One of the chores I loathe to do is mopping- the lugging of heavy buckets up and down stairs, water that splashes around while carrying the buckets (sometimes I use bleach water- I cringe every time that water splashes while going up the carpeted stairs), using extra chemicals...I could go on, but suffice it to say, it's easier to just avoid mopping until it's absolutely necessary.
After seeing this product tested on a local tv station's Try It segment, I was instantly curious. It looked so easy to use. Could this really be the answer to my prayers?
I purchased the Shark mop at Target for $79.99. For that price, it has to work, right? Not so fast....
The assembly was fairly easy- the hardest part was just getting the handle and extension tube attached (you really have to push them together with some force). But everything else was smooth sailing. Once together, I was surprised at how light weight it was- even with a full tank, it feels roughly the same as the most heavy duty conventional mop.
My thoughts were mixed once I gave it a test run. I was pleased with how much of a grip the mop has with the thick microfiber pad- I didn't think it would hold it as tightly as it does (I've had experiences with Swiffer mops where the pads come off while mopping). However once I pumped the mop to begin the steam action, it felt like rather than holding an $80 appliance, I was holding a $20 one. But since this was more about what it actually does rather than the appearances, I soldiered on.
As I mentioned, you need to pump the mop to get the steam action going. While it is not hard by any means, you will feel it in your arms after doing a whole room. Also, because of the pumping, along with the sound of the steam being made, this does make the mop a little noisy. The conventional mop would get the upper hand here. If you had a baby who had just been put down for a nap, you might prefer to use a regular mop, or just wait till the little one was up before continuing with the chore.
The water reserve tank is very small- probably what helps in achieving the mop's light weight appeal. However, it will contain enough water to do an average sized room, or a smaller room twice. Filling the tank is super easy. While the unit is unplugged, you fill a provided pitcher with (recommended) distilled water and pour it through a funnel (also provided) into the tank. The funnel actually stays in place fairly securely on its own, if for some reason you had to do that task one handed (i.e., you are holding the cord with one hand and can't steady the funnel)- i was afraid it would tip over and spill while filling. No need to worry there.
Once you begin mopping, it's just a simple back and forth motion, just like a regular mop. This action also creates a steady pumping motion which helps generate the steam (although sometimes you may need to stop and give it a few good pumps to get things going again). It does not leave a big puddle of water- just a light layer on the floor, which dries very quickly. One of the other reasons I hated mopping with a conventional mop is that it was an all day affair- it would take forever for the floors to dry. If I wanted to speed the process up, I'd have to turn on fans and open doors/windows (not an attractive option in a Michigan winter) to get things to evaporate. With the Shark, after just a couple minutes, I could reclaim the room and put things back. Definitely a huge plus right there.
This mop does do a pretty good job of lifting up dirt and stuck on grime (don't underestimate the power of heat!). Today, I challenged my mop by working on the area usually covered up by a heating vent/register. It typically has a rusted perimeter which my old mop and bucket never really touched. After a few passes with a little elbow grease, the Shark took off a noticible amount of that stuff. Speaking of elbow grease...it does take some to move the mop across the floor- definitely does not glide in a smooth motion like a regular mop or a Swiffer would. It does seem to "stick" when trying to push forward. I wonder though if that "problem" could be remedied by dampening the pad first, so there isn't as much friction between floor and mop?
I love that all you need to use the Shark Steam Mop is water and the reusable microfiber pads. Water is nice, because you know what exactly is in it. No strange chemicals sitting on the floor...a plus if you have pets or small children. And what a huge perk it is knowing that you can reuse the pads- just toss them in the washer (don't use fabric softener...that will decrease the absorbancy of the microfiber). I like to wash them alone to ensure that no fibers from other fabrics get pulled into the pads' velcro backing (you can toss them into a zipped up lingerie bag if you wish). Drying can be done either in a machine dryer or just air dry.
I do like this machine, but I think it needs to be tweaked a bit. Were I able to bend the ears of the Shark development team, I would present them with the following suggestions.
1.) Increase the tank size to possibly double. That will not affect the weight of the machine too drastically and will allow the user to cover more ground before needing to refill.
2.) Speaking of the tank...an indicator light would be a nice feature to have. This would allow people to see when they are running out of "juice" (as it is now, you either realize you are out when it stops producing steam, or you tilt the mop to see where the water level matches with the tank).
3.) Include a few extra pads. The mop available in stores only comes with 2. You can purchase more online, but it would be handy to already have a few more available, or able to purchse in store.
4.) Something about the handle/extension tube feels flimsy- needs to be designed with a little more structure/support to it.
5.) While the attraction of being green and using just water is nice, it would be nice if there was an option to use water with a user added cleaning solution.
6.) Either lower the price if no additional features or tweaks are added, or keep the price but include more to make the purchase less shocking on the wallet.
In the end, I am glad that I picked up this mop, though it won't make me throw away the regular mop and bucket. It is good for an everyday quick clean, but you just can't duplicate the real clean you get by getting down on your hands and knees and scrubbing.
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