Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop Review
Floors take on a lot. For instance, it’s not uncommon for you to bring dirt into the home from the bottom of your shoes; spills and other mishaps are also inevitable. To keep the house tidy, cleaning is a must. Unfortunately, however, it can be quite a chore. From pet hair to stains, the task requires you to put in a good amount of effort and time. With that said, that are various tools that we can use for the job. Some of the ones that come to mind include vacuum cleaners, carpet cleaners, and mops, all of which are designed for different purposes. If anything, these devices have only become more capable and advanced over the past few years. For one thing, they even have robots nowadays that can clean the house for you!
On this page though, we’ll be directing our attention to the steam mop. More specifically, we will be looking at one of the ones made by Dirt Devil—the Easy Steam Mop PD20000B. Does it live up to its product description? How effective is it at removing stains and odors? What are some of its noteworthy features? These are some of the points that we’ll be referring to in our product review.
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop
Dirt Devil—formerly known as the P.A. Geier Company—is a popular brand of vacuums and floor care products. Based in Ohio, the company was founded more than a century ago by Philip Geier in 1905. Since they introduced the Dirt Devil Hand Vec in 1984, business has boomed tremendously. Today, they sell a variety of products including carpet machines, stick vacs, pool cleaners, canister vacuums, all of which are designed to make house cleaning easier. A subsidiary of TTI Floor Care North America, they have sold more than 25 million units worldwide as of 2018.
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop cleans and sanitizes with the power of steam. Easy to use, it distributes an even layer of steam onto the pad surface, which goes on to pick up dirt and debris from the ground. Suitable for multiple floor types including hardwood and tile, it does a great job of cleaning corners and around furniture with its pivoting head. With the carpet glide attachment, it can even be used on carpeted areas! Equipped with an easy fill tank, the mop will be ready to use in just 30 seconds—just pour the water into the reservoir, and plug it in.
What’s Included
Aside from the Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop itself, the kit comes with several accessories. These include:
- 2 Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Pads
- 1 Dusting Pad
- 1 Fill Cup and Funnel
- 1 Carpet Glide Attachment
The unit is very easy to assemble. Upon opening the box, you’ll notice two parts—simply snap them together and you’re good to go. As noted above, the mop comes with two microfiber cleaning pads. Unlike other mops that use velcro strips, the Dirt Devil utilizes a circular lock to secure the cloth in place. To attach it, simply fit the head into the cleaning pad. From there, you’ll want to press on the lock with one hand while pulling the drawstring with another; this will tighten it. Once that’s achieved, release the lock to secure the fit.
In addition to the microfiber pads, which are used for wet mopping, it comes with a dusting pad that is great for picking up dust bunnies and pet hair. Unfortunately, however, the mop doesn’t come with any instructions on how to use it. As far as we can tell though, it goes onto the head just like the regular cleaning pad.
For steaming purposes, the mop does come with a water tank, which is a part of the lower body. To fill it, turn the cap counter-clockwise and lift it off. From there, use the water fill cup and funnel provided to carefully pour one cup of water into the reservoir, ensuring that you do not go over the MAX fill line. Put the cap back on and tighten until snug. To ensure the longevity of the machine, only use distilled water; chemicals such as bleach can damage the mop over time. If necessary, you can add a bit of vinegar to the water.
Last but not least, it comes with a carpet glide attachment that allows you to refreshen carpet and area rugs. Prior to doing so, however, it is recommended that you first do some vacuuming to get rid of debris on the surface. When switching back to cleaning hard floors, remember to remove the accessory as it will cause streaking and possible scratches. It’s worth mentioning that the mop is not meant to remove tough stains from carpet.
Build Quality
If possible, it’s always a good idea to take a look at the product in person as that will allow you to get a feel of what it’s like. Ideally, it would be made out of a strong, durable material such as high-grade aluminium. As it is, however, this is often not the case. Nevertheless, you want to ensure that the mop is high quality before forking over the money.
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop consists of an adjustable chromed steel handle, which inserts into the body of the unit. At 4.5 pounds, the entire mop is quite lightweight—this stems from the fact that the bottom is made almost entirely of plastic. For what it is, the machine is quite sturdy overall; it’s even capable of standing by itself. Towards the top, there is also a loop, which can be used for storage purpose when the mop is not in use. As mentioned earlier, the water tank is incorporated into the lower body and cannot be removed.
The pads are texturized and absorbent. Provided that they are properly attached to the foot, they shouldn’t come off when you’re steering the mop. Made out of microfiber, the material naturally locks in dirt and particles from the floor. Reusable, the cloths can be put into the washing machine after every use. From there, it shouldn’t take long for them to air dry. Going by what some people have said about them, they can be used for several months before they start to wear down. If you want, you can even buy extras so that you won’t have to swap them half-way during your cleaning session (they will turn grey, trust me). With that said, they do give you two to start off with.
