Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors 2022: 8 Safe Cleaners
For sparkling clean laminate wood flooring – without the need for chemical cleaners, steam mops are the answer.
Here in this article we’ve rounded up 8 of the best steam mops for laminate floors of various types, specifications, and budget. Below, you’ll find in-depth reviews of each, as well as an elaborate buying guide.
Using hot steam to remove grime or pet accidents from your laminate floor, steam mops claim to work without the need for traditional floor-cleaning formulas, but still remove tough, dried-on stains along with everyday dust and dirt.
Plus, because the steam reaches high temperatures, these mops can sanitize and disinfect germy areas like bathroom floors and pet spaces, with just a few slow passes. Although, we highly recommend using steam mop on its lowest steam temperature setting while cleaning your laminate floors.
Can You Use a Steam Mop on Laminate Floors?
This is one of the major doubts that every customer who has a laminated flooring asks quite often before buying a steam mop for laminate floors. Well, the answer to it is – Yes you can!!!
There is also a misconception that a steam mop causes the floor to swell up or even crack open, and many such possible negative thoughts.
We believe if you use those regular cleaning devices such as ordinary mops and other cleaning agents to wipe those laminated floors again and again, all the above nightmares would anyway come to life. But there is a difference between opting for regular mops, chemicals or brushes and a best steam mop for laminate wood floors.
You only need to follow the following two steps to make sure that steam mop is safe for your laminate flooring:
- Make sure that the steam mop is at the lowest setting before turning it ‘On’, then launch it and swipe along the floors swiftly and evenly.
- Do not hold the steam mop over a particular area for long durations as too much heat exposure can harm the coating on the surface.
That’s it! Now you have managed to clean your laminate flooring without harming it.
Why do we especially recommend using a steam mop for laminate flooring?
As we discussed before, -There is a BIG difference in cleaning with an ordinary mop and a best rated steam mop for laminate floors.
With an ordinary mop – when high water content enters through the gaps in the fibreboards it may lead to surface fading and decolorization.
An ordinary mop doesn’t allow you to control the water content as you dip it in the bucket full of water and swipe on the floor.
Cleaning this way exposes the floor to too much dampness. The repeated exposure to a lot of moisture may lead to long term damage.
Steam mops on the other hand are the better, safer, alternative option.
With a steam mop – You have control.
When a steam mop is used on laminate flooring, steam soothes over the laminated floor, cleaning off the dirt and only a tiny amount of leftover moisture is present which can not cause any harm.
More importantly – It is a chemical-free sanitation method that can kill about 99% of all the germs on the floors.
We highly recommend – buying a steam mop that produces very little moisture so that possible chances of potential harm to the laminated floor is very much less.
Hence all the models included in our list of best steam mops for laminate wood floors leave the least amount of residual moisture on the floor.
Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors
When we tested steam mops, we evaluated them for how quickly they heat up, how much steam they produce, how well they remove dried-on sticky and greasy messes from laminate wood flooring , how much leftover moisture it produced, how quickly the floor dries after cleaning and how easy they are to fill, use and store. Here are our favorite steam mops for laminate floors:
All the models on our list are especially for you if you are a pet owner and have laminate floors in your home.
Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors
BISSELL PowerFresh Steam Mop
Bissell is known for its floor care cleaning products, and this is one of their more popular steam mops. Does the PowerFresh steam mop have what it takes to pass our tests on laminate floors?
The Bissell PowerFresh steam mop has what seems to be the standard steam mop design. It looks much like a stick vacuum but cleans by creating hot steam to sanitize and clean.
The generated steam does not get as hot as some of its competitors and, therefore, it is one of the best steam mop suited for laminate floors.
This BISSELL weighs just 6 pounds, and is easy to assemble, use and store. This steam mop cleans for a long time, also the refill process is so easy with this one.
The removable tank means you don’t have to take the whole mop over to the faucet when it is time for more water. You can quickly fill the tank, and pick up where you left off.
The mop head is rectangular and a generous 12.5 inches wide. It’s low profile and will fit under most cupboards.
It does reach into corners and the pad is puffy enough that with a little wiggling around you’ll get most of the debris in the corners. You can certainly get right up along the edge of your baseboards.
