If you’re anything like I used to be, the thought of cleaning hard floors fills you with dread. You vacuum meticulously, maybe even sweep, only to break out the mop and bucket and watch as you inevitably smear fine dust and residue around, never truly feeling like the floor is clean. It’s a frustrating cycle that takes up valuable time and leaves you wondering if there’s a better way to get genuinely clean, hygienic hard floors without resorting to harsh chemicals. That struggle was exactly what led me down the path to finding a solution.
What to Think About Before Buying a Hard Floor Cleaner
Before diving into a purchase, it’s essential to understand what a hard floor cleaner is designed for and who it best serves. These tools aim to simplify and improve the process of cleaning sealed hard surfaces, offering a potentially deeper clean and sanitization compared to traditional methods. The ideal user is someone with sealed floors like hardwood, tile, laminate, marble, or stone, who is looking to tackle everyday grime, stuck-on messes, and the desire to sanitize without chemicals. They might be dealing with pets, kids, or just high-traffic areas that accumulate dirt quickly.
However, not everyone needs this type of cleaner. If your primary cleaning challenge is large debris or you need something specifically for carpets, a dedicated vacuum or carpet cleaner would be a better fit. Similarly, if you frequently deal with significant liquid spills that need to be vacuumed up, a unit designed for wet/dry vacuuming is necessary, as many steam mops aren’t built for large volumes of liquid. Before committing, consider your specific floor types (ensuring they are sealed), the kind of messes you encounter most often, whether corded operation suits your space, and your willingness to perform routine maintenance like cleaning pads and emptying tanks. Think about whether you need sanitization, help with tough stains, or just a quicker way to manage daily dirt.
Introducing the Shark Steam & Scrub S8001
Stepping into the world of advanced floor care, the Shark Steam & Scrub Steam Mop, model S8001, positions itself as a powerful solution for achieving pristine sealed hard floors. This unit promises an All-in-One Scrubbing and Sanitizing experience, aiming to go beyond simple wiping by actively scrubbing and using steam to clean and sanitize simultaneously. When you purchase the Steam & Scrub S8001, the box contains the main mop unit, four washable Dirt Grip Soft Scrub pads, and a convenient filling flask.
This specific model is designed for homeowners with sealed hard floor surfaces such as hardwood, tile, stone, marble, and laminate. It’s perfect for those who struggle with stubborn, stuck-on dirt and want the sanitizing power of steam without chemicals. It’s less suited for homes with primarily unsealed floors, large areas of carpet, or those who need a machine that vacuums up large debris or significant liquid spills. While it improves upon traditional steam mops that only glide and wipe, it doesn’t replace a vacuum cleaner entirely for solid debris.
Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons based on my extensive use:
Pros:
* Powerful automatic scrubbing action tackles tough, stuck-on messes effectively.
* Steam provides chemical-free sanitization (when used as directed).
* Leaves floors feeling truly clean and residue-free.
* Multiple steam modes cater to different cleaning needs.
* LED headlights illuminate hidden dirt.
* Washable pads are economical and environmentally friendly.
* Easy to maneuver with swivel steering and a relatively lightweight design.
Cons:
* The dirty water/debris tank is quite small and requires frequent emptying, especially on the first few uses of a dirty floor.
* It is a corded unit (though the cord is a decent length).
* Not designed to handle large liquid spills or function as a primary vacuum.
* Pads need cleaning/washing after each significant use to maintain performance and prevent odors.
* Requires attention to detail on certain floor types like LVP to avoid heat damage by staying in one spot too long.
Exploring the Capabilities and Advantages
Having used the Shark Steam & Scrub S8001 for a considerable time now, I can confidently say it offers a distinct cleaning experience compared to anything else I’ve tried. Its features work together to provide a level of clean that feels truly deep and sanitary.
