The ideal way to clean hardwood floors is to get rid of the debris and dirt, use a recommended cleaner and rinse after cleaning. Using a microfiber cloth or damp mop also helps you clean the surface better.
In recent times, there has been an increased use of shark steam mops. If you are in the market to shop for one, it is probably because you learn they make cleaning hardwood floorings easier.
Yet, choosing the best steam mop for wooden floors is based on different factors. In this article, you will find out if using a shark steam mop is ideal for hardwood floors.
What is a Shark Steam Mop?
It is a type of mop that ideally turns water into superheated steam and uses the same to remove grime and dirt from the surface of wooden floorings.
The major advantage of this is that it helps to reduce the need for cleaning solutions, as the primary need is water.
Can You Use a Shark Steam Mop on Hardwood Floors?
From my experience using shark steam mop on a few clients hardwood floors, it appears that using a shark steam mop to clean wooden floors is a good bet.
The key to getting it right is to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Here are the steps to take if you must use the shark steam mop on your hardwood floor.
1. Assemble the Mop
Do not be in a hurry to plug in the mop when you should have assembled it. The plugging-in should be the last step because the mop heats up faster.
To assemble the shark steam mop, here are the things you need to do:
- Coupling the Mop: you can set up the mop by pushing the front side of the handle past the line into the body.
- Fasten the Mop: fastening the shark steam mop requires screwing the handle to the body and using the fasteners at the top to secure the mophead into the pad pocket.
2. Prepare the Shark Steam Mop for Use
With the mophead slide into the base, you now need to fill the water tank with water. Make sure to do the following when filing the reservoir with water:
- Do not overfill the tank, as that could water to drop from the mop while in use.
- Always replace the mop’s cap by turning it clockwise.
Other additional steps to be taken to prepare the mop for use are:
- Unwinding the cord and;
- Attaching the mop cloth
3. Vacuum First!
Do not plug the mop into the wall socket until the hardwood floor’s surface is clean. You can use a vacuum for this purpose or go the traditional way – sweep the floor.
Make sure to get rid of debris, dust, dirt, and any other particles that might scratch the wooden floor and hinder the ability of the shark steam mop to do a good job.
4. Plug the Mop into an Outlet – and Get Ready to Use
It is about time to put the shark steam mop to use. Plug it into a wall socket or a power outlet. As always, you don’t want to waste time because the mop heats up faster.
Depending on the need, you may not get to mopping immediately. The mop ideally comes with a variety of settings, and these can help you maximize the cleaning effect.
For example, the dust setting allows you to do a mild, preliminary cleaning that involves the lifting of light dirt. The mop setting allows you to sanitize the wooden floor further and is recommended for use in high-traffic areas. Once this is done, you can then turn on the scrub setting intended for tougher cleaning.
With the shark steam mop, you can get rid of stuck-on stains, cut through grime, and essentially sanitize the hardwood flooring.
5. Unplug the Mop
Once you’ve satisfied yourself that the cleaning is completed, you can then unplug the mop from the power source.
Here are the things you want to do after the mop is no longer in use:
- Allow the mop to cool before disassembling. It should take anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes after unplugging it from the wall socket/power source.
- Remove the steam mop cleaning pads and allow them to air-dry.
- If there is water left in the tank/reservoir, remove the cap and hold the tank over a sink or bucket to get rid of the leftover water.
- Remove the mophead and hang the shark steam mop on a hook until the next use.
Benefits of the Shark Steam Mop Solution for Hardwood Floors
The robust cleaning power, the ease-of-cleaning wooden floors, and the ability to sanitize the same are the major benefits of using a shark steam mop.
Here are other reasons to encourage a buy:
a. Multiple Cleaning Settings
The shark steam mop has three (3) settings, and these can be used depending on the type of cleaning you want to do. While the dust setting takes care of light cleaning and dusting, the mop setting removes smaller messes and spots, while the scrub setting does a thorough cleaning of the floor and removes the stuck-on stains.
b. Faster Cleaning
Due to its precision, the shark steam mop can clean your wooden floorings faster than the traditional use of a bucket and water-based cleaning solution would do.
c. Cleaning and Sanitization
The shark steam mop doesn’t just get rid of stuck-on stains and smaller messes. It also sanitizes the floor at the same time.
The sanitization introduced through the power of steam is capable of eliminating up to 99.9% of bacteria and germs.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Shark Steam Mop on Hardwood Floors
Just because the mop runs on steam isn’t enough reason to use it on wooden floors, most especially, hardwood flooring.
These are some reasons why it might not be a good idea:
a. Avoid Unsealed Wooden Floors
Most shark steam mop manufacturers warn against using it on unsealed or unfinished wooden floors. This is advised because the hairline gaps between the wood boards are susceptible to moisture and as the shark steam mop uses steam, it could damage the flooring.
b. The Cleaning is Often Limited
You may be unable to use the shark steam mop for a “wholesome cleaning” because it doesn’t run for long. Within 10 minutes, the water in the reservoir should either be exhausted or excessively hot to continue mopping.
You would need to change the water at intervals if you are mopping a larger room.
c. Manual Scrubbing/Cleaning is not Ruled Out
Although shark steam mop doesn’t rely on chemicals to remove stuck-on stains, it does leave some “mess” behind.
From the dirt building up in the mop cloth and which would be spread on continuous use to the caked-on stains – there are just too many leftovers to overlook.
This often requires using the traditional mop/microfiber cloth, bucket, and clean water combo to remove those.
How to Get the Best Results with Shark Steam Mop
Using this mop can bring you a lot of benefits if you follow the right steps. Here are some of the necessary precautions to take:
- Do not introduce any chemicals into the mop, as that would break the sealed barrier of the hardwood floor and cause damage to the flooring.
- Do not wash the steam mop pads. Even if you must do so, do not use dryer sheets or fabric softeners, as those could damage the microfiber cloth from which the pads are made.
- Do not use a dirty mop pad, as that would cause your hardwood to be sticky.
- Allow the shark steam mop to heat to the correct temperature (which is usually 350 degrees Fahrenheit) before use.
Conclusion
You can use shark steam mop to clean hardwood floorings, but on the condition that the surfaces are sealed/finished and that you don’t leave the mop on one spot for too long, as that causes it to apply too much steam on one area.