In terms of its steaming functionality, the machine does what it’s supposed to do. Upon pressing the pump switch on the handle, the mop will start to emit steam. Don’t worry about running out of water—it has a special sensor that will turn the mechanism off when the water runs out; this helps to protect the pump that is inside the unit.
Some Possible Issues with the Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop is generally robust. However, there are a few issues that you might come across.
One thing that people have mentioned is that the steam doesn’t seem to cover the entire portion of the pad. As a result, it only “cleans” with the edge of the triangular head; the bulk of the pad will remain clean as it does not make much contact with the floor. With that said, this issue doesn’t seem to be that common. Considering that, it might have something to do with a faulty nozzle in some units, which prevents steam from coming out evenly.
Another thing is that uses quite a bit of water. Couple that with the fact that the tank is fairly small and you can see how you’ll need to refill it multiple times when you’re cleaning. Assuming that you’re using distilled water (as the minerals in tap water can accumulate and clog the device), it can also be costly. On a related note, the mop also has a tendency of leaving excess water on the floor, which can lead to long drying times.
Rarely, it may also stop producing steam. Depending on how well the individual unit is put together, this can happen in a few weeks or in a few month’s time. As you can imagine, the mop really isn’t useful at all without the steam. In terms of why this happens, it often results from a clog. In some cases, however, it may be a QC issue. In any case, it can be difficult to determine the exact reason. To prevent this from happening, your best bet is to stick with distilled water or at the very least—demineralized water. Also, remember never to pour chemicals in the tank as that can lead to damage.
Sometimes, the mop also leaves obvious streak marks on the ground; this is particularly noticeable if you have wooden floors. Depending on the exact type of flooring, it may also take the shine out of the surface; that is, it tends to leave them looking a bit “dull.” If you want to keep your floors shiny and glossy, the Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop might not be the right choice for you.
Does it Clean Well?
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop does a solid job of cleaning the floor. Not only does it heat up in a matter of seconds, but it glides smoothly across different surfaces. As always, though, it helps to vacuum prior to mopping. Personally, I find that it’s best suited for small rooms due to the size of the head; however, it can also be used to clean large areas. The cord is also long enough so that you don’t have to keep replugging it into different outlets.
The steam function works well. Given that the tank is full and that the mop is heated up, it emits a good amount of steam onto the pad, which goes on to get rid of dirt and debris. Perhaps the best part of all, however, is the fact you don’t have to hold down a button for the steam to come out. Instead, it constantly steams after it has been turned on (there is a separate on/off switch on the unit). Once the water has run out, a light will go on to tell you to refill.
The mop pads also function as they should. Despite being fairly small, they grab a significant amount of grime from the floor. If you’re cleaning a large area, though, you will need to change them at least once—unless you plan on rinsing them after they’ve turned grey. As far as the dusting pad goes, it works, but not nearly as well as the microfiber ones.
Overall, the Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop cleans well. It might leave some streaks here or there, but they tend to fade after a while. If anything, your floors will be clean and sanitized thanks to the power of steam. Although it can be used wet or dry, the latter is not nearly as efficient, especially if you’re trying to clean the entire house. As a friendly reminder, the Dirt Devil should not be used on wax polished floors, leather, velvet, or synthetic fibers.
Cost and Pricing Information
The Dirt Devil Easy Steam Mop is fairly cheap. Currently, it retails for $64.99 on their official website ($69.99 on Amazon), which is on the low end for steam mops. For comparison, the Bissell PowerFresh sells for $99.99 while the Shark Steam Pocket Mop sells for $79.99. As you can see, it really is one of the more inexpensive options out there. If you’re looking for a steam mop that won’t break the bank, look no further—this is it. With a little bit of luck, you might even find it on sale. As a matter of fact, Amazon has it for $47.41 at the time of this writing, which is a steal.
The reusable mop pads are also relatively inexpensive. On Amazon, you can get a two-pack for $12, which works out to be $6 each (it’s a bit more expensive on their official website at $15.59 for two); the shaggy ones are a bit cheaper at $8.33. Since the kit provides you with two, though, you shouldn’t really need to get any for at least a few months. Aside from Amazon, you can find the replacements at retailers such as Home Depot, Walmart, and Menards.
In the long run, the mop will not make too big of a dent in your wallet. Aside from the mop pads that you only need to get every once in a while, the only other thing that you need is distilled water, which runs pretty cheap. Even if the unit happens to break, Dirt Devil does offer a 1-year warranty for the product.
