Shark Genius Steam Mop Review

A Deep Dive Into The Shark Genius Steam Mop

The traditional way of cleaning hard flooring with a mop and bucket requires you to keep dipping the mop into a bucket of soapy water. This method just gets the water dirtier and dirtier, and you find yourself emptying and refilling the bucket multiple times before you have finished cleaning the house.

The Genius steam mop is an electric mop manufactured by Shark. It is designed to steam clean all sealed flooring in the most hygienic way possible. The whole point is not to touch the mop throughout the whole cleaning process, nor do you have to directly pour water on the floor or on the mop head.

Shark has 5 steam mops presently on the market, the newest Shark steam mop model is called the Lift-Away Pro steam pocket mop. We are going to be taking a look at the Shark Genius S5003D.

Let’s not forget that while you clean, you end up working up a sweat and probably want to have a lie down once all the cleaning is over with. Shark has designed their mop to demand as little physical effort on your part as possible so you can clean with ease.

Reducing your contact with the dirty cleaning pads is another Shark innovation. All you need to do is click on the pads, steam clean the floor, click the pad off and put it straight in the wash. Eliminating any contact with a dirty mop keeps your home sanitized and super clean thanks to machine-washable mop pads. Hurray!

These days we are all more germ conscious, it’s a fact. Not only does Shark guarantee that the Genius steam mop will kill 99.9% of household germs, but because it uses hot steam to clean and not chemicals, there is no concern about harmful chemical residue.

So let your kids play after you have cleaned with peace of mind. Bleach and detergent aren’t just bad for your children to ingest, certain flooring can get ruined if they come into contact with the chemicals. Another reason to stay clear of the typical mop and bucket method.

Related Reading: Bissell Spinwave Review

Who’s It For?

Firstly, this steam mop is practically for anyone with any flooring, except for carpeting. If you can mop it, then you most certainly can steam mop it.

Before we even talk about how well it cleans, anyone that hates moping will benefit from giving this steam mop a try. You will see it glide along the floor and while using the Shark Genius it will take half the time to clean your home.

That being said, anyone that enjoys how therapeutic cleaning can be will love how hypnotizingly easy it is to use. Plus, the mop head cleans a wide surface of the floor with every swish getting the job done in no time.

Babies and small children get their hands on anything and everything — filthy or clean — there is just no stopping them. What we do have control over is how clean we keep their home environment. The Shark Genius mop gets your floor as clean as it can be.

Parents should consider investing in this mop especially if their children have started crawling and walking around. The Genius mop will blast off any stains your little ones make on the floor without having to get on your hands and knees to attempt to scrub it off.

What We Like About Shark Genius Steam Mop

There are many things that will cause you to fall in love with this steam mop, below are just a few reasons why we like it.

1. Assembling the Shark Genius is easy and the mop comes with clear and easy to read instructions.
2. The time between assembling the mop and getting it up and running in only a few minutes.
3. Stubborn stains that couldn’t previously be removed with soap and water become less obvious or even disappear after one wash.
4. You can clean a vast area of flooring without stopping as it will take time until the water tank needs refilling. Take your time while using it as you decide when to turn it off not the other way around.
5. The mop doesn’t take a long time to heat up after you turn it on.
6. The steam coming is distributed evenly throughout the mop from when you start cleaning to when you finish.
7. Bacteria is wiped out after cleaning and your kids and pets can play safely.
8. The mop itself is lightweight and easy to move around the house, getting into every nook and cranny.
9. Instead of filling the mop-up awkwardly straight from the tap, the Genius comes with its own little cup to make refilling the water tank 10 times easier.
10. You won’t need to wait for the floor to dry like you would with the old mop and bucket technique. The floor dries almost instantly after steam mopping.
11. Choose between low, medium and high settings according to what is appropriate for your floor. You’re provided with a list of what settings are good for which flooring so you won’t need to think too hard about what setting to use.
12. Barely any noise comes from the Genius mop when it is in use so it won’t wake up your sleeping children if the only time you have to clean is at night.
13. Walk barefoot in your home after cleaning with this steam mop. You won’t be getting sticky residue on your feet and you certainly won’t feel any dirt grains on your feet.
14. Everything is reusable! Save yourself money thanks to reusable and washable mop heads. You also save yourself the time it would take to buy replacement items every time.

What We Don’t Like About Shark Genius Steam Mop

Every product has its downsides and your money shouldn’t be spent without learning the ‘not so good’ about a product. After all, your hard-earned money is important and should be spent wisely.

1. There is no on or off button so as soon as it is plugged in the mop is on standby. This can be dangerous if it is forgotten about.
2. You can’t stand the mop-up on its own, it must be propped up against a wall or a piece of furniture if you want to take a break mid-clean.
3. Some internal components need replacing now and then which is inconvenient as well as adds to the overall cost of the product.
4. In order for the steam to be produced you need to push and pull the mop fast and hard, which tires you out in the process.
5. The cable is very short and requires an extension lead when it is in use in a large room.
6. The mop re-heats the steam mid-use requiring you to stop and wait for it to be ready even if you are in the middle of cleaning.
7. There is only a one year warranty on the Shark Genius mop, meaning if anything happens to the mop after the year is up there isn’t much that Shark will repair after that time.
8. It can sometimes leave streaks when you use it on white floors, adding additional cleaning time in your house.
9. It would be better if there was a feature to indicate when the mop is hot enough and ready to use.
10. Moving this steam mop around the floor can be very stiff and uncomfortable for smaller framed people or anyone with weak arms.
11. The mop is very hard to store away safely without it getting damaged.

