The Hoover Enhanced Clean Disinfecting Steam Mop works on glazed ceramic tile, sealed hardwood and linoleum flooring. It also "freshens" carpeting, although I''m am unaware of the benefit of steaming carpeting between cleanings, but I guess it would freshen it. Included is a carpet slider to facilitate this action. Reading the instructions is a necessity particularly whenever mixing liquids and electricity. The Owner''s manual is written clearly and is fourteen pages long, including the warranty page.
The flooring needs to be well swept and all "gross filth", their words, not mine, must be removed. Sweeping is essential because the small steam vents on the head may become clogged which will affect performance and life expectancy of the unit.
The steam mop is lightweight, which is a clear advantage over larger units. It is neatly positioned between a nearly disposable Swifter cleaner and a heavier full size steam cleaner. I tested the unit out on four rooms of glazed ceramic tile approximately 450 square feet. I vacuumed the tile before beginning and some of the areas, primarily the two entrances into the house, had more ground-in dirt than others.
Assembly involved no more than snapping the handle into the base. The unit has two tanks the solutions tank holds approximately eight ounces of either Hoover''s disinfectant or multi-floor cleaning solution while the water tank holds sixteen ounces. There is a replaceable filter for the water side of the device (should last twelve months) but the instructions recommend using distilled water to avoid hard water build-up and to extend the filter life. At the time of this review the unit is new to the market and I couldn''t find pricing on the website for the replacement filter.
The included eight ounce bottle of Disinfectant solution filled the solutions tank and in cleaning the four rooms, I used virtually the entire bottle. The water tank required one extra filling to do all four rooms -a pleasant surprise considering the small size of the tank.
Two hard surface microfiber pads are included along with one with cut-outs to be used when disinfecting. Select the appropriate pad, lay it on the floor and place the unit on top of it, and a hook and loop (Velcro) system securely attaches the pad. While in use, I tried everything to accidentally disengage the pad and failed.
After use, the microfiber pads may be thrown in the washer. It is recommended they be washed in hot water and dried flat. The idea of throwing the pad in the washer didn''t appeal to me because at that point it was quite dirty and I couldn''t figure out what I would want to wash with it and it is entirely too small to justify running an entire washer load alone. So, I thoroughly washed it in the kitchen sink with the hottest possible water and detergent (then I disinfected the sink.) I plan to order a couple extra pads. They are on the website for around twenty dollars.
The steam cleaning process is usually step one and begins almost instantly (within thirty seconds) of pressing the power button. Squeeze the trigger on the handle and steam is released. When finished steam cleaning, and disinfecting is desired, switch the dial on the front from the middle position to high which engages the solutions tank. The time involved in the steam cleaning process will vary based on the condition of the floors.
While cleaning, I found the more heavily soiled areas of the tile required going over them up to six times to completely remove all ground in dirt, but the remainder of the floor was done with one or two passes. The power cord is long, approximately 28 feet, so there was no need to repeatedly plug and unplug the cleaner within a large area.
The disinfecting step is optional, and if chosen, is the final action just a couple of quick passes and then the floor needs to air dry to activate the disinfectant. If a moment is needed to stop while cleaning, the unit should not sit, unmoving, on the floor or damage may occur. A tray is included so the unit may rest off the floor.
The disinfectant is a food grade cleaner but in addition to its steep price, it contains so many chemicals that in the future, I will use it only occasionally. My main interest in the unit is its steam cleaning capability, so that will be my primary use.
On the Hoover website, a thirty-two ounce bottle of disinfectant solution (four fills) is around fifteen dollars and a sixty-four ounce bottle of the multi-floor cleaner(eight fills) is around twenty dollars. The two different cleaning solutions should not be mixed together, and other cleaners are not to be used.
Under Storage in the owner''s manual, when finished cleaning, the water tank should always be emptied and air dried. The solutions tank does not need to be emptied, but there was so little disinfectant remaining, I emptied and rinsed it. In the past, I had problems with a small carpet cleaning device that also noted that the cleaning solution could be left in the unit, so I probably will never leave any liquid in either tank.
While using the unit, the lack of weight permitted quick and easy movement and I could work for an extended amount of time without the least bit of fatigue. I finished cleaning all four areas in about thirty minutes and that was stopping once to refill the water container with the included measuring cup.
The lightweight construction does leave the machine feeling a little flimsy, but I don''t know how that can be remedied given the significant advantage of its portability. The triangular shaped head is mounted on a ball joint which permits great flexibility in movement, so the unit worked perfectly on the floors in each room with the point getting into every corner and the flat edges following the baseboards.
