Anyone recommend a steam mop? Good or waste of time?

[justforthisnewname]

Please can someone recommend a particular steam mop or are they really an old fashioned thing nowadays ? We have tiles, parquet and laminate floors and I’m looking for something that will clean them better than just a mop which seems to slosh a lot of water around but never get quite all the dirt off. Do they manage to clean a large area on one go or do you have to keep recharging it? Also has anyone had issues with laminate flooring lifting when using one. Thanks very much.

I had one, but didn't replace it when it went pouffft about six months later, as it never really got the grubbiest bits out and I was worried about the laminate starting to swell in the bit that saw th emost traffic, so needed cleaning more.

The only thing I feel really works is hands and knees on the floor and scrubbing (I used sugar soap and the hottest water I could last time) on the kitchen flooring, doing a small section of tiles at a time and rinsing them off/part drying with a floor cloth/a separate bowl of cold, clean water and an old towel, then moving onto the next section. That then means it's completely clean and a microfibre flat mop deals with daily cleaning (it's also perfect for dealing with laminate without worrying about it getting wet or sticky from too much product - I just spot clean any spills that are missed with a cloth and whatever spray I've got on the go)

I suppose if somebody has glossy hard flooring, the steam mop might work well, but it just didn't cut it for me.

I can never be bothered to get it out and assemble it. It’s a faff so I very rarely use it.

I have a Shark klick and love it. It has three heat settings so I can use it on my different floors.

It's easy to get out/fill/put away - the mop head Knicks off and is reversible too - I've never mopped u floors so much

Bought from Lakeland with a 2or3 yr guarantee

Thanks you. I must be very lazy but there is no way I am getting on my hands and knees to scrub 1000 sq foot of floor. When we used to have a cleaner there is no way she would have done that either. Interesting that most say they are a phaff. I am off to check out the shark klick. :) Any other comments welcomed.

I wouldn't say you were lazy at all - if I had a kitchen that is larger than the footprint of my entire house and garden, I would probably find another option - like a version of commercial floor scrubbers.

no that is my whole downstairs - it is tiles, lamInate and parquet - no carpet at all downstairs, I don't have a 1000 sq foot kitchen! :)

I had one and thought it too much hastle to assemble and it made me wonder where dirt ended up. You can’t beat mop to be honest. I DO however recommend a cordless vaccum cleaner. I love mine and use it all the time as so easy to use.

I love hard floor cleaning equipment (yes sad but true!) Steam mops imo aren’t worth the bother, it just smeared dirt around and doesn’t get into the grout. I have a bissel crosswave which is pretty good, it hoovers and mops at the same time. But sometimes it gets a bit clogged with dirt and then starts to make the floor streaky - I do ask quite a lot of it though cleaning the mud from my boot room. Does a brilliant job of cleaning most of the time though and came into its own sorting out vomit, one pass and the floor gleamed!

I saw this in a Lakeland email the other day and I want it! www.lakeland.co.uk/46140/AirCraft-Powerglide-Cordless-Hard-Floor-Cleaner-and-Polisher-PGLIDEWHT?src=emails190210CleanFloor_D4T4_CLEA%20(1)&spMailingID=58410462&spUserID=MjIwMDE2MjgyMDE0S0&spJobID=1580816914&spReportId=MTU4MDgxNjkxNAS2

No idea what it’s like, but if I didn’t already have a massive collection of floor mopping tools I’d have it (my DH just rolled his eyes at me when I suggested it!)

I have one of the green X5 ones that everyone bought some years ago. Easy to use and does the job.

I love a steam mop! I've not got the Shark one but the reviews are great. Don't get a Karcher one (unless some models vary) as you have to keep your thumb on the button to keep the steam going, and it aches after a couple of minutes!

I had a steam one but I find the Bona Spray Mop more effective and far easier. My cleaner loves it so much she’s been recommending it to her other clients! I’ve got parquet and a bit of ceramic tiling.

I have a vax multi function one. I literally only use as a mop although you can use it I. About 7 different ways but it's awesome I love it. Takes no time to be ready and Doe a a brill job

I've had two Steam mops, the first was a very cheap Asda 'own brand', which was brilliant because it was basic and so light it was easy to use. My second is a Vacs multi and I can't stand it. It's heavy and even filling the water container is difficult, so I've bought a spray mop.

I’ve got the cheap Asda one had it for years and it’s brill. It picks up miles more dirt than normal mopping, but I do use three or four different pads so the mucks just not being spread round.

Please can someone please post a photo of the cheap Asda one as went to local large ASDA and they do not seem to have any own brand ones there - thanks.

Have sharp one which was fine but took ages as have a lot of floor to cover. If anyone knows of a good industrial one would be interested.

@justforthisnewname it was years ago I had my Asda one and then bought my other so I'm not sure if they sell them. If you look around I'm sure you'll get something similar from somewhere else. When you're looking look for something really basic and lightweight. I wish I still had mine

I've got an old style shark steam mop.
I love it because the whole house is tiled (bed, bath, living, kitchen, the whole lot - I live somewhere hot!), and I can do all the floors and not have damp patches.
DH prefers a mop and bucket, but the kids always go sliding across the floor after hes finished.
I think they get different types of marks off the floors. Both will do a basic clean. Steam lifts some stuff, mop lifts different stuff.
I do the whole house on one refill (so 2 tanks) but since I need to replug it in once as well, its not too much of a faff.

I have this one and I LOVE it as it hoovers and cleans all at the same time. It dispenses the water in controlled amounts so no over wetting laminate floors. I am like you, I have no carpet downstairs.

www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/home-appliances/floorcare/steam-cleaners/karcher-fc5-hard-floor-cleaner-yellow-10167286-pdt.html

Snap Chishand! I have the Shark Klik too and love it.

I also bought mine from Lakeland and the guarantee from them is 3 yrs.

Can definitely recommend for large areas.

I bought the Aircraft power glide and so far love it downside is having to put more pads

I've got a granite tiled floor and find the steam mop is excellent. No chemicals needed.
It also becomes hand held and I use it to clean the oven along with a pink pad. Fantastic.
And I hate cleaning.

I have three different sorts of shark stick type steam mops. All very good. Our cleaner uses all different types and makes in her various jobs in other properties -she says ours are the ones she likes the most : they are simple & quick to use and she doesn’t get trigger finger like in some of the other houses. We have one that has a sort of vibration action, one with a lift away steam cleaner and also the fore runner of the click one. I don’t want to jinx myself but they have all lasted well the cloths/mop are easily sourced. I dry the pads on a radiator to avoid shrinkage in the dryer, my only advisory remark.

Shark Liftaway

Really pleased with it , leaves my tiled floors clean, dries quickly.

Much easier than a mop/bucket or one of those sponge mops with floor spray (they stink after a couple of uses)