The pads themselves are made from a special brand of microfiber that is antimicrobial so you don’t get that old mop smell from them. They’re also machine washable.
The soft pad is the one you’d use for regular use and the scrubby pad is for tough jobs although using the scrubby one for daily use shouldn’t damage your laminate wood floors anyway.
The PowerFresh comes with a carpet glider. The carpet glider can be attached to the bottom of the Bissell PowerFresh to help the mop smoothly glide across carpets when steam cleaning.
Pros:
- Light-weight
- Easy to assemble (snaps into place and one screw to tighten)
- Produces low heat steam (best for laminate floors)
- Comes with a flip-down scrubber that helps to lift stuck on messes while mopping.
Cons:
- Struggles with cleaning up large liquid messes.
- Cord length is shorter than its competitors.
- No cooling pad
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Also Read
Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors & Carpet
LIGHT 'N' EASY Steam Mop
The corded Light n’ Easy Steam Mop makes steam cleaning your floor a very pleasant and simple chore.
The mop is perfect for cleaning tile or hardwood, as well as laminate, vinyl, stone, linoleum, ceramic, grout, marble, granite, and all other sealed floors and carpeting.
This mop is very easy to use, and with a weight of less than 4 pounds you will have no problems carrying it around while cleaning, as well as easily storing it away when you are done.
It is also very easy to set up. You can get the steam mop ready to clean your floor in no time.
All you need to do is attach the triple-layered microfiber pad to the mop head using the secure fastening strips it is equipped with.
Then, twist open the small knob at the top of the tank and pour water into the tank until it reaches the fill line.
The Light and Easy has an ergonomic handle for easy pushing and pulling. Directly below the handle, on the rear side of the mop, is a cord wrap, which allows users to store the cord neatly when the mop is not being used. Along the front side of the unit is a water tank, which is also considered the main body of the steam mop.
The unit is small but powerful enough to produce steam with temperatures of about 175 degrees Fahrenheit, which kills 99% of all microbes.
One cleaning pad is included with the Light & Easy. This pad is washable and can be reused numerous times before needing to be replaced.
The steam mop doesn’t have a switch and will stop steaming automatically as soon as you let go of the handle, which will help prevent accidental burns of your kids or pets, as well as will protect your flooring and furniture from damage.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Budget-friendly
- Ergonomic design has a soft-grip
- Easy maneuverability
- It can clean hard-to-reach messes in corners and crevices
Cons:
- Struggles with thicker, set in stains on your hard floors.
- This steam mop has a small water tank.
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Best Heavy Duty Steam Mop For Laminate Floors
Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner
The Dupray’s design and built is compact and lightweight to allow ease of carrying and better portability.
With a minimalist look and very few buttons on the surface, it makes it a very user-friendly and an easy to use steam mop.
This steam cleaner can easily remove stains, grease, and dirt while getting rid of 99.9 percent of mold, bedbugs, pathogens, viruses, bacteria, and other undesirables from any type of bathrooms, car interiors, kitchen appliances, furniture and floors.
The Dupray Neat Steam Cleaner has a substantial tank capacity of 54 oz., which allows continuous steaming up to 50 minutes at a minimum.
It comes with 18 pieces of accessories and attachments.
The accessories such as the floor, triangle and mirror tools are slightly smaller, but you get a lot for your money and the quality on everything is the same as their higher end model, which is pretty amazing.
The Dupray Neat weighs 9 pounds without water.
The portable design of the Dupray Neat includes a retractable handle that fits in with the cube design of the steam cleaner.
It’s easy to take a hold of and walk around with. It’s also extremely easy to turn the device on or off. All you have to do is push a single button; literally the only button on the entire machine.
In order to fill up the Dupray Neat, all you have to do is unscrew the cap on top of the tank and fill it until you see the water begin to pool around the top of the built-in funnel. From there it’s pretty easy to work with.
The cord on the cleaner is also designed for easy storage and will wrap around the very bottom of the cleaner. It also has wheels.
