Steam Mops Anyone?

I tried the Shark steam mop, because so many people seemed to like it. I ended up returning it; I didn't think it did a good job. The floor stayed dry and steam came out, but the floor still looked smudged up instead of it making it shiney clean like I thought it should. (FYI~In the past, I have not used toxic cleaners or cleaners that build up,; only vinegar water.) If something is kinda dried or stuck on the floor, it wouldn't take it off...I had to get a wet rag and rub it off by hand. I will be looking at your posting later to see what others recommend. Have a good day.

I have the bissell hard floor steam mop & have been very happy with it.
I do not have wood floors, i use it on my ceramic tile floors with great results.
It comes with 2 cloth covers that are washable.

If it is just not wanting to move dirty water around I highly recommend the flip it, it will vacum with one side and mop with the other and uses a squiggie and suction system to do this instant dry. With the steam mops you have to buy several cloth heads to do one floor. In my kitchen it takes 3 or 4 depending on the traffic I have had. Then you have to wash and dry them to do next floor. Steam mops are more for sanitizing then everyday cleaning. Seemed to be the general census about 2 weeks ago. Don't know if you can find it in the archives but she asked about the shark.

I bought the steam mop. QVC had a special on it, free shipping, three payments and extra pads for less than the cost in the store. So I grabbed it. I have a few friends who have one and said they liked theres.

I read the mixed reviews and I myself have mixed feelings with it, although I do like it enough to keep it and use it instead of mopping.

It does take a bit longer to do the floors, because you need to go a bit slower than with a tradional mop.. so that the steam can get out. Not a whole lot slower, but slower. I find this more true in my kitchen on ceramic than on my laminate (like yours) in the rest of the house.

I do feel that it gets the floors shiny, so I didnt have the previous posters problem. I havent used harsh chemicals on my floors, so I wonder if it just takes awhile to work up any past gunk that you may have used? A thought to think about anyway.

I have found that even with mopping, every once in awhile something that the kids have stuck to the floor, like a mashed fruitsnack that has been stepped on over and over and left there for days will not come up with mopping and needs to be wiped by hand. Same with this, but that is such a rare occassion and you cant exect anything to do miracles?

One thing that is kind of annoying is that even after sweeping whenever you steam mop it pushes a line of dust/dirt in front of it. It isnt a lot, but I guess this is what gets caught in front of the pad. I just push it all the way to a wall and then grab it with a papertowel when I am done.

All in all, my floors look better and are CLEANER. It doesnt leave cleaner on the floor, the pad actually gets the dirt up and then you can wash it in the washing machine... as oppose to a tradional mop of using it over and over again. And with the steam it is sanitizing! I love that.

So, while I dont "love" my Shark Steam Mop.. I will keep it until I hear rave reviews about another brand that moms just gush over. If that ever happens I would trade up, but by no means would I get rid of my Steam Mop to go back to dirty mop water.

Hope this helps! :)

I too bought the Shark steam mop and returned it. It just wasnt powerful enough for me, and it was a lot slower than mopping. I am still in search of a great one.

I recently purchased the Shark Steam Mop, and I LOVE it!! It practically melts the dirt right off the floor. One of the best purchases I've made.