Whether your home is plagued by muddy footprints, sticky spills or the remnants of Muffin’s dinner, a trusty mop is as much of a household essential as toilet paper. While there are plenty of decent mops out there, few are actually reliable; in fact, over 42% of folks end up replacing their mop at least once a year (and close to 5% replace theirs once per month).
As a cat owner and frequent apartment mover, I’ve certainly had my fair share of lackluster mops. I’ve been a Swiffer Wet Jet devotee for years and have spent more money than I’d care to calculate on packs of single-use wipes (which I’d inevitably breeze through in record speed, as I’d need at least three or four to tackle my entire apartment).
Tired of spending my savings on refill packs, I made it my mission to find a more wallet- and eco-friendly alternative. And after five years and three apartments, I discovered the mop to rule them all. Bonus points: It’s cheaper than Swiffer.
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Leave the bucket in the closet: This lightweight mop can tackle spills, dirt, mud and more. Shoppers say it’s light enough to lift and use on walls, stairs and other surfaces in your home.
At first glance, the O-Cedar ProMist might not look special. It doesn’t come with fancy cleaning solution. It doesn’t have different modes, spin or steam. However, what it does do, it does incredibly well. For starters, it weighs just 2 pounds, which makes it a breeze to carry, especially if you have multiple floors. It also comes with a refillable bottle that you can use with whatever household floor cleaner you prefer (the brand suggests 2 teaspoons of your favorite cleaning solution and filling up the rest with water). In fact, it works well enough without any solution at all; I usually only use water and it gets the job done. I also don’t have to worry about my cat ingesting any harmful chemicals present in many commercial household cleaners, like formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide and, of course, bleach.
The biggest draw for me is the mop head. It’s made of durable microfiber, which easily traps dirt, dust and other nasties. It’s also dual-sided and can be used wet or dry. Once you’re done, just chuck it in the wash and it’ll be ready to get back to work in no time. In fact, it can withstand about 100 washes before you should consider getting a replacement. Take that, Swiffer!
I have been through my fair share of nightmare apartments, and the ProMist has been along for the ride through each one. Its ultimate test came within a few days of me purchasing it. My apartment at the time was above a restaurant, and the pipes somehow connected to their grease trap. One day, I came home to what I believe was old cooking grease on the floor, which is precisely as delightful as it sounds. A plumber eventually came to fix the issue and my cat had an absolute field day, but I was still left with a huge mess to clean. It was a heck of a job, but the Pro-Mist got all the grease off my floors — even the stuff trapped between the floorboards.
Since then, I’ve put the Pro-Mist through its paces. It’s my first line of defense against kitchen spills, pet-related messes, mud and general dirt and dust. I’ve also purchased several mop pad replacements, though not because of wear-and-tear — mostly, I just don’t want to be without a pad while one is in the wash.
It also gets the job done quickly, thanks to an extra-large pad and an easily maneuverable head. Any awkward angles in my home are no problem; it just swivels around furniture, my cat’s food bowls and any other obstacles in its way. My only minor complaint is with the spray trigger, which might pose a challenge for those with limited dexterity.
I’m in good company: Nearly 31,600 shoppers give this mop a perfect five-star review.
“Great companion for my new Roomba S9+,” shared one shopper. “My polished concrete floors are the cleanest they’ve ever been. Finally, I can go barefoot in my house!”
Don’t love to clean? This mop just might help change your mind, as it did with this shopper: “I don’t mind mopping anymore,” they shared. “I pretty much had a cleaning lady because I disliked mopping so much. This makes mopping a breeze!”
While shoppers don’t suggest using the Pro-Mist for a comprehensive deep clean, it’s great for touch-ups or controlled messes, like spilled coffee on your kitchen tiles or footprints on your hardwood.
“I find [when] my kitchen floor needs a very deep clean, the microfiber can’t scrub that mess up,” shared one shopper. “But for everyday cleanup, this mop is great. Love that I can wash the microfiber piece after using it!”
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The mop even comes with a tiny measuring cup so you can get the perfect ratio of cleaning solution to water. Not only do you save on mopping pads, but you’ll get the most bang for your buck on your go-to floor cleaner.
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