Pros:
- Very simple to use
- Lightweight & maneuverable
- Quick heat-up, high temperature
- Excellent build quality
- 2 year warranty, lifetime on the boiler
Cons:
- No water level indicator
- 20 minutes wait for unit to cool before refilling water tank
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Best Rated Steam Mop For Laminate Floors
Shark Genius Steam Mop
The Shark Genius is an inexpensive, but surprisingly strong performing steam mop.
It’s easy to use, lightweight, maneuverable, safe on laminate floors and great at getting under furniture.
This steam mop requires some assembly, but it takes seconds—you only need to attach the handle and then the mop portion.
This upright floor steamer offers a good mix of power and convenience with its steam blasting functions and flexible cleaning pads.
Its 22-foot power cord has sufficient length to reach most power outlets, which reduces the need to continually stop and re-plug the unit.
The water tank holds 350 mL (11.8 oz) of water. It should clean approximately 1000+ sq. ft. of floor on one fill on the lightest steam setting.
Simply choose from among three steam controls depending on the surface you are mopping and the severity of dirt build-up you are cleaning. Needless to say, low setting works best for laminate floors.
With the reservoir full and the boiler plugged in, you will be steaming in less than 30 seconds. The hot vapor courses through the cloth when it is affixed to the regular position, eliminating almost 99% of all harmful germs.
The Shark Genius Steam Mop comes with two machine washable Dirt Grip pads. These dual-sided cleaning pads are designed to absorb liquid and trap dirt thanks to their woven strips of dirt-lifting material.
The mop head opens with the push of a button, which releases the dirty pad without you having to touch it (until you have to put it in the washer).
Pros:
- Washable mop heads
- Comfortable design
- Weighs 6 pounds
- Three steam levels
- Touch-free technology keeps hands dry and clean
- Steam blaster for tough stains
- 22 ft. cord
Cons:
- Can be hard to push around when starting a cleaning cycle.
- Uses its water tank fairly quickly.
- No on/off switch
- Water tank not removable
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5.
Best Steam Mop With Detachable Steamer
LIGHT 'N' EASY Multifunctional Steam Mop
Durable, lightweight, and readily stored, this Steam Mop can work as 5 different tools – steam mop, counter cleaner, carpet cleaner, garment steamer, and glass cleaner.
With the proper configuration set, you will be able to naturally clean bath flooring, kitchen counters, drapes, and more.
With a detachable handheld steam cleaner, you can steam clothes and freshen couches. Switch to the steam nozzle to clean oily messes on your sinks and kitchen hood. Even with all of this versatility, you still get the basics you expect from a steam mop, like 3 steam modes and bacteria elimination.
The Light N Easy 5-in -1 steam mop needs only 30 seconds to prepare the steam. Which is amazing.
As a result, you don’t have to wait for a long time to prepare the steam, this quick steaming process will give your speed in your work.
This device is easy to use as it comes equipped with three modes of steam for various types of floors or other surfaces.
It is lightweight which makes it easy to push or hold for your cleaning needs. It further comes with a surface scrubber to help relieve the grime, so the steam can blast it away. It is safe to use as it does not leak.
Steaming with LIGHT ‘N’ EASY provides a natural way to handle the dust and discoloration that can develop on laminate floors as well. The reduced moisture left by the microfiber mops will not readily damage laminates, unlike the plentiful flows produced by specialized carpet steamers and regular wet.
Pros:
- Detachable steam cleaner
- Lightweight and compact design
- Takes only 30 seconds to produce steam
- 20-foot long power cord
Cons:
- Low water capacity
- Cooling time after usage is more so it takes additional time to refill
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6.
Best Budget Pick
Shark Steam Pocket Mop
The Shark Pocket is a low-cost steam mop that does a fine job when it comes to sweeping and sanitizing laminate floors.
As a lightweight, pet-friendly, easy-to-use steam mop, this Shark could be a good choice for the user who needs quick fix cleanings.
Two double-sided microfiber pads come with the mop. You can flip the mop head during use to allow for twice as much cleaning area with each pad.
You can machine wash these reusable pads and should air dry them to prevent shrinkage.
You will need to pump the handle to aid in the steam’s release.
This manual form of steam control keeps costs down while providing users with a little bit of customizable cleaning power.
