Done in a flash! (Flash Power Mop)

Member Name: abbadabbado

Product:	Flash Power Mop
Date:	09/12/07 (224 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lightweight, quick

Disadvantages: expensive to keep up

I've had my Flash power mop for over a year now, and managed to buy it when it was on a promotional price of £7.99. Today's price in Sainsbury's is £19.98, but I suspect if you shop around it can still be found for under a tenner.

Originally I bought this mop as a couple of my friends had one, and it looked like a much easier way of cleaning my floors quicker and easier than with a mop and bucket.

In the box you will get a basic mop structure which consists of poles to be slotted together, then top end having a rubber grip attached for non slippage and also a hook for storage off the ground surfaces when not in use. The bottom panel is a mop head, which consists of a flat plastic plate, where you attach removable cleaning pads to, as well as a raised area on one edge for a scrubber type cloth which can act for more stubborn marks to be removed..
Near the bottom of the pole there is also a contraption to hold the plastic liquid cleaner which slots into place, and will only fit one way you'll be pleased to know. This then enables the liquid to pass through to the bottom nozzle where it can escape to the floor when the button is pressed on the handle at the top.
The mop does require two AA batteries to enable the motor to work, but these were included in my pack and I still haven't had to change them as yet, as it requires minimum power to control the nozzle.
There are instructions as to how to assemble the mop, but it's not too difficult to work out what bit goes where.

Once assembled, you then have to attach a cleaning pad to the bottom of the mop head, which is done via a Velcro attachment. In the pack you will be provided with three of these pads, which clean approximately three rooms before you need to change them. This of course depends on the size and how dirty the floor is. I tend to find I can get more usage from the lounge and dining rooms as I can from a kitchen floor which require more frequent changing..
As I mentioned the bottle of cleaning liquid which is also provided then slots into place, and it really does only fit one way which is a bonus.
Batteries inserted and it's off you go. The whole mop system is very lightweight which is a good plus for me.

Pressing the button to enable the cleaner liquid to be squirted out, I always laugh at the noise the mop makes, as it's a whirring motor noise. I do tend to jazz up my boring cleaning routine by pressing the button randomly to enable longer and then shorter bursts of liquid to escape, thus making a little tune as I go.
I find as the liquid squirts out at an angle to the floor, unless you are looking at the floor at the right angle, you can't tell exactly where the liquid is going. Too many times I have been too close to the sofa etc and managed to leave a damp area behind me on furniture. Practice makes perfect here as the more you mop, the more you get used to how it works.

As you can control the flow of liquid more than with a mop and bucket, drying time is almost instantaneous with this mop, compared to the more traditional method. It also works better on laminate flooring as it doesn't get chance to soak through and damage the flooring.
The downsides however to this mop as opposed to a mop and bucket, is I find that if there is a really stubborn stain (not in my house I assure you!), then the scouring pad on the side doesn't always shift it, and I worry if I press down too hard with the mop then I'll break it, as effectively the majority of the bits are made from plastic. I haven't managed to do this yet thankfully.
The head of the mop is also quite difficult to twist whilst still being in control, and I can never quite get the scourer pad to end up in the position I want it to without physically manhandling it.

According to the manufacturers, a one litre bottle of the cleaner liquid will last around two months. Well I guess that depends on how many floors you have to wash and how often you wash them, but I would tentatively agree with this. The one downside here, is that refill bottles cost £2.99 and you have no choice but to get the Flash branded bottle designed specifically for this mop.
The pads also need replacing fairly often and this is where the expense can come into play. At another £2.99 for 6 replacement pads, again you have to buy the Flash branded ones for this mop. I always forget to buy a pack when I'm running out and then find the mop goes unused for a few weeks whilst I get the old mop and bucket out again because I have no other choice.
The mop definitely makes my life easier and I find cleaning floors takes me half the time as it may otherwise. For this reason, I'll continue to buy the replacement parts when needed.

Please note this review is also on Ciao where I am a member.

Summary: an alternative to a mop and bucket