Shark is renowned for its simple yet highly efficient solutions. Steam mops are not an exception. All models in the range, be it no-frills manual steam-on-demand cleaners or more sophisticated electronic units, feature brand-specific Click-and-Flip, and Dirt-Grip technologies. The mops come with two-sided cleaning pads ensuring direct steam channeling throughout the pad surface to efficiently loosen dirt and grime and cover a larger cleaning area. When one side of the cloth gets dirty you can easily flip it and go on mopping. Meanwhile, the Steam Blaster technology will help you target hard-to-tackle stains and grease. All of this ensures maximum convenient work and maximum efficient cleaning results.
Here are six steps to help you to start using your Shark steam mop:
- Before steam mopping, sweep or vacuum the floor first to eliminate loose dry wastes and debris that might cause scratches or gouges on the floor.
- Assemble your steam cleaner and fill the water tank with water. It’s better to use clean water to prevent scaling that might cause steam pipes clogging. Switch your cleaner on and let it heat up the water within 30 seconds.
- Pump the handle several times to dampen the cloth.
- Choose a dust mode for light cleanups, mop for regular cleaning, and a scrub mode for stubborn grease.
- Clean the floor following a back and forth movement pattern to consistently engage the steam flow.
- Once you’ve finished cleaning, unplug the unit and let the cloth cool before removing it.
Generally, steam mops are designed for cleaning sealed hard floors such as tile, stone, vinyl, and varnished wooden floors. As for the laminate floor, the basic recommendation is to avoid using a steam mop on it. The main reason is that water is the primary laminate enemy. Finding its way through the tightest seams, cracks and crevices, water might cause planks warping over time. Yet, Shark steam mops are those few steam cleaners that can be used to clean laminate floors as well, thanks to the accurate steam flow regulation. The manufacturer even provides some handy tips on cleaning methods. Here are some of them:
- Move your mop over the surface the same way you would do using an ordinary mop and clean the floor in small sections.
- Go for maximum heat temperature and minimum water amount to produce dry steam that won’t leave any spots and leave your floor almost dry.
- To minimize the risk of water leaking in between the planks, mop along the planks and stay with the grain.
A Shark steam mop will leave your laminate floor clean and gleaming without compromising its quality.
Hardwood floors are expensive. Yet, keeping all-natural wood texture, they look gorgeous and authentic. Besides, hardwood flooring will retain its beautiful look and serve you for decades subject to proper cleaning and maintenance. It’s a common knowledge that hardwood flooring is vulnerable to moisture. That’s the reason hardwood floors are normally sealed with special waxes and resins to create a protective moisture-resistant barrier on the surface. Similar to laminate flooring, hardwood floors are not recommended to be cleaned with steam mops. Most manufacturers even note that you should refrain from using their products on hardwood surfaces. Shark claims just the opposite and provides instructions on how to steam mop a hardwood floor:
- Make sure your flooring is duly sealed. It is especially important for such areas as kitchen and halls where high traffic can cause quicker protective seal wear.
- Use a microfiber pad with high absorption level that will deliver minimum water amount and leave the surface dry to the touch.
- Choose a delicate dust setting for gentle and smooth cleaning of fragile and sensitive wooden surface.
- Avoid using cleaning chemicals and liquids that might break the sealant barrier and damage wood.
When it comes to carpet cleaning, most users will rather associate it with a vacuum cleaner than a steam mop. However, most vacuums are not able to efficiently tackle ground in mud and dirt, especially in thick and deep-pile carpets, to say nothing about red wine stains. This is where a Shark steamer will come in handy. Some models feature a special carpet glider accessory that delivers hot steam deep into the pile to efficiently break down stubborn dirt and stuck grease. The best recommendation here is to vacuum the carpet to pick up dust and dry debris before mopping and then, vacuum the carpet after steaming to remove the loosened dirt. To get rid of annoying hard-to-clean red wine spots, you can use some carpet shampoo with a hydrogen peroxide before mopping to soak the wine.
Normally, a Sharp steam mop needs no additional chemicals to be used along. It combats dirt by using a sheer power of steam alone. The manufacturer claims the unit will lift up even stuck grime, meanwhile sanitizing the surface, without the use of any potentially harmful cleaning agents. And of course, you should not add any floor cleaning liquid into a water tank. In case you need to apply some protective products, you can simply spray them right onto the surface before mopping.
Want your Shark mop to become your faithful cleaning assistant for years? Follow these simple recommendations on how to care for your appliance in a proper way:
- Refrain from turning the unit on when the water tank is empty to avoid the steam mop overheat.
- Don’t let the mop run idle since it might lead to excessive heat buildup and floor damages.
- Never store your mop with a dirty or damp cleaning pad since it can result in mildew. Wash the mop cloth in a washer immediately after every cleanup.
- The best way to store your mop is in a hanging position with a cleaning head removed.