Sabi Phagura reports back after trying out the Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK around her home.

Cleaning has never been as vital as it is right now, thanks to the global pandemic that is the Coronavirus. Despite lockdown measures easing, this is no time to be complacent. The concern around the spread of COVID-19 is real, and we need to stay alert and continue to be diligent when washing our hands. But what about our homes?

Keeping your abode clean and disinfected will certainly help in the fight against COVID. It’s still unclear how long the virus can survive outside the body, but it’s believed it can last on stainless steel and plastic surfaces for up to three days. And data collected from a hospital in Wuhan, China, found that the virus can stay on shoes too – especially those of medical workers. Although the risk of the average person walking down the street is low, it’s best not to leave anything to chance.

With this in mind, we turned our attention to floor steam cleaners. Designed to zap away bacteria, steam cleaning is the answer to a safer home without the use of chemicals or regular detergents. Heat treatment has been proven to be effective at killing viruses, such as COVID-19. Government backs the use of steam cleaners to disinfect items that can’t be done by other means, such as upholstery, soft furnishings and mattresses. And cleaning floors, windows tiles and ovens is so much easier with a good steam cleaner.

The lowdown on steam mops
It may seem strange to some, but I’ve loved cleaning since I was a child. There’s just something therapeutic about the whole process. Besides, as a fitness lover, I can turn the whole episode into a workout. Still, no one wants to be laboriously cleaning hard floors on their hands and knees for hours, so a helping hand from the Shark Klick ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop is welcomed.

Steam mops tend to be compact and lightweight, simple to use and ready to operate in seconds. They have more cleaning power than a normal mop due to the water tank attached to the handle. Most of them come with a swivel head, thereby making them easy to manoeuvre and reach hard to access areas, such as awkward corners and under furniture.

Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK put to the test
The Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK was super easy to assemble – to the point that you don’t even have to look at the instructions. It comes with a plastic jug to fill the water tank which took under 30 seconds to heat up. You’ll know it’s ready by the hissing sounds it makes, and steam is emitted from the dual-sided touch-free pads. This gives double the cleaning area per pad because you can flip the pad over. Removing the pads is easy, as they are released at the touch of a button.

This Shark model comes in three variable steam settings – low, medium and high – which can be set at the press of a button. The first time I used it, I set it on high, and the cleaning performance on my hard-wooden floors was really impressive. The steam blast function was super effective at lifting stubborn stuck-on marks and stains. But because I had the setting on high, the water in the tank vanished quicker than I had expected.

When I put the mop on a low setting during subsequent cleaning operations, it lasted a lot longer, and I managed to clean my entire flat with the one tank full. Each time, the floors dried quickly, and I was left with a clean, shiny streak-free floor.

How easy is it to use?
The Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK is lightweight and easy to use and reached all the awkward nooks and crannies, including under the furniture. The water tank is a decent size at 0.35 litres and will cover an ample amount of floor space with no need to refill. I managed to clean my entire good-sized wooden-floored flat on a low and medium setting. It took virtually no time to heat up, even with cold water from the tap.

Some steam mops come with accessories (brushes, scrapers and grout cleaners) that can be attached to tackle other jobs like tiles, ovens and windows. But the Shark model doesn’t have a detachable unit. The only extra that comes with this cleaner is an additional cleaning pad. They can, however, be washed in the machine and reused several times.

Did the Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK live up to expectations?
In a word, yes. In fact, I was very pleased with the results, even with the small water tank capacity when used on high power, and the lack of accessories to do other chores. My main focus was on getting the floor cleaned as quickly and effortlessly as possible. It managed to get rid of stubborn stains left behind by muddy trainers, and left the floor looking and feeling cleaner than it has ever done before. Oh, and I still managed to work up a good sweat!

Shark Klick ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK – Specification at a glance:

  • Type: Mop only
  • Water tank capacity: 0.35L
  • Weight: 2.8kg
  • Cord length: 8 metres
  • Wattage: 1200W
  • Variable steam: Yes
  • Accessories: 2 x double-sided cleaning pads for floorhead

The Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK – Where and How?

The Shark Klik ‘n’ Flip Automatic Steam Mop S6003UK retails at £149.99. For more information, visit www.sharkclean.co.uk.

Read more lifestyle articles and reviews in our dedicated section here.