This article was originally created for and published in Mishpacha Magazine.

Wipe Away the Memory

Mopping is such a schlep. First you need the pail, the soap, the water, and the mop. Then you have to mop, and deal with the gross water after. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

Come along spray mops. They save you three-quarters of the trouble. Do they clean as thoroughly as a proper mop? Nope. But they’re perfect for stretching the time between full-scale mop-ups.

There’s the classic Swiffer, which might be the original spray mop, but I don’t like products that I have to keep buying more of, like the Swiffer’s soap and pads. So I went with the ones that have refillable water containers and washable pads. They’re all highly rated, all around the same price range…and guess what, they’re all basically the same. But if we’re being nitpicky, here’s the breakdown.

Testing, Testing

1. I put them all together and filled all the water containers, gauging for difficulty, tightness, and the like.

2. I sprayed each mop multiple times in a row to gauge exertion and to see the area each spray reached.

3. I colored on my floor with markers, let it dry for a while, and mopped the floor to see how hard it is to clean.

HOMTOYOU

Price: $17.99

Stars: 3.5

Notes: Comes with three washable pads, has a small water container, needs sustained effort to spray.

Panda Grip

Price: $19.99

Stars: 4

Notes: Has a grip on the length when you want to scrub with extra power with more comfort, comes with two washable pads and a medium-sized water container. Sprays a large area.

Mangotime

Price: $17.00

Stars: 4

Notes: Comes with three washable pads, one of them chenille, and a medium-sized water container.

CLDream

Price: $20.98

Stars: 4

Notes: Comes with three washable pads, one of them chenille, and a large water container. Has a grip on the length when you want to scrub with extra power with more comfort.

UMAYCOOL

Price: 15.99

Stars: 4

Notes: Comes with four washable pads and a large water container. Has friction when putting together and pulling out water container.

Domi-Patrol

Price: $19.98

Stars: 4.5

Notes: Comes with three chenille washable pads, a large water container, and has a large spray area.

Overall Winner: UMAYCOOL, I guess.

Honestly, they’re really all the same product, and the differences are minute. The things I deducted for, such as a smaller container and a smaller spray area, may be pluses for you. Find the one that’s the cheapest or matches your kitchen and don’t think again.

Tip: I’ve previously owned a spray mop model like the ones I tested, but the water canister developed a leak fairly quickly. Just keep that in mind. I might not have wanted the constantly-needs-replacements Swiffer, but the quality of these products make them only marginally better.