Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop review: for a sparkling, sanitized home

The Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop promises to scrub and sanitize simultaneously, with a stain removal performance that’s twice as effective as the Shark Classic Steam Mop. 

Featuring two rotating mop heads that spin while the mop unit steams, Shark says this mop can lift and remove stubborn dirt, grease, bacteria and dust. A 26-foot-long power cord that can be stored on the appliance when not in use is ideal for moving between rooms or cleaning larger spaces. But how did it do in our at-home testing?

We evaluated the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop in an everyday home environment, assessing how easy it is to assemble and set up, as well as its performance and usability.

We also asked a cleaning expert for their advice on maintaining a steam mop and who they think the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is best suited to. And we’ve checked the latest user reviews to see how customers have got on with their steam mop after purchasing and compare it to other steam mops that are available right now.

Read on for more detailed information on the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop to see if it’s the right steam mop for your home. If not, you’re certain to find the perfect fit in our best steam mops buying guide.

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: Price & availability

• $139 / £149.99

There’s no doubt that Shark steam mops tend to sit at the higher end of the market, so you’ll need a larger budget if you want to purchase one. We’ve got to say we’re not convinced about parting with a large sum of money for a single-function mop when you could get a multi-functional floor mop and handheld unit for a similar price.

However, with a generous 2-year warranty, you’ll have peace of mind that any repairs or replacements are covered. 

The Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is available on the Shark website, Amazon, Walmart and other selected retailers. 

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: First impressions

The manufacturers say the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop can lift twice as much dirt, surface dust, grease, grime and bacteria as the Shark Classic Steam Mop. 

The mop features two settings: Light and Normal, allowing you to switch between them to use the ideal amount of steam for each cleaning task. Light should be used for loosening and lifting dirt and gently cleaning delicate surfaces, while Normal should be kept for powering through tough messes, tackling stuck-on stains, and cleaning large areas. Of course, which mode you choose depends on the surface you’re cleaning.

The rotating microfiber pads are easily removed and chucked into the laundry. The mop also comes with four pads, which allows for back-to-back cleaning if you need it. 

All the packaging that came with the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop was recyclable cardboard or paper - with no plastic included. This is great news for environmentally-conscious shoppers.

Putting the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop together was really easy. You simply have to insert the mop handle into the steam mop body until you hear a click, fill the water tank, and attach the microfiber pads to the base. These need to be aligned correctly, but it’s very easy to do. 

The Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop manual says to use distilled water, a type of purified water. Unfortunately, we didn’t have it to hand, so we used regular tap water instead.

Then it’s a matter of plugging the mop in and choosing the mode. The power cord is 26 feet long, which gives plenty of leeway to extend to multiple rooms in your home or tackle large spaces. Once plugged in, the unit takes around 30 seconds to produce steam.

The manual that comes with the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is clearly written and has useful graphics throughout. It also features a section on caring for your steam mop and microfiber pads and a troubleshooting section.

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: Design

There’s no doubt about it - the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is a stylish-looking steam mop. The combination of matt aqua, gray plastic, and brushed steel gives it a glossy, expensive look and feel. The handle also features a beveled top edge for a firmer grip.

A brushed steel shaft clicks into the mop unit easily. At the rear of the shaft are a couple of handy hooks on which you can wind up your power cord when the unit isn’t in use, which is helpful. 

At the front of the unit is the water tank. Simply pull the lip of the tank out to fill it with water using the measuring jug. Underneath the water tank is the single ‘mode’ button, which allows you to choose between light mode and normal mode. More on these functions later in our review.

Instead of a single microfiber cloth, the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop features two spinning microfiber ‘plates’ that firmly secure to the mop base. These spin at around 150rpm to scrub the floors while the mop produces steam.

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: Performance

We were excited about testing out the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop in our home, as we have a dog and a cat who regularly trek mud and dirt from the garden into the kitchen and hallway. The first cleaning round was a good test to see how well the mop could cope with everyday dirt in high-traffic areas.

Switching on the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is a pleasant surprise. The rotating discs allow the mop to glide elegantly across the floor, requiring just a little effort to point it in the right direction. It clocks in at around 60 decibels during operation, about the same as normal conversation. 

You can get up to 15 minutes of cleaning time from a single tank with the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop. We cleaned the kitchen and hallway without having to refill, though our kitchen is small, with only around 40 square feet of flooring to clean.

For all its stylish design and ease of use, the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop didn’t live up to our expectations. Our luxury vinyl tile floors lacked the polished sheen we hoped for after cleaning, especially compared to the Bissell PowerFresh Slim Steam Mop. We picked up dirt with a cloth after we had used the mop. Additionally, the floor felt gritty, as if it hadn’t been properly cleaned.

We also found that the round microfiber pads simply couldn’t tackle corners, which was frustrating. Given the relatively high price of the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop, you’d expect a mop that can get into corners.

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: Maintenance

The Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop is a standalone mop, so you’ll need space to store it, although you can remove the brushed steel shaft to make it shorter. 

The manual features a few tips for cleaning and maintaining the mop, which includes emptying the water tank and ensuring you don't use fabric softener when washing the microfiber pads, as this can adversely affect their absorbency.

For more helpful information and advice, we spoke to Karen Barrigan, a cleaning expert for Housetastic and a cleaning business owner. As well as emptying the water tank, Barrigan says it’s a good idea to wipe down your mop unit before and after each use. “This will help to prevent the build-up of dust or debris on the machine and stop that dust and debris from being transferred around your home when you use the machine next time.” 

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: User reviews

The Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop gets lots of positive reviews on Walmart, with an average of 4.2 stars out of 5. Positive reviews mention how easy it is to set up and control, with one user posting, “This thing is incredible. Easy-to-use way of keeping your home clean and sanitary without harsh chemicals.” There are quite a few negative reviews, though, with users complaining about poor performance and the mop’s inability to clean corners.

Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop: Expert opinion

Cleaning expert Karen Barrigan told us that “this steam mop is very easy to use”. Given that it heats up quickly and can glide into action at the touch of a button, she notes it may be ideally suited to “homes with small children or pets where the floors may be prone to sudden spillages or accidents.” 

While she notes that the mop heads cannot tackle corners, she remarks that this isn’t a big issue and can be quickly sorted manually with a damp cloth.

Should you buy the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop?

Despite its stylish design and ease of use, we were disappointed to find that the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop didn't live up to our expectations in terms of performance, failing to deliver on the one household task it’s designed to do.  

How does the Shark Steam & Scrub Automatic Steam Mop compare to competitors?

The Bissell PowerFresh Slim Steam Mop is a well-built steam mop that heats up quickly, does the job well, and can be stored away easily when not in use. Plus, it converts into a handheld unit, too, giving you more flexibility in how you use it around the home.

The Shark Floor and Handheld Steam Cleaner offers handheld cleaning and floor mopping, plus a great range of accessories to tackle on-the-spot cleaning. It’s similarly priced but offers a lot more value for money.

Another single-function mop, the Costway 1500w is excellent for getting into tricky corners with its triangular-shaped mop head and is more affordably priced.