An electric mop has come out on top in a head-to-head test against a traditional mop and bucket, with the cordless model proving faster and leaving floors dry in around 15 minutes compared with 40 minutes for the conventional method.
Mia O'Hare, a senior spare time journalist, compared the Philips One Up 5000 with her usual routine of a mop and bucket filled with disinfectant cleaner. She tested both on laminate flooring in her home.
Electric mop performance
The Philips mop is cordless and requires charging before use. O'Hare said she had owned it for over a month and had not needed to charge it again despite using it weekly. The mop is designed to tackle grease, stains, sticky dirt and fine dust on hard floors and laminate.
It comes with a machine-washable pad and a detergent cartridge, meaning no separate disinfectant is needed. Setup was straightforward as the mop arrived almost fully assembled; the large cartridge simply needs removing and filling with warm water.
The detergent sits within the cartridge, and a button press releases the liquid. Once switched on, a faint hum confirms it is operational and the button illuminates. O'Hare found the mop marginally heavier than her regular one, but it glided smoothly across the floor and water drained swiftly from the fully rotating flat pad.
Traditional mop and bucket
For the comparison, O'Hare used Flash Multipurpose Cleaner Liquid Lemon in warm water. The instructions specified two lids of cleaner (60ml) in five litres of water, with the one litre bottle costing £2.25 from Heron.
The strong lemon scent led her to consider whether it might be best suited to kitchens and bathrooms rather than living rooms. The cleaner lathered up nicely and spread easily, with the ratio of cleaner to water feeling right. The laminate floor took 40 minutes to dry.
The verdict
O'Hare said there will always be a place for a traditional mop and bucket, describing it as a reliable choice that allows the use of disinfectants with varying fragrances. However, since acquiring the electric mop, it has become her go-to for floor cleaning.
The main advantage, she said, is that clean water is kept separate from dirty water, which is drawn up into the mop and deposited into its own cartridge. Once mopping is finished, the dirty water simply needs emptying from the cartridge, and the pad is machine washable.
The downside is the price. The Philips mop is available from retailers such as John Lewis and Argos for £150. Alternatives include Karcher's Electric Wiping Mop Cordless Hard Floor Cleaner at £139 and Shark's Classic Steam Mop, currently reduced to £44.99 from £64.99. While considerably pricier than a standard mop, O'Hare concluded that an electric mop is a worthwhile investment for those looking to change their floor-cleaning routine.
