Switching to a Shark Steam Mop: Bye-Bye Swiffer WetJet

I switched to a Shark Deluxe Steam Mop recently after breaking my 1 year old Swiffer WetJet. Many things factored into my decision to jettison my Swiffer WetJet in favor of a steam mop, something I have never owned. Below is an honest review of my Shark Deluxe Steam Mop, along with the reasons why I switched from a Swiffer WetJet to a steam mop product.

The Cost Factor: A Shark Steam Mop comes out ahead of Swiffer WetJet

I'll be completely frank and state that the cost of Swiffer WetJet's refills factored heavily into my decision to migrate away from buying another Swiffer WetJet when I broke the one I had. The refill pads cost upwards of $6 each and the best price I could find on the liquid cleaning solution refill was about $4. This meant that each month I was spending $10-$20 on refills for my mop, depending upon how dirty my floors got and how often I mopped. Multiply that out and that is $120 per year, at least, on refills alone. Add another $20 onto that for a new WetJet each year (I seem to get just one year out of them before I break the handle) and you are looking at a minimum of $140 per year just to have clean floors.

A Shark Deluxe steam mop, on the other hand, costs about $100 and comes with 5 washable cleaning pads. The model I got has a 25 foot cord, which reaches just about everywhere I need to mop. The Shark Deluxe heats quickly, which allows you to begin mopping in less than a minute. At $100, the Shark Deluxe was already cheaper than using a Swiffer WetJet because the Shark does not require refills. The pads go right in the laundry and last a long time.

Tip: Purchase your Shark at Bed Bath & Beyond using a 20% off coupon to save money.

Green Factor: Shark Steam Mop is a greener product to use vs. a Swiffer WetJet

Though everyone has their own yardstick as to what constitutes a green product, in my opinion, the Shark steam mop products are greener to use than the Swiffer WetJet. I truly feel much better about using a chemical free steam mop than I did about using the Swiffer WetJet. My Shark Deluxe steam cleans my floor with just water. The floor also dries quickly afterward, unlike when I mopped with the WetJet. I did not like the idea of my children or small animals walking around on the still wet chemical-laden floor.

Using my Shark Deluxe Steam mop instead of the Swiffer WetJet also means that I am throwing away less cleaning product trash. Using at minimum 12 bottles of solution per year and 120 cleaning pads per year can add up to a lot of trash.

The Clean Factor: It's a draw

Both the WetJet and the Shark steam mop cleaned approximately the same for me. Due to the fur factor, neither truly leave my floor fur free, with both leaving a line of furry residue in corners. However, one thing that I did notice was that after a few weeks of using my Shark Deluxe steam mop my floors appeared less dull than they had before when I used the Swiffer WetJet. I can only assume that the Shark removed the chemical residue from my floors.

Overall impression of my Shark Deluxe Steam Mop

I love it. I feel so much better about mopping my floors with a steam mop. The steam cleaning means that my floors are clean and sanitized. The floors dry infinitely faster, which is a must in a household with young, active children. My only complaint is that you must pump the handle to get steam. Mopping vigorously back and forth is recommended to keep the steam action going during your mopping session. A word of advice about the cleaning pads: the manual does state that for best results, you should wash the pads prior to use. Though you may be excited and anxious to try the mop out, it really does make a difference when it comes to cleaning your floors. Take the time to launder the pads before your first use.