Hoover Floormate or Steam Mop

[Corbin3]

I hate mopping and have been considering purchasing a steam mop but recently ran across the Hoover Floormate and now can't decide which one would work better. We have tile, vinyl and hardwood floors. Does anyone have either of these and if so what do you like or dislike about them!!

 

[Reagan&Co.]

I hate to clean.....maybe one of these is super simple and "fun"??

 

[zoemurr]

I hate to clean.....maybe one of these is super simple and "fun"??

and at first my kids were fighting over who could use it. Now my 7yr old often does it for me.

It is very helpful, as I have miles of white tile. It loosens everything up without me having to get down on the floor. I don't think it is a huge time saver though. I have to sweep, steam mop, then sweep up the stuff the mop loosened, as it doesn't all stick to the pad. (A lot does though.. it's gross.)

It was a worthwhile purchase for me.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

LOVE it! It's the only thing that gets my hardwood floors really clean. Everything else I would use would look clean, but white socks would still get dirty. I also have tile. Of course, after I bought mine, they came out with a model that has a grout scrubber. That's the only thing I don't have that I would like on mine. I like how it sucks up the dirty water off of the floor, so you are left with a clean, dry floor. I've had my floormate for 4+ years now & would never go back to a mop!

 

[gigi1976]

I have the floormate, the larger version of it and I hate it. It leaves my floors way too wet afterward, I have to crawl around drying the floor after I clean it.

 

[kelleigh1]

The last 2 posts seem to contradict. One says it leaves the floor dry, the other soaking wet. Are these perhaps two different models?

I really need something to clean the linoleum in my kitchen and the hardwood everywhere else. I would love to find something that really works, but even with the Shark steamer, I see similar - one person says it does this, one says it doesn't.

 

[DisneyArk]

I have the floormate, the larger version of it and I hate it. It leaves my floors way too wet afterward, I have to crawl around drying the floor after I clean it.

I agree with this post that the floor is too wet afterwards. It may be a different model than the person who loves their floormate.
My other problem with it is that the dirty water tank gets full before I finish one large area (kitchen). I don't like having to stop and dump the water.

 

[Corbin3]

Seems like people love and hate both kinds! I am tempted to buy them both and then return whichever one doesn't work.

Have any of you had any issues using them on your hard wood or laminate floors? I keep hearing your not supposed to use steam on them but see lots of posts where people are using them. My DH is convinced if I get one and use it that it will destroy our floors. We have both laminate wood in the basement and then our foyer is traditional plank-type hardwood.

 

[Zandy595]

I have the Hoover Floormate and love it. I was surprised to hear other people say it left their floors wet. Mine are never wet when I get done using it. The only drawback is it's quite loud, but I still love it.

 

[MousekeMommy]

I have the Hoover floormate and LOVE it--I use it on linoleum, tile, and laminate floors. I've never had the "too wet" experience, it seems to suck it all up for me, but I have heard that from others before . . . It is loud, but I use my Ipod when I clean . . . I love the fact that it SCRUBS--I have a 5 & 7 year old, and hard telling what that dried-up stuff is . . . I don't want to touch it!!!

 

[caribear]

I have the Hoover Floormate and love it too! I have experienced the "too wet" floors when I did not secure the filter in correctly. I couldn't understand why the floors were so wet after doing the wet pickup when everything seemed like it fit together properly. That is when I noticed the dirty water container was not filling up like it usually did.....so I played around with it and got it to work.....just needed to adjust the cover over the filter and everything worked fine. I hate seeing all that dirty water after the pick-up though....but then again at least I know that my floors are now clean! I only have tile....no hardwoods.

 

[D'AngelosdoDisney]

Hi all, I have had my floormate for several years now. I refuse to go back to a mop and broom. It has taken its toll on my machine but I will be ready to get another once this one dies! Yes, my floors don't get so dry anymore. In the begining, it would suck the life out of anything. Now, things are shifting and bending so, we use towels when the floor is wet. My family is expert on towel walking while my floors dry!! The invention of these machines are without a doubt the best thing that has happened to someone who has wood or tile floors. I have laminent and everthing else and use it all the time on everything... except rugs... good luck and enjoy. Eileen

 

[dyna]

With my bad back an knees it's still easier for me to get down on floor an do it the old fashioned way esp with my old age vision lol. I've found those new mop things don't get very well on baseboards an along very edge of walls along bottom of baseboards.

I use the 2 bucket method 1 with cleanin solution vinegar an water an the other for rinsing which keeps the cleanin water from getting dirty. I might have to change rinse water but the cleanin water stays clean I try to do the whole house upstairs an down at the same time. At least every 2 weeks.

 

[Mickeyherewecome123]

I have to say I LOVE LOVE LOVE My Floormate.
This is the one I have http://home-solutions.hsn.com/hoove...ner_p-2194820_xp.aspx?web_id=2194820&ocm=sekw and it came with attachments. It leaves the floors completly dry. We have hardwood floors in our entire 1st floor. and it works so great!!!

 

[TDERadulski]

I have a floormate and love it! It did get clogged and stopped sucking up the water for a while. I just spent some time in the garage, took it apart, cleaned every nook and crany and it works better than ever now! I love how clean it gets my floors....our old house had hard wood and I agree with the previous poster that the wood look FABULOUS afterwards. I use it now on my tile. I had to rely on a mop for a few weeks right after we moved, until I unpacked my floormate....I just felt the floors weren't clean and that the mop just puched around dirty water.

 

[Dancemom03]

I have the Hoover floormate and LOVE it--I use it on linoleum, tile, and laminate floors. . . . I love the fact that it SCRUBS--I have a 5 & 7 year old, and hard telling what that dried-up stuff is . . . I don't want to touch it!!!

ITA! that's exactly why I bought one in the beginning. I got tired of crawling around the floor on my hands and knees with a rag to buff out smears and worse.
We use Floormate on ceramic tile and finished bruce hardwood flooring. I love the scrubbing power and when I add the Old English Hardwood floor cleaner hoover sells for it my floors shine like new.

It's not that big so I keep it loaded and standing ready in the bathroom linen closet for spot cleaning whenever I see the need - and with toothpaste, makeup, and a catbox in there too, that's pretty often...

 

[disneymarie]

I have had the Bissel flip it and head attachment. I love it. I have really bad back issues and it is a great cleaning help. especially with a toddler grandson.

The whole house item I have is a Saphire 4000 I think it is called. A steam cleaner on wheels. The attachments also have a steam mop head. But its biggest help is the steam cleaner nozzels. It has a point and shoot, a wider spray, one with a squeegie for shower walls.

The tank last for a whole day of cleaning. It is not the hand held quart tank, it is on wheels with a boiler. The spray cleans grease, shines, and kills bacteria on surfaces.

di