Best steam mops to leave your floors sparkling clean

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Steam mops are an incredibly useful home appliance for keeping your things clean.

With a multitude of brands offering different designs, they can be used to clean carpets, windows, upholstery and even steam toilets and shower doors.

Aside from being versatile, they're also easy to use as they don't require any cleaning agents. Don't make the mistake of adding them, either, as this can cause corrosive damage to the machine.

A word of warning, however, before you get steam happy: be careful which surfaces you use one on. Untreated wood floors can warp while laminate can bubble if you overdo it, and delicate surfaces such as varnish and vinyl should be cleaned using a low-power setting.

To give you a helping hand, we've rounded up the 12 best steam mops to add to your shopping basket, from Vax, Shark, Russell Hobbs and more.

The best steam mops for your floors

Vax S86-SF-C Steam Fresh Combi Multifunction Steam Cleaner | £79.99 from John Lewis

This Vax cleaner takes only 20 seconds to heat up and comes with a detachable handheld cleaner and a 10-piece kit so you can use it on larger surfaces and smaller, harder-to-reach areas. It's safe for ovens, tiles, mirrors, windows and taps and can remove stubborn grime with ease.

Russell Hobbs RHMSM3101 Neptune Steam Mop | £42.99 from Currys PC World

For cleaning different rooms, this lightweight Russell Hobbs steam mop has an extra-long five-metre cable. It'll help you avoid hours of cleaning and scrubbing and it comes with accessories to adapt it for windows, upholstery, fabrics and tiles.

Shark S6003UK Klik n Flip Automatic Steam Mop Cleaner | £99.99 from John Lewis

Shark is a leading brand for floor-cleaning appliances, so it's no surprise it's made our list. This double-sided mop allows you to clean double the floor space and the dirt grip pads are machine washable so you don't need to buy disposable versions. There are three steam settings, too, designed for use on hardwood, marble, tile and stone floors.

Polti Vaporetto SV440 Double Steam Mop | £99 from Amazon

Steam clean your floors from dirt and bacteria with this easy-to-use mop from Amazon which, if you're a Prime member, can arrive on your doorstep the next day. It comes with 11 accessories and can clean 15 different surfaces while being ready to use in 15 seconds. Our favourite feature is the vaporforce brush which has bristles made for tackling dirt and stained surfaces.

Bissell PowerFresh SlimSteam 2234E Steam Mop | £159.99 from Currys PC World

This Bissell steam mop can break down grease and grime build-up and leave your home sparkling. The cleaning head swivels 180 degrees to make it easy to navigate around furniture, skirting boards and high windows. It also has a detachable handheld steamer for cleaning grouting, sinks and cookers.

Vileda 157171 Steam Mop | £79.61 from Amazon

Another Amazon find is this Vileda mop, which is also the site's choice of its endless amounts of steam mops on offer. One five-star review from a happy customer reads: "Things I love about this are; the pads stay put during use. It pulses to let you know water needs topping up. It stands up on its own when you let go, rather than clattering to the floor. It has temperature settings so you can use a hotter setting for example on a tiled floor and a cooler one on a laminate floor. It steams thoroughly without you having to add any pressure."

Dunelm Steam Mop | £30 from Dunelm

This is a great budget-friendly option for tackling your household to-do list. It's designed with a swivel head for easy manoeuvrability, a detachable handheld mop and a heat-up time of just 30 seconds. There are plenty of attachments to cater to all your needs, ranging from a window cleaner, flat brush, round brush, small bend nozzle and a carpet glider.

Morphy Richards 720512 12-in-1 Steam Cleaner | £49.99 from Amazon

Morphy Richards has made a dual-use steam mop that has upright and a handheld mode, along with a carpet glider to switch between hardwood floors and carpet floors. It can be used on everything from worktops, tiles, ovens, BBQs, windows, grout, taps, sinks and more.

H20 HD Steam Mop | £99 from Currys PC World

If you're short on space, this steam mop from Currys has a folding handle for easy storage. Aside from that, it has an easy-to-fill 450ml water tank, takes 30 seconds to heat up with 15 minutes of cleaning time, and has digital steam control so you can use the right amount of power for the needs of different floors.

Shark Lift-Away Steam Mop | £179.99 from Lakeland

This machine can take on tricky areas of dirt on sinks, hobs, tiles, and flooring and gets rid of the need for elbow grease, making cleaning easy and speedy. The low setting is ideal for quick clean-ups, the high setting is for bigger surface areas and the steam blaster allows you to concentrate on stubborn stains.

Kärcher SC 2 Upright Easyfix Steam Mop | £117.99 from Amazon

According to one reviewer, this Kärcher mop is: "Light but feels solidly built, produces great steam, I can reach into corners and cleans my kitchen vinyl and bathroom and cloakroom tiles brilliantly."

Thane H2O X5 5-in-1 Steam Cleaning Mop | £89.99 from Robert Dyas

Keep floors and fabrics squeaky clean with this lightweight and easily maoeuverable cleaner. It'll make light work of ovens, shower screens and bathroom tiles, while refreshing and sanitising surfaces.

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