What’s Included?

When you order something new it is good to know what comes with it. For example, you would want to know if a product you ordered comes with batteries right? There is nothing more frustrating than getting excited about a new item and realizing on arrival that you should have ordered another component along with it.

Water Tank

The water tank is attached to the mop and has a volume capacity of 350 ml. That is a decent amount of water for the product as it keeps the mop light and easy to move. You will get over 1000 square feet of steam from a full 350ml tank.

Cord Length

You get a 22ft cord rolled up in the mop. Now cleaning from one end of the room to the other won’t be a clumsy experience anymore.

What’s in the Box?

When you order the Genius mop you will get one Genius mop head, two dirt grip pads and one water refill flask.

Steam Pocket Pad

Included is a dual-sided steam pocket pad with your order.

Steam Blaster

Your mop has a steam blasting setting for the removal of stubborn stains. All you need to do is flick back the mop and concentrate the steamer on the stain. The steam blast is great for getting rid of dirt in grit lines too.

Weight

The Shark Genius mop weighs less than 6 lbs making it easy to carry around.

There are only two things I feel are missing with this product, the first is that it doesn’t have an above-floor cleaning setting like the Lift-Away Pro mop. Having an above-floor setting makes deep cleaning bathroom tiles really easy.

Secondly, I feel like the mop should come with two Genius mop heads rather than one. The mop heads are machine washable so it only makes sense to have one spare and ready to use while the dirty cloth is in the wash.

Overview Of Features

Now that we know a bit about the product and what it is meant to do, you need to understand how each feature will benefit you and which features are weak.

Whole Floor Cleaning

Steam is channeled through the mop head panels, pushing the steam over a wide surface of the flooring. More steam distribution means a larger area of the floor is covered while cleaning and less work for you.

Dirt Grip Pads

You might be wondering what is so special about the dirt grip cleaning pads? They are designed to lock dirt between their fibers so that you are constantly cleaning away dirt rather than pushing it around the room. Once one side of the mop is saturated with dirt, you just need to turn the mop head over and use the other side.

Using bleach and fabric softener with the mop will only ruin the dirt grip fibers. If you feel like you need a ‘fresh smell’ after you clean the floor that is lacking from using this mop, run a regular cloth with a bit of fabric softener over the floor using a standard mop.

Touch Free Technology

Not needing to touch the mop head to remove it does save you from bending over. It is set up to be the most hygienic way to get a dirty mop head off your mop. This setting is probably one of the best features of the Shark Genius mop.

Steam Settings

The choice of three steam settings saves electricity and tank water when used in the right setting. Not everything is going to need a medium steam setting and the high setting will be used infrequently to remove stubborn stains or to get the dirt out of a tight corner.

Product Size

Initially, you may not think this is an important thing to think about, but what if it arrived and it was too big to store? Or too bulky to move easily? A mop that is 5.78 lbs is heavy when you compare it to a standard water mop. However, they aren’t used in the same way.

A bucket mop needs to be lifted in and out of a water bucket, while the Shark mop simply needs to be dragged around the floor. The mop head is 13×7 inches making it wide enough to cover a large area of the floor but at the same time slim enough to clean dirty corners and hard to reach places.

At 47 inches tall, you can push it far in front of you and to the sides as you go about your cleaning duties. At almost 12 inches wide, the combination of its height and width makes it a little difficult to store, especially when it doesn’t come with a stand.

Review Summary

Investing in the Shark Genius steam mop is worth the money. Customers are pleasantly surprised by how much dirt this mop lifts from the floor in comparison to other steam mops. There is a reason Shark is one of the leading cleaning manufacturers. If you aren’t familiar with the company, you will understand why Shark is a leader when you use their Genius mop.

The simple design does not come with hard to use and unnecessary features that you will simply never use. Every setting is usable and simple to operate and it isn’t missing anything that would make the mop any better.

Not having a wall stand along with being a bit bulky is its downsides. Once you get used to moving the mop on your floor and maneuvering it around your house you won’t notice its size, you’ll be focused on the amazing results.

FAQ’s

Q: ‘How often should I replace the mop head?’
A: The mop head should be replaced every 3-4 months.

Q: ‘Can the mop be used on wooden floors?’
A: You can use it on wooden floors ONLY if the floor is completely sealed. If the wood is porous the steam will damage the floor.

Q: ‘How do I stop the mop from creating streaks all over the floor?’
A: You should only use distilled water NOT tap water. You may get streaky floors from using the wrong water source.

Q: How do I know the mop is ready to use after plugging it in?
A: You will see lots of steam coming from the bottom of the mop. If the mop is really hard to move, that too could be an indicator that the mop isn’t hot enough yet. You should wait a few more minutes before starting to clean.

Q: Does the mop work on laminated flooring?
A: Using a steam mop on a laminated floor is risky, no matter what brand you use. A steam mop is very hot and could melt laminate flooring or change the shape of the floor.

Q: Can you use the mop on carpets?
A: It doesn’t have a carpet setting and isn’t recommended for use on flooring that isn’t hard and sealed.