If you use your steam mop comfortably without shark steam mop instructions, then you’re one the rare geniuses out there. The steam mop is the king of mops; those handy cleaning tools take your cleaning process up a notch by sanitizing at the same time.
Shark steam mop is one of the most popular steam mop brands, and they deliver their job effectively, the reason they are very popular in the first place.
If you newly upgraded to one of this “bad boys,” operating it might be difficult, and the last thing you want is to wrongfully operate a newly purchased and extremely expensive steam mop and cause its damage, so here’s shark steam mop instructions that will enable you to use your new mop to its full capacity.
Shark Steam Mop Instructions
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A steam mop uses electrical power to heat up water up to about 240 degrees Fahrenheit, then uses the hot water vapor, which is emitted from the base of the mop pad to remove tough stain and grime; the heat of the steam helps to eliminate germs and bacteria.
Research has actually proven that steam can effectively reduce bacteria like vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Acinetobacter baumannii, and even salmonella in a record of five seconds.
Now that you know the operating technique of a shark steam mop let’s talk about look at some important user instructions.
How To Use A Shark Steam Mop
The following procedures will enable you to use your steam mop to its maximum capacity
Preclean the area
I know it might sound like a lot of extra work to have to clean your space before using a steam mop on it. But the truth is, by using the suction power of a vacuum to loosen up the embedded dirt and debris, especially if it is a carpeted area, while helping the steam mop work more efficiently.
You don’t have to do a thorough job when vacuuming, just pick up all the loose crumbs and allow the steam cleaner focus on the tough stains and grime.
If this feels like too much work, you can always opt for an all-in-one steam mop, which is a vacuum combined with a steam mop, so it does both jobs simultaneously.
While vacuuming, you can also try moving furniture or other items that might be in your cleaning path. Although shark steam mops usually come with a rotating head which allows you to easily maneuver around furniture and hard to reach areas, moving your furniture will give you a wider view to closed-off areas you won’t be able to get otherwise.
Plug in the Mop
After light cleaning and clearing your cleaning path, you want to attach the mop cloth to the foot of the mop before plugging it in, because once plugged in, a steam mop tends to heat up very quickly, and the mop foot can become too hot to handle.
A steam mop uses electrical power, and you know that it doesn’t mix well with wet items, so trying to fix a wet mop cloth over a running steam mop could lead to electric shock. You also need to fill the water tank before plugging in the steam mop, and if the water runs out while cleaning.
You also need to unplug the steam mop before refilling it. Plugging in the steam mop should be the last thing you do, as you make sure every other part of the mop is ready to use.
Also, it is beneficial to have a couple of extra mop pads handy, either reusable or disposable. This allows you to quickly change the mop pad when it gets too dirty to avoid trailing or smearing dirt around as you steam your floors.
With all this set, you can go ahead and turn on your shark steam mop; if you are using a corded model, it is best you plug it in a power outlet close to where you want to clean in order to have more mobility.
If you are using a cordless model, make sure to charge it for the recommended amount of time before use. Turn your steam mop on and allow it to warm up for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Leaving Your Steam Mop Idle
This is a common mistake that most people make that can be costly. You’re ready to start cleaning the floor, and you’ve plugged your steam mop into an outlet, but then the phone rings or someone’s at the door.
Your natural instincts would be to walk away and go attend to whatever it may be, but ensure that before you do that, your steam mop has been turned off.
Leaving your steam mop running on one spot of the floor for over a couple of minutes can cause permanent damage to that spot, regardless of whether the floor is steam friendly or not.
Steam Away
After filling the water tank to its maximum capacity and allowing the steam mop to warm up for the appropriate amount of time, its time to clean. You can start off by dampening the mop pads by pumping the handle a couple of times; the next thing you want to do is choose the cleaning mode settings; there are three modes to choose from, and there are;
- dust mode for light cleanup
- mopping for regular cleanup
- scrubbing for tough stains
After selecting your cleaning mode, use a back and forth movement motion pattern as you would with a regular mop to get consistent steam flow.
It’s usually best to start at the farthest point away from the door; that way, you work your way towards the door, and you can let the floor dry properly without having to walk over it when trying to exit the room.
Shark steam mop actually comes with various attachments that allow you to handle different cleaning situations.
After steam cleaning, you can either leave the area to air dry, but sometimes that’s is not usually recommended, especially on floors that are prone to moisture buildup and damage; you can use a clean lint-free cloth to wipe off any excess moisture left on the floor after using the steam mop.
When you are done cleaning, remove the mop pads, if you are using disposable pads, throw then in the trash, or if you make use of reusable ones, you need to throw it in the washer. Unplug the steam cleaner and carefully wound the cord and store it properly.
If you are using a cordless steam mop, it is best to actually recharge your mop after every use; this way, you can make use of it anytime you want, instead of charging when you need it, which can be a cleaning motivation killer, because charging a steam mop can take up to 4 hours.