The steam mop did a beautiful job on my tile floors they look spotless and the effort involved was minimal. Overall I am delighted with the machine, but there are a couple of minor complaints. It isn''t convenient to move the tray from room to room. It is a necessity because it isn''t easy to predict when the work may need to stop for a minute or two so the tray should always be handy.
Also, the water and solutions tanks have lots of nooks and crannies, and are designed in a way that doesn''t permit them to readily dry. The fill opening is small so after rinsing, air doesn''t easily circulate within the tanks. After a full day of drying, and a few attempts to shake out any remaining drops of water, both tanks still contain a small amount of water. Although this isn''t a fatal design flaw, avoiding mold formation is always a concern with units like this.
Hoover provides a limited two year warranty on this machine, which given the proliferation of ninety day warranties, is reassuring. The positives far outweigh the negatives and I am delighted with the unit''s performance. As I continue to use the unit, I will update this review.
I am a quadriplegic who lives in Tempe Arizona. A few months ago my apartment''s carpet was replaced with vinyl wood flooring. After two major dust storms this year, my apartment was left filled with dust. A dust that comes from across the desert and contains all kinds of spores and particles. My wheelchair would leave tracks from room to room, even after my caregiver washed the floor and wheelchair tires. A good friend suggested I try the Hoover steam mop. When my Hoover Enhanced Clean Disinfecting Steam Mop arrived, my caregiver (Lou) went right to work reading the instructions, assembling things together, and then steam cleaned my apartment''s floor. Lou was excited from the moment he opened the box because he owns a Shark, and he said this is so much better than his and will do a lot more. My floor looks cleaner than when it was first installed. The rich wood brown is much clearer, and that light dust in the cracks is gone. Being a quadriplegic I am prone to congestion, and since the dust storms I have been dealing with congestion issues. After my floors were steam cleaned I have had less congestion, and my breathing has noticeably improved. Lou is still excited to use my mop, and sometimes I have to tell him he has cleaned enough. You can no longer tell what rooms I''ve been rolling in and out of. This is a great mop and it definitely deserves more credit for its health benefits and cleaning capabilities.
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I''ve had this steam mop for over a month now and I''m very pleased to say that it does *almost* everything the advertising says and even a bit more. I can also report that Hoover fully stands behind their warranty.
The warranty: when I received my first unit, it worked for five minutes and then died. The steam light came on, but no steam came out. I ran through the troubleshooting guide, cleared all the tubes, and it still wouldn''t work. I called the 800 number on the instructions and explained the problem. 24 hours later, I had a new mop delivered to my front door along with some extra cleaning pads and solution for my trouble (at no point during my conversation with Hoover had I ever asked for any free gift or compensation beyond sending a replacement unit). Hoover did ask that I send the unit back to the factory directly (they provided the free mailing label from FEDEX, including free pickup at my home) so that their engineers could look at it -this appliance is so new that they hadn''t had any returns yet. I can''t fault Hoover over this incident -any appliance line has an occasional defect, it''s the reaction from the company that will get my goat. In this case, Hoover bent over backward to make this right for me and I don''t think they had any way of knowing that this was a Vine customer.
The cleaning environment: an 1880''s farmhouse on a still-working farm. We raise livestock and have two dogs that are permitted inside. Dirt and "other" material from the barn and pastures gets tracked into the mud room where we change out boots and work clothes. The dogs roam the acreage and the return to the house for feeding and sleeping; fortunately, they are finally fully housebroken and it''s safe to leave the bedroom door open. Harvest season brings an extra layer of dust into the house. Get the picture? It''s a constant battle to keep floors clean. I''ve swept, Swiffered, mopped, and Roomba''d my way across these floors for five years now and I''ve hated every minute of it. June Cleaver I am not.
Results on linoleum: I used this mop on my kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and mud room floors. The age of the flooring ranges from new to 15 years old. The first cleaning raised ground in grime from the old flooring. There is a small cut on the kitchen floor that gathers dirt; the steam mop lifted the grime and turned the cut nearly invisible. Another effect that I noticed is that the kitchen floor stays clean for a noticeably longer period of time afterward. Dirt tends to quickly show up where previous dirt remains (it''s stickier) and a mop sometimes has more the effect of moving dirt around rather than picking it up. The steam/microfiber combination really does a better job of removing grime altogether. Lastly, the pads stick out a bit from the mop head so I can push the pad right up against the baseboards and clean along the edges. Total mopping time is one-third of the time traditional mop/brush/bucket method.
