Bissel Steam Mop For Hardwood Floors

Review by Terry "TCinSATX" : Great pads with a couple of reservations

I purchased these pads for an H2O steam mop I inherited that had no pads. I was particularly interested in the unique style of these pads. I have a couple of other steam mops and both feature microfiber pads with a relatively flat pile. These pads, however, are almost like a microfiber rug. They have a long, twisted pile and are extremely thick and soft. They attach to the mop using an elastic drawstring with a plastic cincher to hold it in place. Because the pile is thicker, it takes a little longer for the steam to penetrate these pads so there is a bit of a learning curve. Once you figure out how long you need to wait - a couple of minutes or so - until the pad is saturated enough to start mopping, they perform very well. The long pile is a big advantage on ceramic tile because it reaches down into the grout better than flat pads. It also spreads out a little on the sides so it seems to clean better around the edges of walls, etc. For gunk that is really stuck on, I don't think they "scrub" as well as flat, firmer pads, though. They also become saturated more than flat fiber pads, so I'm not sure they would be safe to use on large areas of laminate or wood flooring because they might be too wet. I would say these pads perform best on ceramic or vinyl tile. The elastic drawstring is the real drawback to these pads. My Bissell steam mop uses pads that attach this same way, and I have the same problems with them - they work their way loose as I am mopping because the plastic cincher slips. I solved this by removing the elastic string and replacing them with cotton shoestrings, which I just tie in a bow when putting the pads on. Works perfectly, but annoying to have to do that.