To operate, you just fill up the tank, switch on the boiler, affix a cloth pad, then steam away. Since only small amounts of moisture are deposited on the floor, what is left is quickly absorbed. Most hard-surfaced areas will be left dry in under a minute.
The package includes a small set of accessories XL mop head, swiveling shaft and handle, washable microfiber cleaning pad, refill cup.
The 25-foot cord gives you a lot of reach from any power outlet of your home.
Pros:
- Lightweight – weighs 5 pounds
- 450 ml water tank enables almost 15 minutes of cleaning
- On-demand steam
- Double-sided cleaning with reusable cloths
- 25-foot power cord
Cons:
- Requires manual pumping and it can be difficult to tell how much steam it’s creating
- It only has only one cleaning mode
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7.
Best Cordless Steam Mop For Laminate Floors
Bissell Spinwave
The Spinwave is an electric-powered spin mop that works like a mini industrial floor scrubber. It scrubs and polishes with counter rotation from two cleaning pads.
People with back pain appreciate the self-propelling movement that requires less physical strain than other manual mops.
Weighing only 9.5 pounds and measuring 8” x 16” x 45”, the Bissell SpinWave is a pleasure to operate and store.
It comes with two sets of reusable pads that are designed to provide you with serious heavy-duty cleaning when using the “scrubby pads” or you can go for the “soft touch pads” that are ideal for gentle cleaning and are the best for laminate floors.
This means any type of floor will be left spotlessly clean and beautifully polished, without much effort on your part.
This mop is powered by a 22 feet power cord which uses a single power outlet. It can cover a relatively large area for cleaning.
The cleaning solution tank is easily filled by removing it and filling it with Bissell’s recommended cleaning formula that has been mixed with tap water.
The Spinwave is perfect for your laminate flooring as you can spin out as much or as little water as you want from the mop or even use it as a dry dust mop.
The spray trigger on the handle lets you control how much solution gets onto the floor. Use as much or as little as you like.
The low height of the cleaning head and the pivoting handle make reaching tight spaces e.g area under the furniture with ease.
Weighing around 10 pounds, this mop is certainly not lightweight. But despite the bulky stature, it is incredibly easy to maneuver as most of its weight rests on the floor.
Pros:
- Exceptionally good at polishing laminate floors.
- Good for light and heavy duty mopping
- Self-propelling and light for less back strain
- Swivel head
- Two counter-rotating mop heads
- Comes with 2 extra pads and 2 bottles of cleaning solution
- 2-year limited warranty
Cons:
- The handle has to be pivoted at a specific angle to push the cleaning solution out of the pump. This might take some getting used to.
- Not designed for cleaning old and tough stains.
- No automatic cord wrap function.
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8.
Best Multipurpose Pick
Bissell PowerFresh Slim
Bissell is one of the most well-known brands of floor-cleaning tools. Their 2075A PowerFresh Slim Steam Cleaner is one of the best steam mops available; its lightweight build, attractive design, and supreme floor-cleaning performance is unparalleled by most other steam mops.
The 2075A uses a trigger that delivers steam on demand, saving water in the process of cleaning by ensuring you use only as much steam as you need.
The main cleaning attachment is a washable microfiber pad that snatches and retains dust and debris in its soft fibers.
Your laminate floors will almost immediately become dry to prevent fallen particles from clinging onto your floors after a quick wipe.
The microfiber pads are made to clean bare floors and sealed hard floors without leaving a mark or causing moisture damage, but this tool is so much more than that.
The numerous cleaning attachments allow you to use the 2075A on almost any surface at home.
With the Bissell Powerfresh Slim Steam Mop, you control how much steam the mop emits. The 6.4-pound mop has an on-demand trigger to stop and start the steam as you press and release the trigger.
You can use this steam cleaner as an upright mop to clean any type of sealed floor, such as ceramic tile, hardwood, and linoleum.
To maximize the steam mop’s cleaning ability, Bissell included a soft mop pad for everyday floor maintenance and a scrub pad to cut through sticky grime.
Thanks to its slim profile, the mop head fits under tables, between bathroom fixtures and around other tight areas.
In an instant, you can take this cleaner from an upright steam mop to an extended-reach surface sanitizer to tackle areas you can’t reach, like shower stalls and crown molding.