Powerful Scrubbing Action
This is arguably the star of the show. Traditional steam mops rely on you pushing a pad over the floor, letting the steam loosen dirt for the pad to absorb. The Steam & Scrub is different. Its mop head features two Dirt Grip Soft Scrub pads that automatically rotate at over 150 scrubs per minute. This isn’t just passive gliding; it’s active, mechanical scrubbing powered by steam.
In practice, this means the machine does the hard work for you. When I encounter a dried-on spill, a sticky spot under the dining table, or even old, questionable marks near the pet bowls, I don’t have to bend down and scrub manually beforehand. I simply guide the mop over the area, perhaps hovering for a few extra seconds, and the rotating pads, combined with the steam, break down and lift the mess. The feeling is one of effortless glide; the machine pulls itself forward slightly due to the pad rotation, making it less physically demanding than pushing a standard mop. This feature is what truly sets it apart, offering up to 2x better stuck-on stain removal compared to typical steam mops according to Shark’s testing. For anyone tired of leaving behind stubborn residue, this scrubbing power is a game-changer.
Steam Power and Sanitization
The Steam & Scrub harnesses the power of hot steam to clean and sanitize sealed floors. There are three distinct steam modes: Light for quick cleanups or delicate surfaces, Normal for everyday cleaning, and Deep for tackling those really embedded messes.
Using steam means you don’t need chemical cleaning solutions, which is a major plus for households with pets, young children, or anyone sensitive to chemicals. The steam effectively loosens dirt and grime. More importantly, when used according to the instructions (usually by holding the mop head over an area for a specific duration), the steam reaches temperatures high enough to sanitize your floors, killing common household bacteria. I appreciate the peace of mind knowing my floors aren’t just visually clean but also hygienically clean, without leaving behind any chemical residue. Switching between the modes is straightforward, allowing me to adapt the cleaning power depending on the area or the type of mess I’m dealing with, from a light pass over frequently trafficked zones to a more intense assault on a kitchen spill.
Designed for Sealed Hard Floors
A crucial aspect of any floor cleaner is its compatibility with your flooring type. The Shark Steam & Scrub is explicitly designed for use on all sealed hard floors, including hardwood, marble, tile, stone, and laminate. This broad compatibility makes it suitable for most homes with hard surface flooring.
It’s vital to remember the ‘sealed’ part. Using a steam mop on unsealed floors can cause damage. I have a mix of tile and engineered hardwood, and the S8001 performs beautifully on both. On tile, it gets into the grout lines better than a flat steam mop, although it’s not a dedicated grout cleaner capable of removing years of built-up grime from deeply recessed grout without extra effort. On hardwood, the key is to keep it moving; the automatic scrubbing makes this easy, preventing excessive heat or moisture buildup in one spot. For LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank), while considered a sealed hard floor, some manufacturers recommend caution with high heat; always check your flooring manufacturer’s guidelines and test in an inconspicuous area. The fact that it’s safe for *sealed* hardwood is a huge benefit for many homes.
LED Headlights
This might sound like a minor feature, but the powerful LED headlights located on the front of the mop head are surprisingly useful. They illuminate the path ahead, highlighting dirt, dust bunnies, pet hair, and dried spills that might otherwise be invisible in regular lighting, especially under furniture or in corners.
It’s one of those features you don’t think you need until you have it, and then you can’t go back. The headlights reveal exactly where the cleaning is needed most, ensuring I don’t miss spots and providing immediate feedback on how effectively the Steam & Scrub is lifting debris. It makes cleaning more efficient and visually satisfying, confirming that the floor is truly clean as you go.
Ease of Use and Maneuverability
Weighing in at 6.9 pounds, the Shark Steam & Scrub is relatively lightweight for a machine with scrubbing motors and a water tank. Combined with its swivel steering, it’s quite easy to maneuver around furniture legs, corners, and obstacles. The upright lock feature is also handy for pausing briefly or storing it upright.
