it is to get them spotless.
Don’t worry, steam mops don’t damage tile if it’s sealed.
Plus, they’re one of the best cleaning solutions for ceramic tile.
That’s why today we’re going to talk about the best steam mops for tile floors and grout.
Benefits of Steam Cleaning
When you steam clean, you sanitize the surface without the need for harsh chemicals. Just 15 seconds of continuous steam effectively kills the most percentage of germs and bacteria.
Cleaning with steam doesn’t leave residue or streaks. It saves you money because you don’t need to buy cleaning products to dissolve soap scum or grease.
Persons with allergies appreciate the lack of fumes and odors.
And pet owners love how easily steam mops clean up messes.
After you’re done using the steam mop, just throw the pads into the wash.
How Often Can You Steam Mop Tile Floors?
You can steam mop a sealed tile floor as often as you need. It doesn’t matter if it’s once a day or once a week.
If you’re not sure that your tile is sealed, check with the manufacturer or another knowledgeable person.
One quick trick to help you confirm is to place a couple of drops of water on the surface and wait 5 minutes. If the water sinks in, then your tile is not sealed.
The Best Way to Steam Mop Tile Floors
To begin steam cleaning, move obstacles out of the way. Then give your floor a thorough vacuuming as a tile vacuum picks up more debris and dust than a broom can.
Remember to dust the baseboards as well.
Install the pads and add water to the steam mop as the directions indicate.
If you’re floor cleaning more than one small room, have extra clean pads available so that you can swap when needed.
Once you turn on the steamer, it takes up to 30 seconds to heat the water. In general, your model should have some indicator to tell you when it’s ready.
Most steam mops are lightweight enough that you can even use them to deep clean vertical walls in the shower, for example (1).
The Cons to Using a Steam Mop
Steam mops aren’t for everyone. For example, young children that want to help with the chores could burn themselves.
To avoid injury, always unplug your steam mop and let it cool for a bit before changing the pad.
Also, you’ll need more than one mop pad on hand. The pads are necessary to remove the grime that the steam loosens (2).
Every so often, you may want to use a tile floor cleaner to mop without steam.
Now let’s review the top rated steam mops for tile and grout cleaning issues.
13 Best Steam Mops for Tile Floors (2022 Update)
Bissell Powerfresh Deluxe Steam Mop, Steamer, Tile Cleaner, 1806
Bissell tested their Powerfresh steam mop under laboratory conditions to see how many microbes it eliminated. The results were stunning: the surface was 99.9% germ-free.
But it doesn’t just sanitize; it also gets rid of soap scum, grease, and grime.
Besides ceramic tile, you can use it on other sealed surfaces like linoleum, granite, marble, and even hardwood (although we don’t recommend that last one).
The steam mop is ready to use in 29 seconds after you turn it on. It comes with a measuring cup for filling the water tank.
Another benefit we appreciated is the 25-foot cord for power. It’s long enough than most steam mops to cover medium-sized rooms without switching outlets.
If you use fragrance discs, they scent the air while you work. And the swivel steering simplifies navigating around furniture.
If you’re wondering what the differences are between the Bissell Powerfresh Steam Mop Deluxe and similar models, the Deluxe has a scrub brush for scrubbing stuck on stains. Overall it’s an excellent steam mop for tile floors.
Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off Pet Steamer, Tile Cleaner, 1544A Steam Mop
Bissell Powerfresh Lift-Off separates into a handheld steamer, which is very convenient for stairs and furniture. You can use the included squeegee to do your windows.
This pet-friendly model comes with 13 tools for a variety of surfaces. Besides what we already mentioned, it has a grout tool, a fabric steamer, and other accessories for sanitizing pet toys and carriers, as well as your microwave and countertops.
Just like the Deluxe model, you can add a fragrance disk to refresh the air in your home.
The sheer convenience of this steam mop with all of its many accessories make it valuable for every family, not just ones with pets. It’s both a steamer and a mop. At this price point, it’s a fantastic deal.
— The Team’s take
Bissell PowerEdge Lift Off, Tile Cleaner, Steam Mop 20781
You’re starting to see that Bissell is a power player in the steam mop market. Their PowerEdge tile cleaner has a triangle foot and swivel steering that’s ideal for cleaning corners and edges.
Another benefit is that it detaches so that you have a handheld steamer, too. It comes with a grout tool and a scrub brush for stovetops, and more. You control the amount of steam by the amount of pressure you exert on the trigger.
Bissell Symphony Pet Steam Mop and Steam Vacuum Cleaner for Tile Floors, 1543A
Besides its appearance, what are the differences between the Symphony steam mop and the PowerEdge and Powerfresh models?
For one, the Symphony is a steam vacuum. Instead of going over your floor with a regular vacuum, then switching to a steam mop, this machine does it all.
Fortunately, it has a hands-free easy-empty dirt tank and both disposable and washable pads. That’s good news for those of us who gag while cleaning hair off beater bars. The dirt tank stays dry, too.
The Symphony is easy to use in a steam mode in just 24 seconds.
Moreover, with every purchase of a pet-related product, Bissell donates money to care for abandoned animals.
