(I did a couple of searches, and there have only been two threads about this product: one in 2002, and one in 2004. Each thread got just two replies, and only one of them was from someone who actually has the product. I decided to keep up the trend of asking about this every two years … but hopefully not the trend of getting just two replies. )
I just moved into a new place, and the kitchen/foyer floors are pretty dirty. I am pretty good about housework in general, but am extremely lazy about mopping – by “extremely lazy” I mean “I never do it.” For the past few years I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a Hoover FloorMate, and, while the Amazon reviews are generally good (it averages 4 out of 5 stars), I value the experiences of my fellow Dopers.
So, does anyone have one of these things? If so, please tell me which model (I can’t decide between the “simple” $130 model or the “fancy” $180 model – or something in between? – and Hoover’s online comparison tool is useless) and what you think of it.
Is that the one with the annoying commercial with an Aussie-talking man cleaning up a kangaroo’s muddy tracks? If so, that’s all I know about it. It probably voids the warranty if you don’t say, “I can clean that floor, mate!” in a certain accent.
It’s not a time saver, but it is easier than the whole sweeping, then mopping, then rinsing, then waiting for the floor to dry, etc. routine. Really dirty floors will need scrubbing or a second pass with the Floormate. I do think it’s better than the old-fashioned method, but, again, it won’t save you time.
I have one, but I very seldom use it. It’s kind of a hassle(it’s large and clunky, and you have to keep track of the cord and fill, drain and clean the reseviors) compared to the Swifter mop, which I love, love, love. The FloorMate does a slightly better job than the Swifter WetJet, but as PoorYorick said, it’s no substitute for a down and dirty, on your knees scrubbing. Sadly, nothing is.
Thanks for the responses so far – and we broke out of the 2-reply rut! Yay!
Sounds like for someone like me, who can count on one hand the number of times she has scrubbed a floor, the Floor Mate might be a good thing. I’m not concerned with saving time so much as the hassle involved with traditional mopping. I’d been wondering about the Swiffer WetJet, too, so I’m glad that XaMcQ mentioned it, but I like the idea of the FloorMate’s spinning brushes. My kitchen is pretty small, as is the non-carpeted section of floor near the front door, so hopefully some of the other issues mentioned here won’t apply (or at least won’t be much of a problem).
I guess I’ve pretty much talked myself into getting one, though it will be another week or so before I can. I just wanted to give the Dope a spin, in case a bunch of folks would say that it sucks or is a piece of crap or something.
)