While it’s not cordless, the 18.6-foot power cord offers a decent reach, allowing me to cover a significant area before needing to change outlets. The automatic forward motion from the scrubbing pads also reduces the effort needed to push the unit across the floor, making cleaning large areas less tiring than wrestling a heavy mop. It feels responsive and agile, allowing me to guide it precisely where it needs to go.
XL Water Tank and Cord Length
The Steam & Scrub S8001 features an XL water tank with a capacity of 11.83 fluid ounces. While marketed as “XL,” it’s important to manage expectations. For light cleaning or smaller areas, this tank size is adequate, allowing for several minutes of continuous steaming. For deep cleaning or larger homes, you will need to refill it. Using the included filling flask makes this process quick and easy, preventing spills.
As mentioned, the cord length is 18.6 feet. This is long enough for most rooms, allowing you to clean a good portion of the space from a single outlet. While I do miss the convenience of cordless for quick spot cleans, the cord ensures consistent power and steam output throughout the entire cleaning session, without worrying about battery life diminishing performance or running out mid-task.
Washable Dirt Grip Pads
The machine comes with four washable Dirt Grip Soft Scrub pads. These pads are designed to be durable and effective at gripping dirt while gently scrubbing the floor surface. Being washable is a huge cost-saving and environmentally friendly feature compared to disposable pads.
After each cleaning session, especially a thorough one, the pads will be dirty. Washing them in the washing machine is simple, and having four pads included means you’ll likely have clean ones ready to go while a set is in the wash. Proper maintenance involves washing the pads after use and allowing them to dry. While some pricier machines boast self-cleaning cycles, user experiences often suggest manual cleaning or rinsing is still needed to truly keep them fresh and odor-free. I find the process of tossing these in the wash straightforward and prefer it to dealing with disposable options or potentially less effective “self-cleaning” systems. Having multiple pads on hand is definitely a necessity, and I’d recommend ordering extra sets if you have a large home or clean frequently.
One disadvantage that ties into the cleaning process is the small dirty water and debris tank. While the machine isn’t a vacuum, the scrubbing action does pick up some loose debris and dirty water. This small tank fills up quickly, especially on the first deep clean of a floor that hasn’t been steam scrubbed before. You’ll need to pause and empty it more often than you might expect. However, I see this as a necessary step to ensure the machine is actually removing grime and dirty water, rather than just spreading it around. It’s a minor inconvenience when balanced against the excellent cleaning performance.
What Others Are Saying
I’ve looked online at what other people who have used the Shark Steam & Scrub S8001 have to say, and the feedback largely mirrors my own experience. Many users report feeling like their floors are truly clean for the first time, describing the results as spotless with no dirt or residue left behind. The scrubbing action and steam combination are frequently praised for their ability to tackle tough, stuck-on messes that traditional mops couldn’t handle. People love that it cleans and sanitizes using just water, eliminating the need for expensive and potentially irritating chemicals. The time-saving aspect is also a common highlight, as it streamlines the cleaning process. While the small size of the dirty water tank is a recurring point mentioned by users, most feel that the superior cleaning performance makes the need for frequent emptying a worthwhile trade-off. The consensus seems to be that it provides excellent value for its cleaning capabilities, making floors look and feel significantly cleaner.
Wrapping Things Up
The frustration of never truly getting your hard floors clean, constantly battling smudges, stuck-on grime, and the feeling of just moving dirt around, is a common one. This problem not only affects the appearance of your home but can also impact hygiene, especially in homes with pets or children. The Shark Steam & Scrub Steam Mop S8001 offers a compelling solution to these challenges. Its powerful rotating scrubbing pads, combined with high-temperature steam, provide a level of cleaning and sanitization that goes far beyond traditional methods. It actively lifts stubborn messes and leaves floors feeling genuinely clean and residue-free. If you’re looking for a way to achieve a deeper, more hygienic clean on your sealed hard floors without chemicals, this steam mop is definitely worth considering. To learn more and see the Shark Steam & Scrub S8001 in action, Click here.