Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop
Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop is very popular, cheap and durable steam mop, designed for domestic use. Shark S3501 is very simple steam mop with no scrubbing system, no automatic steam control, and no detachable water tank, but it comes with dual sided microfiber cleaning pad, good water tank capacity and it does its job very well.
Also, it comes at very affordable price. It is one of the most popular steam mops on the market for many years.
Published: May 15, 2018.
Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop dimensions are (H x W x D) 51.2 x 12.0 x 5.9 inches (~130 x 30.5 x 15 cm) and it weighs 4.87 pounds (~2.21 kg) with an empty water tank.
Unit is very lightweight and comes with full swivel mechanism, ensuring great maneuverability. Thanks to the mop head design, there are not uncleaned surfaces when cleaning along the baseboards and edges.
Water heater power depends on the Shark S3501 submodel, but generally S3501 steam mop comes with 1550 W water heater which requires ~30 seconds to start to produce steam.
Power cord is 20 feet (~6.1 m) long and is wrapped manually.
Water tank capacity is 15 oz (450 ml), allowing the user to clean rather large area without interruptions. Water tank is not detachable - water is added using water flask.
Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop is designed for cleaning and sanitizing various types of floors, including tiles, stone, hardwood, laminate, vinyl etc.
When cleaning sensitive floors like wooden floors, laminate floors and similar, be sure that the floor finish is without cracks. If there are cracks, moisture can penetrate the wood and make it buckle and root.
Similarly, waxed and other sensitive floors should not be cleaned using steam mops (not just Shark S3501!) since steam heat can damage the floor's surface.
Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop is simple unit to use, but to be sure, read the manual/instructions thoroughly.
When used as instructed, it can clean and sanitize the floor, by killing 99.9% of germs and bacteria - not bad for such a compact and affordable cleaning tool.
Shark S3501 Steam Pocket Mop Parts and Accessories
Depending on the model, store, if on sale or not, Shark S3501 comes with various cleaning accessories.
Shark S3501 Mop Heads
Shark S3501 comes with rectangular mop cleaning head. Its width is 12 inches (1 foot, 30.5 cm) enabling the user to clean rather large area quickly.
Due to its design, it can easily clean baseboard edges and corners.
However, to improve cleaning of the edges, corners and similar hard to reach surfaces, it is possible to order triangular cleaning head. From time to time, triangular cleaning head comes with the unit.
Both cleaning heads allow the user to clean the floor using both sides of the microfiber cleaning pads, speeding up the cleaning process.
Shark S3501 Microfiber Cleaning Pads
Shark S3501 comes with 2 washable microfiber pads designed for general cleaning using rectangular mop head (again, triangular mop head doesn't come by default with this unit).
Note: when changing the cleaning pads, let them cool down first, since the pads can be very hot due to the steam. Also, heavily soiled floors should be vacuumed first, if possible.
However, for cleaning tougher stains and messes from tiles and similar very resilient surfaces, scrubber cleaning pad is available. Such scrubber cleaning pad helps remove stubborn stains better than regular cleaning pad, but it shouldn't be used on sensitive floors, at least not without testing it first on a small floor area.
Again, check the manual/instructions regarding the cleaning of sensitive floors and check if such floors are certified for cleaning with hot steam.
Shark S3501 Cleansers
For improved cleaning, it is possible to use specially formulated cleansers, which comes in several versions, depending on the floor type they are intended to clean.
Some cleansers are sprayed over the area that is going to be cleaned by the steam mop, and some are used by directly inserting the bottle into the steam mop.
When used as instructed, the cleansers leave fresh scent, improving the feeling of freshness and cleanness and are safe for pets and kids.
Since the use of tap water is generally not recommended due to limescale buildup, which can shorten the steam mop operating life, be sure to use distilled or demineralized water with your S3501 steam mop.
Shark S3501 Carpet Glider
Optional carpet glider for Shark S3501 Steam Mop helps the user to refresh and revive the carpets, if they are allowed to be cleaned using steam mops.
Like all other steam mops using carpet gliders, Shark S3501 also cleans just the carpet surfaces, leaving all the deeply embedded dirt in the carpet.
Shark S3501 Storage Tray
Steam mop drying and storage tray is an optional accessory, but it can be rather useful. It makes drying and storing of the steam mop easier and less messy - there is always some residual moisture in the steam mop that eventually can drip away from the unit on the floor, when it is stored.
Shark S3501 comes with 1 year warranty - very good warranty for the unit in this price class.
Long Story Short: Shark Steam Pocket Mop (S3501) is simple and durable unit that will clean and sanitize your floors.
In the areas with hard water, the use of distilled or demineralized water is highly recommended. Personally, always use distilled or demineralized water with any steam mop, not just Shark S3501 - there will be no streaks on the floor and the steam mop will last longer.
For more reviews and recommendations, check Shark Steam Pocket Mop (S3501)
Amazon link (link opens in the new window).