This is my lucky third new product test from a new (to us) manufacturer, Euro-Pro. Whilst hugely entertaining in its own right, don’t be shy – check out our other posts, too. Here though, is my take on the Shark Steam Mop.
Opening the box (whilst fending off The Things: “Is it a train, Mummy?” “Is it a present for us?”) I’m struck by how compact it is. Putting it together is easy to do and I’m soon ready to see just how simple & effective it is. The proof – as they say – is in the pudding. More specifically, the proof is under the kitchen table in the form of this morning’s cereal (rapidly drying and welding itself to the tiled floor as I watch), stuck to the oven top and – inexplicably – all down the side of the dishwasher.
I briefly imagine myself on one of those “How Clean Is Your Home” type programmes but push that thought aside as I head into battle in the kitchen. I fill up the water tank and the steam quickly begins to come through. The Things (two boys, aged 3 & 4) are very excited as Thomas The Tank Engine has steam. Whilst followed by two children shouting “PEEP PEEP” I tackle the dried-like-concrete Cheerios with ease and decide to do the whole kitchen floor. I’m ordered to sing the Thomas song and have to use one hand as a train piston rod. Still, it’s fun and it’s done, quickly.
The attachments that are included easily allow me to adapt from a mop to a handheld steamer so I do the side of the dishwasher then decide to clean the windows (a task I usually undertake armed with vinegar and a newspaper, old-skool). So far, I’ve been cleaning the kitchen for 8 minutes and it’s starting to look rather swish. Another attachment makes light work of the inside of the oven and I start actively looking for things to clean. I’m turning into some kind of domestic goddess, after all. Taps, sinks, the inside of the fridge door, the tiled splashback – nothing is safe from me and my newfound gadget. I’m eyeing up the fixtures and fittings in the bathroom when a small voice says “Stop now, Mummy. Come and play Thomas.” I’ve achieved a lot in just 20 minutes and so, with a clear conscience, I down tools and head off for some important engineering at the Sodor Steamworks.
Shark. Cool name, awesome time savers.
Note: I tested the Shark on laminate in our utility room (posh name for “where we keep the empty wine bottles”) and tiled floors in our kitchen but this product also comes with a great attachment that you can steam & deodorise your carpets with. I didn’t get to test that as I got too involved in Thomas The Tank as ASLEF were in for pay talks. To do your own test why not enter our great FREE competition? Just head along to our Twitter or Facebook pages for all the details. Good luck!
