If your shark steam mop not heating up, don’t panic, make sure your Shark Steam Mop tank filled with clear water – no water means no steam. When you have filled the jar full, wipe for 30 seconds to warm and steam before transferring to other troubleshooting systems.
Contents
5 ways to fix if Shark steam mop not steaming, heating up
1. Manual Cleaning
There are three things you need to make sure before cleaning your steamer.
Remember, these precautions are general. Which means no matter which methods you use, you need to follow them.
- First, make sure that it was unplugged.
- Second, the steamer should be thoroughly cooled. That is, if you have just turned it off, give it some time to cool down thoroughly.
- Finally, you should disassemble the water tank before emptying it.
Once you have gone through these precautions, you’ll need four items to unclog your steamer. These items include:
- Paperclips
- Rags
- Cotton Swabs
- Screwdriver (Any Model)
Steps:
- Pick the cotton swab: As your steamer has clogged, you should see from the outside the residue clogging its jets. Use cotton swabs to remove the residue.
- Pick the screwdriver: Use the screwdriver to loosen the screw at the base of the steam mop. You need to relax it because doing so will give you access to the spray tip of the steamer.
- Insert the paperclip into the spray tip: This spray tip usually is located at the base of the steamer. Just move the paperclip around so that it wipes away maximum residue.
- If your steamer is severely clogged, you might have to use more than one paperclips for this step.
- Reassemble your cleaner: Throughout the cleaning process, we disassembled only two items: the water tank and the screw. Reassemble both of them to move forward.
- Pour Vinegar Into the Mop Head: No matter how hard you tried in the first few steps, there would still be clogs remaining in the jet. To remove them, a solution of vinegar with water would
- Come in handy. Just Pour the Solution into the empty tank and let the steamer run.
Remember, DO NOT try to clean anything yet. Once the water tank has gone empty, only then refill it to start cleaning.
2. Cut Over Calcium
- Over time and use, calcium and mineral deposits may build up in your Shark mop’s nozzle, inhibiting the release of steam.
- When this happens, Shark recommends cleaning the nozzle to remedy the issue.
- To get the steam flowing again, grab the nozzle cleaner included with your mop.
- If you don’t have one, a straightened-out paper clip works just fine, too.
- Unplug the Shark and remove its head. You’ll spot a small hole — this is the nozzle from which the mop releases steam.
- Simply insert the end of your cleaner or paper clip into the hole and gently move it up and down a few times to clear away steam-stopping buildup.
If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, here is a method for you. Despite being the easiest, it is still one of the most effective. But before we tell you how to do it, there’s one thing you need to make sure.
3. Steam Mode Engaged
- Simple mechanical tweaks might solve your steamy (or steam-less) woes.
- As you fill the water tank, keep an eye out for the water intake tube.
- If the tube is bent, straighten it out to ensure that it reaches the bottom of the tank.
- If your Shark has a steam-locking collar, as featured on the Steam and Spray models, turn it to the “Steam and Spray” position rather than the “Spray Only” position.
4. Commercial Cleaner Method
If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, here is a method for you. Despite being the easiest, it is still one of the most effective. But before we tell you how to do it, there’s one thing you need to make sure.
You will be using a 50% water – 50% vinegar solution in this method.Make sure that both water and vinegar are in distilled form. Otherwise, the method may not be effective.
Steps:
- Drain the Water Tank: A no brainer, you’d have to drain the water tank of any liquid which it contained.
- As stated earlier, the solution would contain 50% water and 50% vinegar. After adding one component into another, homogenize the solution
- Put the solution into the water tank
- Plug the Steamer in: If you follow my recommendation, plug the steamer in the garage or anywhere outside your living room. For, you will not be using the steam for cleaning purposes. Rather, you should allow the steamer to run and vent out the steam. Once it has drained the water tank, you can fill it again – with only water this time, for cleaning purposes.
If you follow my recommendation, plug the steamer in the garage or anywhere outside your living room. For, you will not be using the steam for cleaning purposes. Rather, you should allow the steamer to run and vent out the steam. Once it has drained the water tank, you can fill it again – with only water this time, for cleaning purposes.
5. Disassemble
If your shark steam mop not steaming, follow these steps:
- Remove the handle extension (just makes unit easier to work with.
- Remove six screws from the body (two are smaller)
- Lift the water tank and remove the hose from the top of the heater unit. move the clip that holds the hose farther onto the hose rather than taking it off the hose. It’s a pain to put it back on the hose because the hoses are wrapped with woven insulation.
- Remove four screws from the brackets that hold the heater unit (spacers are under the brackets).
- Now there are six screws that mount the pump frame to the body. Two are in deeply recessed holes. Remove these (Two are different).
- Now the pump frame can be lifted out and turned over. There are two short screws that mount the bracket holding the pump body to the frame. Remove these screws and pivot out the bracket.
- The pump body is T shaped. There are two hoses from the water tank on the left and one feeding the heater on the right. Lift the T assembly out of its recess and pull the fitting that the hoses attach to off the T. The left side has the rubber one way valve attached to the fitting you’ve just pulled off. The right one is attached to the pump body. You can pull these right off.
- The problem with the steam mops is this valve. They stick shut. Maybe from the heat. Maybe from something in the water.
You can squeeze the tips to open them back up but I used a flat jewelers screwdriver with a little silicone lube inserted into the open end (to open them up) and hopefully the silicone lube will prevent them from sticking shut again. These one way valves allow water to be drawn from the water tank on the upstroke and injected into the heater on the down stroke. One of my steam mops had both stuck and no water was being sent to the heater. The other had one stuck and formed a vacuum in the water tank. That mop would work (until the vacuum would form) at which point I’d have to open the tank to break the vacuum. It would work again until the vacuum formed.
How to Make Your Shark Steamer Last Long
Implementation of 10 tips to help steam mop more durable
- Never Plug in a Steam Mop Before Attaching the Mop Cloth
- Don’t Idle a Hot Steam Mop
- Don’t Skip the Vacuuming
- Never Put Anything in the Water Tank Except Water
- Don’t Keep Cleaning With a Dirty Mop Cloth
- Never Use a Steam Mop on Hardwood or Laminate Floors
- Don’t Clean Walls With a Steam Mop
- Never Store the Steam Mop With a Dirty or Wet Cloth
- Don’t Wash Mop Cloths With a Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheet
- Don’t Clean Cold Bathroom Fixtures
Prevent Future Clogs
Since you have arrived this far, we find it necessary to reward your loyalty. Consequently, we are going to tell you what methods to adopt to prevent future clogs.
- Firstly, no matter what type of cleaning you are doing, always use distilled water. Being free of impurities like dust, sand and chemical deposits, it won’t clog your steamer. Hence,if you know how to make distilled water, it will give your steamer a long shelf life.
- Secondly, if you want your steamer to last long, maintain it regularly. You don’t need to do anything extra difficult. Rather, if you can unclog your steamer every few months with any of the abovementioned methods, you’d be good.
- Finally, while we don’t pay much attention to this aspect, your steamer should be free of any debris or moisture for it to work effectively. For this purpose, after every time you use it, clean your steamer by wiping away dust particles.
In the above article, I show you 5 ways to fix the case of Shark steam mop that not heating up. Try it now. And if you are looking for a good steam mop for your house, check out of my list best steam mop