BISSELL Crosswave Pet Pro Vacuum Cleaner and Mop, 2306A
The Bissell Crosswave is a wet-dry vacuum cleaner and mop all-in-one. It scrubs, mops, and vacuums hard floors at the same time.
Although it’s not a steam mop for tile floors, we included it here because it’s a top-rated product. If you’re hesitant about steam-cleaning but want to save time, this is a good choice.
Some of the benefits include a tangle-free brush roller, a strainer to separate pet hair from the liquid, and the ability to use a specialized pet cleaning solution that eliminates odors.
Shark Steam Pocket Mop Hard Floor Cleaner (S3501)
Let’s move on to Shark. They aren’t as well-represented as Bissell in the case of steam mops, but they have a hard-core fan base.
The Pocket Mop runs on tap water and has a 25-foot-long power cord. It’s ready to use in 30 seconds. Some users love that they don’t need to hold the trigger to use it.
The box includes two washable microfiber pads.
Shark Genius Hard Floor Cleaning System Pocket Steam Mop (S5003D)
The Shark Genius has benefits over the base model for regular users.
For one, it offers three settings to control the amount of steam. That’s handy when you need to blast away stuck-on messes.
And second, the Touch-Free Technology lets you press a button to release the mop pad straight into your washing machine.
O-Cedar Microfiber Steam Mop with 1 Extra Refill
For those on a budget, O-Cedar has an inexpensive steam mop that comes with two pads. All you need to do is add water and plug it in.
There are adjustable steam settings that make it friendly for cleaning a variety of surfaces. Plus, it’s ready to use in only 20 seconds.
The company tested it on E. coli bacteria and found that it was able to kill 99. 9% of it.
Since it has a triangle-shaped head, it fits into corners and cleans well along edges.
Furthermore, it comes with a carpet glider that snaps onto the bottom. While this mop won’t deep-clean your carpet, it will “refresh” it.
Dirt Devil Steam Mop 3-in-1 Versa Steam Cleaner PD20100
Dirt Devil also sells a budget-priced steam mop. It has swivel steering and a wedge-shaped head.
If you pop on the Carpet Glide Attachment, you can freshen up your rugs. Additionally, the kit includes a steam tip attachment for crevices. That’s because you can separate the steamer from the handle to clean hard to reach areas like vertical surfaces.
When you’re done cleaning, toss the microfiber pad into the wash and remove the handle for compact storage.
Smart Living Steam Mop Plus
One of the more costly steam mops we discovered is this one from Smart Living. It maintains the steam at 230°F to ensure that you sanitized your floors.
Some users have also cleaned bedding, carpeting, and showers with this tool.
Be sure to use only distilled water to keep the mop in top condition.
TACKLIFE Steam Mop 2 in 1 Floor Steamer and Hand-held Steam Cleaner
TACKLIFE offers a one-month free trial and a 2-year warranty on their steam mop. It strives to be your all-around solution for steam-cleaning your home.
The package includes microfiber pads, scrub brushes, a window attachment, and various nozzles.
You aren’t required to use distilled water as it comes with a foam filter to reduce limescale. Also, you can use detergent to fragrance surfaces.
McCulloch MC1385 Deluxe Canister Steam System
McCulloch’s Canister Steam System isn’t a mop at all. Instead, it’s a full-blown steamer with a 2-quart water tank and a mop attachment.
On the downside, it takes up to 12 minutes to heat the water to over 200°F. But then it runs for 2 hours of continuous steam. At the maximum setting, you’ll get 58 PSI of pressure to blast away baked-on grease from a grill.
Since it’s so powerful, it’s a good idea to wear protective gear when using this tool. You wouldn’t want to burn yourself on the vapor or end up with particles flying into your eyes.
The package includes 23 accessories, including a floor mop. It’s useful for mopping floors, scrubbing shower stalls, refreshing the carpet, cleaning the windows, and cleaning upholstery.
Wagner Spraytech C900134.M SteamMachine Elite Multi-Purpose Mop
Wagner’s multi-purpose mop has a triangle-shaped pad that works on vinyl, marble, granite, concrete, and even carpet. It comes with a carpet glider so that you can steam away dust mites, dirt and grime and removes stains.
The package comes with 20 accessories to take care of various surfaces in every room in the house. All the accessories store onboard the machine or in the included accessory bag.
Once you fill it with water and plug it in, it takes about 8 minutes to heat up and build pressure. But then it delivers steam at 290°F with up to 55 psi. Therefore, plan on using protective gear!
The main con to this steamer is the short power cord. It’s only 16 feet long. But on the other hand, the steam hose is six feet long, and the tank holds up to 40 ounces of distilled water.
Conclusion
Steam-cleaning tile floors is beneficial because it sanitizes the surface which dries quickly.
If you’re sitting on the fence about whether to buy a steam mop, ask a friend who has one to let you borrow it. We’re certain you’ll love the experience.
We’d love to know which mop you got today and how it’s working for you. Please leave us a comment below.
Resources:
1. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/steam-clean-ceramic-tile-36668.html by Cecilia Harsch, accessed 24 June 2019
2. https://www.cleanipedia.com/gb/in-the-home/steam-cleaning-tips-for-your-home.html accessed 24 June 2019