Types of Floor You Can Use a Steam Mop on
Although a steam mop might be a revolutionary product, not all floors agree with that. Using a steam mop on most floors can actually cause damage to them, so here’s a list of floors you can use a steam mop on, and how to do that without damaging the floor.
Using a Steam Mop on Laminate floor
There is actually an ongoing debate about using a steam mop on laminate floor; in fact, most laminate floor manufacturers would void your warranty if you happen to use a steam cleaner on the laminate floor.
While it might be wrong to just go ahead and say you can use a steam mop on laminate floors, shark steam mop are high functioning and allow you to clean your laminate floor without damage.
For the best results, when using a steam mop on laminate flooring, it is best to tackle your floor in small sections. Push your steam mop over the surface of the laminate in the same way as you would with a standard mop.
Shark’s innovative steam distribution technology will ensure that every part of the mop head is clearing away grease and grime. However, you want to regularly check the head to ensure that it is clean and free from debris.
Laminate is made with a resin that stops water from penetrating it. However, in some rare cases, water can find its way into the tiny cracks between laminate panels. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to mop along with the panels, and not against them.
Staying with the grain will deliver exceptional results without compromising the quality of your floor. Shark steam mop combines the usage of minimal water and a sufficiently high temperature to give your floor a completely dry and spotlessly clean look within a few seconds.
Cleaning the floor with a clean cloth afterward is totally optional because the Shark steam mop regulates both steam flow and how much water is applied to your floor, you can keep your laminate looking like new and shiny without ruining it.
Using a Steam Mop on Hardwood Floor
if you have hardwood flooring in your home, you may be worried about applying moisture to it during the cleaning process. While it is true that moisture can irreparably damage hardwood floors, there are some steps you can take to ensure all your hardwood surfaces can benefit from the steam mopping.
Before you use a steam mop on a hardwood floor, you want to make sure that the entire floor has been sealed. A range of different sealants like waxes and resins are used to create a protective barrier against moisture and other contaminants.
Once water penetrates this seal, it can start to distort the wood beneath, causing what is usually permanent damage.
If you’re not sure whether or not your floor has been sealed, or you’re worried that certain areas may be exposed, you should divide the floor into sections and drop a small amount of water onto each of them.
If the water seeps into the floor, that means the floor isn’t sealed, or the sealant has been compromised, but if the water starts to bead immediately and remains on the surface, your sealant is still intact, and you can go ahead and make use of your shark steam cleaner over it.
Due to the fragile and sensitive nature of hardwood floors, you should always select ‘dust’ setting when using your Shark Steam mop, and it has an amazing technology that ensures that steam is evenly distributed along the entire surface of the mop head.
This means that areas of your floor won’t become drenched whilst other areas remain untouched. The micro-fiber cleaning pad also provides excellent levels of absorption, which ensures the amount of moisture that actually comes into contact with your floor is kept to a minimum. Plus, you won’t be needing any of those hardwood floor chemical cleaners.
If your hardwood floor is in a high traffic area such as in your hall or kitchen, the high traffic can gradually wear a sealant down, so it’s important that you assess the integrity of your floor’s protective layer on a regular basis before cleaning with a steam mop.
Using a Steam Mop on Carpet
To use a shark steam mop on a carpet, you have to first attach a Carpet Glider over the Steam Pocket head, and this allows for a smooth gliding motion across the top of your carpet.
This helps to protect your carpet fibers from damage, while also thoroughly cleaning them with intense steam. It is also advised to choose the dust intensity setting for carpets.
You will quickly find that stains and ground-in dirt are loosened by the sheer power of steam alone. However, this may leave you with some debris which you can easily use a vacuum to pick up.
Shark steam mops use the optimum amount of water for the job, so your carpets won’t be saturated after cleaning, and You should be able to vacuum the loosened dirt immediately, leaving your carpet looking like new.
In order to ensure your carpet is given the opportunity to dry completely, you should ventilate the room and prevent people from walking over the area you’ve just cleaned for about two to three hours.
Using a Cleaning Solution with a Steam Mop
While this might be tempting to do, as it may seem like it is something that will take your cleaning to the next level, it is actually a bad idea.
Steam mops only require water to function; adding additional chemicals like cleaning agents will not only damage your steam mop, it may also damage your floor. If you feel the need to use a cleaning solution, you should add it directly to the floor before mopping.
Read: Easy Homemade Floor Cleaner
Some steam mop models are capable of using scented water, but always consult your user manual before adding anything other than water to your steam mop.
Its also recommended that you use distilled or demineralized water in your steam mop as regular tap water might cause mineral buildup and damage your steam mop.
Conclusion
shark steam mop instructions aren’t that much different from most steam mops in the market; if you can handle any steam mop, you can handle a shark steam mop.
They are easy to use on multiple floors, so if you happen to have a couple of different floors in your house, they get the same steaming and sanitizing treatment.