Originally from Dorset, Heidi’s simple pleasures include finding new and unique ways to rid her life of stray pet hairs and telling anyone who’ll listen that tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant.

Use warm water, as it loosens grime more effectively than cold water, but note that very hot or boiling water can damage flooring. 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.Simply a scaled-down version of the previous mop, this miniature model is perfect for bathrooms as it's nifty enough to reach into awkward spaces. It’s compact in design and really easy to store, making it a top choice for smaller homes. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we lived in a world where floors cleaned themselves? Alas, that technology doesn’t exist yet and mopping floors continues to be one of the most important household chores, partly for that fresh, smear-free look but also to ensure the highest possible hygiene for your home. Flat mop: Flat mops come with a rectangular or circular head that’s, unsurprisingly, flat, and are great at getting into corners. Their reusable or disposable cloths are usually made of microfibre –a polyester and nylon mix that produces static to attract and hold onto grime. Flat mops aren’t the best at removing stubborn marks, but they’re usually easy to store.

Sweep or vacuum. This may feel excessive, but cleaning up any superficial dust and dirt first will mean you don’t end up pushing it around! This smartly designed mop’s telescopic handle ensures comfortable cleaning for people of all heights. Its sponge head scrubs and dries floors at the same time and there’s a wringing lever for removing excess water. With a mop head span of 45cm, this mop is an excellent option for those looking to clean large kitchens, laminate-floored lounges or master bedrooms with vinyl flooring. In fact, it particularly impressed when it came to vinyl floors, and the spray was nice and responsive, only requiring a light squeeze.

It’s worth noting that when we tested string and flat mops, they tended to perform better when it came to removing hardened food stains and mud, so a spray mop may not be the best option if you’re looking to deep clean large areas, but for convenience and speed, they can’t be beaten. How we test spray mops Introducing our go-to spray mop for ceramic tiles. With a battery-powered spray trigger and two spray jets, it required no scrubbing and lifted dirt out of grouting with ease. Our tester was impressed that the mophead and included cleaning solution left the floor looking 'shiny, streak-free and clean'. Ditto when we tried it on vinyl, and it seamlessly glided over laminate flooring too. This slim, battery-powered spray mop nips easily into all those hard to reach places, from around the bin to down the side of the fridge. It took seconds to assemble, with the included recyclable pads proving easy to attach, but the average-length handle sadly isn’t telescopic.