Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop is corded, versatile, 2-in-1 steam mop, designed for cleaning and sanitizing large bare floor surfaces, but also for steaming elevated surfaces as well.
Shark S3973D steam mop features detachable Lift-Away steam pod and set of cleaning tools designed for detail cleaning of surfaces found at home, like upholstery, wall tiles, even clothes using 3 feet accessory hose and the garment steamer.
Published: May 28, 2019.
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Steam Mop Features and Specifications
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop is powered via 1200 watts (10 Amps) water heater that requires on average ~30s to start to create steam.
Unit features 22 feet (~6.7 m) long power cord, allowing the user to clean rather large area quickly. Obviously, Shark S3973D doesn't come with automatic power cord rewind system - power cord is manually wrapped by the user around cord wrap hooks.
When the unit arrives, it must be assembled first - although the use and the maintenance of the Shark S3973D is rather straightforward, it is highly recommended to read the manual before the very first use.
Using hot steam, Shark S3973D is able to sanitize floors by killing 99.9% of floor bacteria and germs. This 99.9% is achieved in laboratory test conditions, but in the real life this value can be even better if the hot steam is used for longer period of time to heat, clean and sanitize the floors.
Note: hot steam can damage sensitive floors, so use this and any other steam mop only as recommended by their manufacturer.
Shark S3973D is intended for cleaning sealed floors, like sealed hardwood, tiles, marble, vinyl, sealed laminate and similar. Also, when cleaning such floors, it is required to set the steam at the proper level.
Sensitive wooden floors, unglazed tiles and ceramics, floors with cracks in the finish and similar floors should not be cleaned using Shark S3973D or any other steam mop. Also, some waxed floors can lose their shine if the wax coating is not intended for steam cleaning.
Intelli-Mop head with Steam Blaster enables the user to clean bare floors quickly and efficiently. Shark S3973D is designed to use two sided, washable steam mop pads, increasing the area that can be cleaned using just one mop pad. Steam mop pads can be replaced without touching them. Depending on the use, amount and type of dirt, floor types and similar, one steam mop pad can lasts 20-30 washes. Also, built-in Steam Blaster Technology, enables the user to direct strong steam jet and to remove stubborn and sticky messes and dirt. |
Triangle scrubber head with Steam Blaster allows the user to reach and clean areas that are harder to reach with Intelli-Mop rectangular head. Triangle scrubber head also features Steam Blaster - just turn the steam mop around and tilt the mop handle down. This will cause Steam Blaster to emit concentrated steam jet onto the stubborn dirt or some sticky stain. |
Double-sided dirt grip pad allows the user to clean large area using single mop pad. Also, it can be replaced with the new, clean one, without touching neither dirty nor clean steam mop pad. Rectangular double-sided dirt grip can be machine washed, just don't use bleach, fabric softeners, powdered detergents or anything similar that might ruin the pad's fabric. |
Triangular dirt grip scrubber pad fits triangle scrubber head, of course. It is not double sided mop pad and it is attached somewhat differently than double sided rectangular mop pad. Note: It is recommended to vacuum heavily soiled floors first and only then to clean them using steam mop. Mop pads will last longer and by removing sand, pebbles and similar dirt, the danger of damaging floors with the sharp and hard dirt particles is greatly reduced. This recommendation is valid for all steam mops, not just Shark S3973D model. |
3 feet (~0.9 m) long accessory hose is used with the Lift-Away detachable steam mop pod. Accessory hose is used for steaming elevated surfaces, using tools like Garment steamer and Above-floor pocket tool, helping the user to clean/sanitize wall tiles, home appliances, upholstery, etc. |
Above-floor pocket tool with microfiber pocket pad is designed for steam cleaning small, uneven surfaces. It features pointed tip for cleaning edges and corners and flat central section for cleaning small, relatively flat surfaces. |
Garment steamer is designed for removing wrinkles from clothing and for grooming and freshening of upholstery and other fabrics that tolerate steaming. |
Filling flask is used for filling the steam mop with the water. Water tank capacity of the Shark S3973D is 0.5 liters and the used of distilled or demineralized water is recommended to prolong the operating life of the steam mop. Tap water, especially in the areas with hard water can cause residue buildup on the water heater and other components of the unit, and cause them to fail. Also, tap water can cause streaks on the cleaned surface and dull appearance. Although distilled and demineralized water cost more than tap water, their use is highly recommended. |
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop features 3 steam settings:
- Dust (Light Steam) is used for steaming hardwood, laminate and similar sensitive surfaces and for general, light cleaning and dusting.
- Mop (Normal Steam) is used for everyday cleaning from bare, sealed surfaces like tiles, stone, marble and even high-quality, sealed hardwood.
- Scrub (Heavy Steam) is used for deep cleaning of stubborn stains and messes, tile grout, for sanitizing floors, etc.
Note: Steam Blaster feature can be used with all three steam settings.
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop comes with 1-year limited warranty.
Shark Steam Mops Comparison
Shark manufactures several steam mops with different features, specifications and accessories. The following table lists several most popular Shark's steam mop models:
Model | S3101 | S3501 | S5003D | S6002 | S3973D |
Photo | |||||
Steam Control | Manual | Manual | Electronic, 3 Levels | Electronic, 1 Level | Electronic, 3 Levels |
Steam Mop Pad | 1 micro-fiber | 2 micro-fiber | 2 Dirt Grip Pads | 2 Dirt Grip Pads | 1 Dirt Grip Pad |
Dual Sided Pad | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Steam Blaster | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Direct Steam Channeling System |
No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Touch-Free Replacement | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Above Floor Cleaning | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Water Tank | 0.22 liters | 0.45 liters | 0.35 liters | 0.35 liters | 0.5 liters |
Power Cord | 18 feet | 20 feet | 22 feet | 22 feet | 22 feet |
What's in the Box | Rectangular Mop Head and 1x Shark Washable All Purpose Pad | 1 washable microfiber cleaning pad | 1 Genius Mop Head, 2 Dirt Grip Pads and the Water Filling Flask | 1 Genius mop head, 1 Spray Pocket Mop for everyday quick cleanups, 10 fl. oz. Hard Floor Spray Cleaner, Spray Pocket Mop Bottle Clip, Fill Flask | 1 Intelli-Mop head, 3 ft. hose with pocket cleaning tool, triangle scrubber head with pad, Garment Steamer, Water Filling Flask |
Amazon Link | Shark S3101 Steam Mop | Shark S3501 Steam Mop | Shark S5003D Steam Mop | Shark S6002 Steam Mop | Shark S3973D Steam Mop |
Note: Amazon links open in the new windows, feel free to check them for most up-to-date offers and prices.
Shark S3973D Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop is the only steam mop of the listed models that are true 2-in-1 unit, being able to clean both floors and elevated surfaces.
Also, it comes with the longest list of cleaning aids and attachments - the only thing that perhaps might be better is that Shark includes two rectangular and two triangle mop pads per unit by default.
But, additional steam mop pads can be easily ordered from online shops and with fast delivery, one can get them in no time.
If you are looking for a versatile steam mop that will help you keep your home safer and more pleasant to live, consider this unit.
For more reviews and recommendations, check Shark Lift-Away Pro Steam Pocket Mop (S3973D) Amazon link (link opens in the new window).