The rotating pads work to scrub your floors, while the spray function adds water, mixed with a drop of non-foaming detergent if you wish. It’s easy to manoeuvre about the floor although it’s loud during operation. I recorded volumes of between 70 and 72 decibels. That’s around the same as a washing machine. If you want some real power behind your spray mop, consider a model like our winner, the expert Vileda Looper Spray Mop. It’s a cordless charge-up-and-clean option with extra power for those tougher stains. Some spray mops, such as the Flash Power Mop, also have battery-assisted trigger sprays for more force behind every spritz.

Spray mops have built-in reservoirs that hold water or your chosen cleaning solution. You simply press the trigger on the handle and the mop spritzes whatever is in the reservoir directly onto the floor in front of the mophead. Sweep the mop head across your floor and – ta-dah! – clean floors at the ready. I also found the water tank capacity to be more than generous. I was able to scrub the kitchen, bathroom and long hallway, using just half of the water tank’s capacity. This is really down to your preference though, if you want a lot more water to scrub with, you may have to fill up your water tank more often.

One of the closest products to the Vileda Looper that I’ve tested over the last year is the Shark Steam and Scrub Automatic Mop. Around the same price as the Vileda Looper, this is a steam mop that features a similar mop head, with two rotating discs. While it’s beautifully designed and looks much more sleek and stylish than the Looper, I found I got a cleaner result from the Looper, despite using cold water instead of steam. Should you buy the Vileda Looper? Floor type: Your main consideration when searching for the best floor mop will be the type of floor you’re looking to clean. You’ll want to keep wood floors fairly dry during the cleaning process so a mop head made from a material like microfibre is a safe choice. Laminate and vinyl flooring can withstand more water so you’ll have more options to choose from.

From the handle, a brushed metal shaft leads down to the water tank. This is basically a grey plastic bottle which you can remove from the device and refill as needed. You simply pull it up and away from the shaft, unscrew the red lid and fill with tap water. Vileda says you can also add a drop of non-foaming detergent to the water tank. When spraying water, you should be mindful of the angle of the handle, otherwise you risk firing water up the wall or your kitchen units (which I may have done once or twice). We compiled all of our in-depth research into a shortlist and from there chose 10 that we thought would offer something for everyone, no matter what their needs or budget. Why you should trust us The Vileda 1-2 Spray Mop was tested on its ability to remove everyday stains, including hot chocolate, muddy footprints and toothpaste. When it comes to spray mops, we consider everything from setup to storage to how many sweeps it takes to achieve that clean shiny finish. For starters, we considered how easy the process from box to use was, inspecting the design and instructions.Although it can’t be wall-mounted, it comes with a handy drip tray that allows you to protect your floors without having to take the wet mop heads off. How does the Vileda Looper rate online? Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family. I found the mop was able to easily deal with everyday stains, although the difference in the results when mopping with and without the cleaning product was negligible. Easy to set up, use and store, this mop is perfect for daily mopping and for cleaning up any spillages as they happen - just grab it and go! It may be a process of trial and error. Many brands offer trial-sized samples, so you could give a few options a go before making a commitment. What’s the best floor mop to buy?

While I imagine it’s safe to leave the water tank with water in it, it’s also super easy to simply lift it off the shaft and empty it out when you’re done. Cleaning the Vileda Looper Handles: Look for a hard-wearing handle to make sure it’ll stand the test of time and think about adjustable handles if there will be several people of different sizes using it within your household. The Vileda Looper comes with two different types of pads - one soft and cream-coloured and the other with red zig-zag lines running across it. There is no explanation in the instructions as to why the pads are different and what they should be used for, but as the zig zag lines felt slightly abrasive to touch, it’s safe to assume that these pads are more suited to hardier floors, such as vinyl.The Vileda 1-2 Spray is so-called because it refines the mopping process into two simple steps - filling the tank and spraying the water. For step one, all I had to do was remove the stopper at the top of the handle before adding up to 250ml of water. The manufacturer says the 1-2 Spray can be used with just water, or you can add Vileda’s own Active Cleaner or the floor cleaner of your choice. For the sake of this test, I used the mop with water before adding some Tesco All Purpose Cleaner, as per the instructions. The water is stored in the handle and the 1-2 Spray Mop only has a capacity of 250ml, so it’s perhaps more suited to smaller living spaces. But that said, it is not difficult to refill. Not only is it easy to use, it gives a thorough clean. The microfibre in the mop head removes over 99% of all bacteria with just water*, without the need for chemicals. Your choice of cleaning liquid can be used if preferred. This mop is suited to homes with sealed, hard floors, such as tiles, laminate, linoleum, wood and vinyl. It’s not suitable for use on carpets. The Looper is lightweight and it is easy to move the mop across the floor. The flexible swivel joint allows the Looper to be moved underneath low-lying furniture, such as tables and chairs, meaning there is nowhere for dirt and grime to hide (except for corners, but we’ll come to that later). What's the Vileda Looper like to assemble?