I've been a long time Swiffer user, for my vinyl and hardwood floors (no carpet in my furry house), but I've always noticed that it left a lot of streaks and a sort of filmy appearance on my white kitchen tiles. So, when Buckley the Beagle's mom, Kate, mentioned that she was pleased with her SHARK STEAM MOP
Kate said that the mop got dirt that she didn't even see, and then she just washed the replaceable mop heads. No disposable pads or special cleaner bottle needed, so it's definitely more eco-friendly than my swiffer. It's only $69 at Amazon, though I noticed there are a lot of people concerned about the quality and usability of the device. Most people say the handle is flimsy. One reviewer did a very detailed comparison of several steam mops, and finally endorsed the Eureka Envirosteamer.
The Eureka is actually cheaper ($64.99), heats water to a higher temperature, has a longer cord and larger water storage tank. And as some reviewers noted, the tank is just above the pad, not up on the handle, so it's helping to push down on the cleaning pad, not causing resistance to your pushing motion.
So, why would I buy the Shark, when the Envirosteamer seems so much better? What mop should I buy to clean up those muddy paw prints that are coming with the Spring showers? Do you have a steam mop and would you recommend it to other pet parents?
**UPDATE Jan 2012**
I just realized I've been loving my Envirosteamer all this time, and never updated this post. We got the steam mop in Spring 2011 to combat the muddy paw prints, and it's made cleaning my kitchen easily one of my favorite household chores. The steam mop cleans without any residue or sticky fluid buildup of a cleanser. The floor looks remarkably clean--almost new, once I'm finished.
My only advice: don't wash the pads in very hot water, or they'll shrink to the point of almost not fitting in their grips. I may need to buy replacements, but it's probably time to do that anyway.