To clean all the areas between the floor and ceiling, you can remove the extension wand to transform the mop into a handheld steam sanitizer.
The 2075A comes with not one, not two, but eight different cleaning tools. The tools you’ll most likely use on a regular basis are the angle concentrator tool, the flat scraper tool, and the bristle brush.
Pros
- Includes multiple cleaning attachments/tools
- 3 machines in 1 – mop for regular floor cleaning, extension wand for hard to reach places and handheld for precision and close corners cleaning.
- Well built, doesn’t feel cheap
- Comes with 3 washable, reusable mop pads
Cons:
- Hand held unit is a bit heavy
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Best Steam Mop For Laminate Floors - A Buying Guide
How to Choose a Steam Mop for Laminate Floors?
Steam mops are excellent steam cleaners as they are practical for many types of floor surfaces, and as no chemicals are used in the cleaning process, safer for households with pets and children.
However, there are a lot of products on the market, so to ensure that you choose the best steam mop for laminate hardwood floors, you should consider the following factors:
Type Of Floor Surface
Almost all hard surfaces can be cleaned using steam, but special considerations should be made for specific surfaces like laminate and hardwood.
If you plan on cleaning laminate hardwood floors, ensure that it has an adjustable steam setting so you can control the levels of heat and moisture that your floors will receive.
Also, if you intend on using it to freshen up your carpets, ensure that it comes with a carpet attachment, which raises the bottom just enough to keep carpets safe.
Size Of Cleaning Area
This is a very important factor, particularly if you have a larger home, or multiple stories.
Larger homes require a larger water tank. If you choose a machine with a tank that’s too small for your needs, you’ll find yourself wasting time running back and forth just to refill.
One thing that can ruin the added efficiency you gain from a steam mop is having to stop and wait for the mop to cool down enough so that you can change the cleaning pad. Therefore you want to make sure you either
1) get a mop that can make it through your cleaning routine with one pad, or
2) invest in one that offers a hands-free pad changing feature, so you can change the pad without waiting for the mop to cool down.
Water Tank Capacity
Just like an iron, a steam cleaner will only continue to produce steam for as long as there’s water to heat it from.
For smaller steam cleaners, that often means having to refill your water tank more often, probably in the middle of your cleaning task. On the other hand, larger tanks will last longer, but they often take longer to heat up, so you’re stuck waiting to get started.
Decide which you prefer and keep an eye on the comparison between the size of the water tanks in different models you may be considering.
Cleaning Cloth Material
If you intend to use the mop on laminate wood flooring, or other delicate surfaces, you will need to make sure it comes with microfibre cloth, as other types of cloths may scratch or otherwise damage delicate surfaces.
Microfibre is also great at trapping dirt, and can be washed and reused multiple times.
Adjustable Steam Setting
As we’ve discussed before, steam mops have the potential to damage floors. Therefore, if you can get by with using less steam power to clean up a mess, you might as well do so and limit the danger of damage.
Fast Heat-Up Time
Approximately 30 seconds is ideal. You don’t want to waste too much time just sitting and waiting for your mop to heat up. This is especially important if you have multiple cleaning jobs spread throughout the day.
Ease of Use
Look for steam mops which are easy to swivel and maneuver. This will make cleaning around furniture a lot easier.
For hard-to-reach spots, look for models that fold flat (to fit under low clearances) or feature a telescoping handle. Also, consider picking up extra cloths or cleaning pads; many offer helpful features like scrubbing fibers to remove stuck-on stains.
You want a mop that can be refilled with the mop in an upright position, and that has a large opening.
Often lighter models of steam cleaners will be easier to work with than heftier ones, but the larger types of steam cleaners can provide a deeper clean. It’s a conundrum that must be addressed by anyone that buys a steam mop.
Cord Length
It may sound minor, but a long cord means you’ll be able to clean more real estate without having to unplug and plug the mop in again. It’s the same principle as with vacuums and carpet cleaners.
Attachments & Accessories
Most steam mops come with a few basic attachments that you can use on different types of surfaces to help you sanitize different areas of your home.
If you want a steam mop that’s versatile and can be used for a large number of items, surfaces, and spaces, then consider what attachments come with each model, as well as what is available for you to purchase along side it.
