I am interested in purchasing a "hard surface cleaner" and am considering the Hoover Floormate. Apparently it vacuums, but also scrubs, washes and dries like a wet-vac. If you have had any experience with this product, I'd appreciate hearing from you. (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly). Is it effective and is it easy to use? I am wanting to use it on vinyl flooring.
Diana from Prospect, KY
I have a Floormate; but the kind without the power scrubbing. I love it, except if I were to buy again, I would definitely get the power scrubbing! I have to carry along a scrub brush on a handle. (03/15/2006)
By Jill
I have a Floormate also. Have had it about a year, but find it is very tiring to use. It does a pretty good job, but I find it quite taxing to use, much as I did my heavy upright vacuum cleaner. Would I buy another if something happened to this one? Probably not, but it is in good condition and I take excellent care of it so it should be serviceable for years to come. (03/15/2006)
By ronsan
As a side job for a small cleaning company I use to repair all the equipment. I found that Hoover products are the easiest to repair, even for those that no little about vacs or repairing. Hoover's help line is also helpful. As for the Hoover Floormate, I have learned that you must use the Hoover cleaning solution recommended for your product. I have shopped the cleaner, it is not on the cheap side. If not used the machine will eventually clog in the tubing. I hope this helps my fellow KY neighbor.
Terri A. from Erlanger, KY (03/16/2006)
By Terri Allen
Don't do it, you will be sorry. And if you do, make sure that you can return it to the store of purchase if you don't like it. I got it to make life a little easier, I have MS, you will feel like you have grubbed the back 40 after cleaning just one room. It streaks, leaves swirls and no matter what cleaning product you buy to use in it it leaves a dullness on the floors. If you have kids or pets and they spill or whatever and you don't find it until it dries it won't bring it up no matter how many times you go over it. Then after you have used it a dozen or so times it loses suction leaving puddles and the brush won't stay in. Talk about buyer's remorse. And don't bother calling customer service, they assume 25 years of scrubbing floors is not enough experience to determine if the product is working properly. I'm back to a string mop and happy with nice clean floors. (03/30/2006)
By scooby
I bought the Hoover Floormate when it came out with the Spin Scrub about 3 years ago (?) I loved it from the start. Even though it has a dry vac, I recommend vacuuming the floors first with a regular vacuum first (I have cats and 2 dogs). The mop part works great! It really gets the floors clean. (I have Pergo throughout my house). The spin scrub picks up dried caked on stains (you may have to go over it a few times, but it comes up before your eyes). It even picks up pencil marks and you know how hard that is to get up! The components of the mop all come off easily and are easy to put back on (clean water tank, dirty water, brush/squeegee, etc.) Very easy to maintain.
The other review is very right when she says to clean out the dirty water after use because if you don't it really stinks the air the next time you use it. The mop does leave streaks sometimes, which makes me want to go over certain areas again, but I'm not too picky and sometimes it's because the squeegee part needs to be cleaned and other times it's because it's too dry (it has heavy sucking power, so once dry, don't go over the area again - it will streak).
I don't find it tiring at all it is the same as vacuuming. Overall, much better than mopping the old-fashioned way. Unfortunately, now, I'm experiencing my first big problem with it. It no longer sends out the cleaning solution (hence, a clog as the other review stated). I sent it in for repair figuring it's worth it, but they tell me it can't be fixed. So, now I'm heartbroken, and left with a dilemma, do I go buy another one, the same or improved model? Or should I look elsewhere? That's why I'm looking at all these reviews. I hope this helps. Good luck! (01/26/2008)
By Keri Byrne
I have had my Floormate for 5 years. It is not as quick as using a standard mob, but you are not reusing dirty water on the floors every time you dunk your mop. I have several pets and small children, it is the best way to clean and sanitize your floors, with always clean water being used. It's no harder than vacuuming, and I strongly suggest vacuuming before using, especially if you have pets.
By Deanna
I brought it on Saturday and am taking it back on Monday, I have yet to see what the machine does. I've held the machine over a spot for over five minutes and the spot is still there, I've done my entire floor and the brush is still white, so apparently it is not cleaning my vinyl floor correctly. It was a waste of time debating if I should get it or not and a waste of money. (04/28/2008)
By Sunshine
I have to tell you I was very excited to get my Hoover Floormate. I have a dog and two small children and our house is all tile and wood floors. I have to say it replaced our 'Shark' which died after 4 years. A small yet mighty powerful little vacuum, especially in the kitchen area. Much to my disappointment.
I was very displeased with the results of my Hoover Floormate. The dry vacuum portion barely picks anything up off the floor, not even a Cheerio! The scrubbing portion also did nothing for me as it is a better clean for me to grab a paper towel and wet and wipe up the floor.
Unfortunately I threw out the box and who knows where the receipt is. I sent an inquiry to Hoover regarding this purchase and high disappointment. My husband is doing an "I told you so". Really irks me, and double whammy because he is truly right. Talk about dumping 180.00 bucks down the drain. Ugh, makes me so sick every time I use the darn thing and curse at its lack of capability and inability. (12/02/2008)
By grma2
I have had my Floormate since they first became available. Many of the reviews are correct about the difficulty of getting up sticky spots. You have to go over the area many many times to get the spot clean. I have found that, on my tile floors, vacuuming and pre-treating heavily soiled areas first with Windex or 409 (I have tile) makes life easier. Also, just fill the measuring cap half full of cleaning solution (Armstrong's floor cleaner works well for me) and the residue won't be a problem. Hope this helps. (12/27/2008)
By Carol
I bought the Floormate thinking this was the perfect tool for taking care of my wood floors. First off I was very disappointed to see that you had to select from vacuum, wash, and dry. I was under the impression it did it all at once from the commercial. Thinking I had to mop (wash) and sweep (vacuum) separately was not that big a deal because I would have had to normally do that anyway, so I let that pass.
So I tried to vacuum and found that it is pitiful. It doesn't even vacuum up simple stuff like a piece of popped popcorn, even pulling the unit directly over it. The only place the vacuum will do anything is directly in the middle. What's with that? The suction is so weak on the edges there is no hope of it picking up anything next to counters. This requires you to get out the broom to get up the dirt making the vacuum worthless.
The wash selection isn't much better. While I understand they probably didn't want to cause floors to be scratched, the brushes scrub so lightly that even a small dried splash of coffee might take you 30 seconds to clean off where a mop would get it in one or two passes. It also leaves small lines on the floor even when selecting the "dry" selection. These lines dry making your floor look horrible in any kind of back lighted area and there's no way to avoid them. I think this is caused by small spacing between the brushes or possibly the rubber squeegee in front. Regardless it's a bad design.
The power cord is connected in the middle of the unit, it's also about 25 feet long. While the long cord is nice, having it in the middle and not having some kind of auto retractor on it makes it very annoying. It's always requiring you to bend over to move the cord out of your way.
The concept is great and I see no reason why this was so poorly designed. I would not recommend this product to anyone. If you're planning on getting this to make your job easier, forget it, it will in fact make you wonder why you ever thought you should replace your mop and broom. (09/17/2010)
By Steve Sykes
For hardwoods I use the Bona floor cleaner, about $40. It has a machine washable large pad and the solution doesn't leave streaks. It just cleans the dirt and dust.
Susan (12/01/2010)
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