Results on carpet: **Note: the following is NOT a Hoover-recommended use for the mop, this is something I came up with on my own. Your mileage may vary.** I had some very stubborn pet stains on our older carpeting (it''s at least 10 years old). Even after trying a variety of cleaning solutions and steam cleaning, the stains would reappear and collect more dirt. After seeing how the mop worked on the linoleum, I decided to see if this mop would work as an alternative to a steam cleaner. Using the carpet glide triangle and a full pad (Hoover recommends the one with holes in it for "freshening" carpets, but that was not what I was trying to do), I ran the mop over the stains several times with the steam on. Next, I applied Hot Shot carpet cleaner, allowed the solution to work for 30 seconds or so, and then ran the mop over it again. Voila! The steam provided just enough, but not too much, moisture, and the microfiber pad picked up the stain. Two weeks later, the stains have not reappeared. Best of all, I didn''t have to get on my hands and knees and stick my face in the fumes while I scrubbed away.
Results on hardwood/laminated flooring: Didn''t try it. Our hardwood is old and the finish is worn in places. We do have some laminated flooring, but I''m very leery of applying high-heat moisture to these floors. The consequences of any damage to those floors is too great to risk. I''ll watch the other reviews here and then maybe give it a try.
The cleaning pads: The unit comes with two regular pads and a single fenestrated (i.e., has holes in it) pad. This allows me to use one pad to clean the kitchen and mud room, switch out to the second pad for the laundry/bath, and then use the fenestrated pad to disinfect the kitchen and bath. Switching the pads out is as simple as stepping on the tab of the pad, lifting the unit off of it, and placing it down on top of the other pad. Then I pick up the pad and toss it in the laundry. This is soooooo much better than wrestling with an increasingly filthy mop head. One note for those who have never used a microfiber pad before: wash them before the first time you use them order to relax the fibers a bit -otherwise, the pads won''t pick up dirt quite as well.
Cleaning solution: Yes, it''s expensive; however, you aren''t going to be using nearly as much of it as the cleaning fluid in your mopping bucket. The solution isn''t a soap, it''s a disinfectant, so I clean first with just steam and then make a second, faster pass with the fenestrated pad to apply disinfectant. After using this mop for six weeks, I have yet to have to add cleaning solution to the tank. A little goes a very, very long way.
Bottom line: this is a great product that truly is an improvement over a bucket and mop and even scrubbing on your hands and knees.
Read Best Reviews of Hoover TwinTank Disinfecting Steam Mop Here
Alright, so this is a great steam mop. I have been through a couple. I had the H2O mop which like most As Seen on TV stuff was great when I first got it but because they make them so cheap it broke and it is like pulling teeth dealing with Thane''s Customer support so I just said F it. The second one I had was a HANN and right out of the box it sucked at producing steam. Then I got this one and I loved how it produced steam however one downside to this mop is that you have to hold the trigger... Not to worry I just just a piece of tape and wrapped it around so it would hold the trigger down. So this is a great buy. But.... Have you had this for a couple months and all of the sudden it is not producing steam like it used to or at all???? Not to worry. Follow these steps and you will keep this crack-a-lackin for a while.
So to prevent the mop from getting clogged up in the first place the best thing you can do is when you are done mopping leave your finger on the trigger. Then remove both solution and water tank until it stops producing steam. Now you can shut it off and stow it away.
Too late??? Did it already clog up? Well go ahead and plug it in with both water and solution in it, press the trigger until it starts producing steam. While leaving your finger on the trigger remove both tanks until it stops producing steam just like I said above and then unplug it. Take it somewhere... Preferably garage and flip it upside down. Take some white vinegar and pour the vinegar in the wholes where the steam is supposed to come out. Leave the vinegar in the holes over night. Then in the morning take the mop, put it into a sink or bath tub, fill up your solution and water tanks then put them in. Plug in the mop, wait for the lights that say you are ready to go, then press the trigger. See all that crap that came outa there???? You should be seeing a lot of steam. Again take both tanks out while leaving your finger on the trigger until it stops producing steam and then stow it away.
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My wife and I bought this steam mop to use on our ceramic and hardwood floors. My wife absolutely loves it! It is so easy to use and the floors look amazing. We were nervous about using steam on the hardwood, but the steam evaporated so fast that the floors were dry immediately. We also like the fact they you have the option to either use a cleaner or just water. So far we haven''t had to use a cleaner, because the steam works great on it''s own.
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My wife and I drink more water now. It even tastes better--or rather, you can notice the lack of metals and chemicals. We are super happy that we got this and we recommend this to everyone.
