I Tried the New Swiffer PowerMop — Here’s How It Went

As a cleaning editor, I’ve been lucky enough to test, review, and discover many cleaning tools, old and new. They run the gambit of being budget-friendly to splurge-worthy — with some becoming regulars in my cleaning routine or notable finds I’d recommend to a friend. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to test the latest offering from Swiffer: the Swiffer PowerMop. If you’re familiar with Swiffer products you’ll be excited to hear about this one, which is the company’s biggest innovation since the Swiffer WetJet debuted in 2002.

The Swiffer PowerMop is the newest product offered by Swiffer. It’s meant to provide you a deep clean experience that’s equivalent to using a bucket of water and traditional mop, but instead it’s an all-in-one cleaning system that’s also lightweight, easy-to-use, and can be used across multiple surfaces.

As a multi-surface cleaner, you can use it to clean wood, laminate, vinyl, and tile floors. There are improved lavender and fresh-scented solutions, in addition to a wood-specific cleaner that quickly dries and leaves a lemon scent behind.

The 3D mop pads are 30 percent larger than the Swiffer WetJet and feature 300-plus “scrubbing strips.” The fibers of the mop pad trap and pick up debris and sticky messes easily. The Swiffer PowerMop has a 360 swivel head, unlike the Swiffer WetJet, which allows it more flexibility and better coverage.

It’s also battery-operated to trigger the button to release the cleaning solution. The Swiffer PowerMop Starter Kit includes the mop, two cleaning pads, the fresh-scented cleaning solution, and two AA batteries.

• The 360 swivel head is one of the biggest improvements. This allows it to get under furniture and even up against baseboards. The flexibility is different from previous Swiffers.
• The larger mop pad has these “scrubbing strips” that allow it to lock in debris and sticky residue as you clean. 

First, I vacuumed the floors quickly and only once over with my Tineco Pure ONE S15 Pet Smart Cordless Vacuum Cleaner to pick up the majority of the pet hair and debris, but not all. Because the Swiffer PowerMop is a multi-surface cleaner, I focused on two areas for this test: the luxury vinyl floors in my kitchen and the tile floors in my bathroom. 

Assembly is straightforward: Connect the pieces, attach the mop pad to the swivel mop head, insert the cleaning solution (don’t forget to remove the cardboard blocker), and pop in the double AA batteries. I did a spot test to see how the spray worked and if the solution was truly safe to use on my floors. I triggered the cleaning solution by pressing the button — it was easy and came out fast, quiet, and in an even stream that spread across the surface. The fresh scent cleaning solution is nice-smelling and not overwhelming, which is great for sensitive noses. I also liked the lavender but preferred the fresh scent. After spot testing, I proceeded to clean with the Swiffer PowerMop. 

I sprayed the cleaning solution and made a few passes with the mop on my kitchen floors first. I looked at the mop head immediately after and saw that it picked up and removed some set-on spills, lingering pet hair, and lots of dirt and debris in its fibers. I tried the mop on my bathroom tile floors and the result was great there too, picking up any dirt and hair on the floors.

The new mop pads are a definite improvement; they lock in and eliminate messes. It took a few passes to pick everything up, but nothing extraneous. You do have to leave the area to dry, as there can be a bit of stickiness left over from the solution, but you’d do the same when cleaning with a traditional mop, too.

The best part was seeing the Swiffer PowerMop glide under my kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanity, and up against the baseboards. I was seriously impressed because that was one of the biggest pain points of using the Swiffer WetJet, which had a bulkier mop head that made it difficult to get under things.

All in all, the Swiffer PowerMop is a great tool at an affordable price point. If you’re a fan of the Swiffer WetJet, I’d recommend going for this new product instead. You can easily get baseboards and under furniture too with its 360 swivel head. Plus, the pads are larger and able to pick up dirt. All are worthwhile improvements. The Swiffer PowerMop is available at Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

Buy: Swiffer PowerMop Multi-Surface Mop Kit, $29.99