Make sure, in advance, that whatever you buy will have the functionality or attachments for all the types of cleaning jobs you plan on using it for.
Also make sure you should be able to easily and inexpensively purchase extra cleaning cloths when required. Without extra cloths, the steam mop will be unusable while the original cloth is being washed.
Will a steam mop damage laminate floors?
The short answer is, No. When steam mopping, you move the mop over the floor surface fairly quickly, so the heat is very brief.
If you were to hold the mop in one place and steam that one spot for an extended period of time, then that would likely damage the finish. Heat damage to wood appears as a white mark in the location of the heat. Streaks are usually an accumulation of dirt/grime being spread around on a surface.
The key is to prepare the floor before cleaning. A steam mop is not an all-around cleaner. Before you start, you should sweep or vacuum the floor first. Most steam mops do not have the suction power to get rid of the dirt on the surface.
Best Way To Clean Laminate Wood Floors
Before using a steam mop for laminate floors the fact that you want to look out for is the amount of hot vapor that is being steamed onto the floor.
If a strong jet of hot water vapor is blasted on to the surface, it may harm the coating that guards the surface. Too much moisture over any part can cause the moisture to seep past the edges causing the fibreboards to loosen up.
The fibreboards may begin to crack up causing the decolorization of the wooden boards. These damages can be avoided by having knowledge on how to effectively use the steam mops.
Always set the steam mop at the lowest setting before turning it ON, then launch it and swipe along the floors evenly.
Do not the hold the steam mop over any particular area for long durations as too much exposure can harm the coating on the surface
Check the microfiber pad every few minutes and replace it when necessary, it depends on the amount of dirt you need to clean.
We recommend that first you test the effect of the steam mop on a very small area and check for any discoloration or the edges buckling. If such effects occur, then immediately turn off the mop. But such conditions are very unlikely to occur.
How To Clean Laminate Floors
A lot of people wonder how to clean laminate wood floors because it can be somewhat different from cleaning hardwood floors.
After all, the two materials aren’t the same thing. But while many people think of laminate as a product that is inferior to wood flooring, that isn’t necessarily true.
Laminate wood flooring is made from layers of composite wood pressed together and sealed with laminate.
Laminate wood looks like solid wood, but it can be a better choice in many ways: It is more durable, less susceptible to scratches (which can be a major issue if you have pets), and more moisture resistant.
Sweep regularly with a soft-bristle broom to collect pet hair and dust.
Vacuum weekly using a soft-brush attachment to avoid scratching the flooring.
Use the hard floor setting on the vacuum cleaner. This stops the beater brush from rotating so it won’t scratch the floor.
Do not use a traditional wet mop.
You can use a steam mop on laminate floors. Make sure the steam setting is lowest and be sure to dry the floor immediately after steam cleaning with a clean, dry microfiber cloth or mop.
Wipe up wet spills immediately.
Place mats under your furry friend’s water bowl and consider a mat under your baby’s high chair.
Don’t use anything that promotes a shine. These cause waxy buildup that is very difficult to remove.
Vinegar is acidic which isn’t the best for your laminate surface, but many people swear by a little bit of vinegar and a lot of hot water to cut pet grime. Used in abundance, though, it can damage the protective seal on your floors.
For spots like grease, wax or gum, freeze the spot with an ice pack, then carefully scrape it up with a plastic scraper or plastic knife. Wipe the area with a lightly moistened microfiber cloth to pick up any residue.
Oily or color stains like marker, lipstick or ink can be treated with acetone or nail polish remover. Place a small amount of chemical on a clean white cloth and wipe up the stain.
Conclusion
Before buying a steam mop for your laminated floors, you should consider all the key points we discussed above.
The article provides complete information on the use of steam mops in the cleaning of laminate floors along with the best steam mop for laminate floors available in the market.
To summarize, if you have laminate floors, a steam mop is an investment that you need to have. It makes use of the power of steam to get rid of dirt and bacteria on the floor. This is a great alternative to using cleaners that contain harsh chemicals.
The steam mops in the article have been handpicked after a lot of research showing overall performance on laminate floors and exceptional quality.
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