Shark Steam Mop Repair - DIY Heater Core Cleaning
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ธ.ค. 2012
- UPDATE (2/2/2015): My unit failed again (after almost 3 years) and this time I could not rescue it. The little check valve had totally disintegrated. My guess is that there might have been abit of CLR residue left over even though I had thought I rinsed it well enough after cleaning it. That residue ate away at the metal part over time.
This video shows the step by step process that I used to clean the heater core of the Shark Steam Mop Model S3501.
I did not show how to remove the pipe clamps (needed 3 hands to film and remove the clip) - it is straight forward - use the long nosed plier to squeeze together the wing part of the clip and slip it back away from the end of the tube.
I did not have to replace any of my tubing, however if I did I was going to go to the local
automotive supply place and get some high heat tubing (car radiator overflow piping most likely).
Your model may vary, you assume all risks in working on your steam mop. As always, DIY repair will void your warranty. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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Loved the video and all the comments. I have the Professional model and have not used it more than 5 times, always careful to empty the water cannister between uses. Like you, I chose not to use distilled water. After sitting for over a year, I decided to use the steam mop today. It would not produce steam so I quickly went to TH-cam to see if I could fix the problem.
I did not want to dissasssemble the unit so I simply poured a 50/50 mixture of CLR and tap water into the unit, turned it on and within 3 mintues had lots of beautiful steam. I kept the unit on until most of the fluid was gone. I noticed when I picked the unit up to pour out the remaining liquid there was about a tablespoon sand-like dirt on the floor where the unit had stood and steamed. I then poured out the remainder and refilled the unit with a mixture of 50/50 white vinegar and DISTILLED water and ran it once again until it was almost gone. I then filled the container half full with DISTILLED water only and ran it until it was almost gone. My Professional Shark steam mop works perfectly now! I've learned my lesson....on distilled water from now on.
Good for you. Buy yourself a water distiller.
thank you for this. i have been messing with this thing for an hour in a half to discover its the heater core thats clogged. Id have been lost without this video
Thank you very much for an excellent video. I paid full attention to your entire video. Mine is a newer Shark model and 5 to 7 years old. I tried almost all the methods described in TH-cam videos. I tried your methods and all failed. It is not your fault, it is mine. The heater assembly was completely rusted and the screw heads of the heater all sheared off while attempting to get to the inside of the heater. I did not try to soak the heater the way you did in your video. However, I tried to fill vinegar through the upper nozzle of the heater and kept soaked for 24 hrs or more. When I turned it on, it spit out along with vinegar vapors the amount of vinegar I had pored into the heater from top. After that there was no vinegar vapor even when there was tank full of vinegar in the reservoir and the pump was working. I finally had to drill through the check valve. Thank you very much for showing the check valve for your model. After drilling through the check valve, some broken pieces of the deposits from inside the heater came out when I tapped the heater on the floor. That fixed the problem and now there is very good amount of steam flow, and the mop is working like new. Keep up the good work!!! I liked your video very much.
Thanks m8, managed to fix one of ours using your guide, I'm hoping the tubing won't melt as putting it back in the right place was pretty tricky, the hardest part in my opinion isn't taking the tube clamps off but positioning them back in the right place at the end. Now if this one survives the first couple hours usage I have another 10 or so in the attic that need fixing :)
You got me up and running again, thank you!
Works better now then ever, I actually was able to drill a hole just enough through the calcium build up. thank you for this video, saved lots of money on a new one.
Great video - helped me solve the exact problem for a friend. Good detail, easy to understand
I think you mean CLR ? Don't know what they claim for place of manufacturer.
Glad I could help your work - I got tired of reading all the suggestions of pushing things into holes and pouring chemicals in without thinking about the mechanics of how this device works- video is best media for this.
hi Tim, i was able to find out the solution. I realized that there is a thermal fuse and after replacement for a cots fuse, the device resurrected.. cool
No calcium buildup if you use distilled water. Love it.
Their website says made in China. Great video, my pop took mine apart and couldn't figure out the spring to put it back together. The instruction book for the Light & Easy steam mop says fill with water, only suggests distilled water if it leaves spots or streaks. For not making steam in the TS guide, it says add water; doesn't suggest a clog or use distilled. Of course I should have know to use distilled with how hard our water is but it didn't occur to me til too late.
will try. thank you!
Great video. The check valve on my unit was completely clogged. It wouldn't allow water to enter the "boiler". I don't think I could have gotten it fixed without your video. I'm really surprised my mop worked as long as it did. Our water is pretty hard and with the inlet so small, it doesn't take much for it to clog. Thanks for taking the time to do the video.
I'm having hard time with the tiny screws. I've soaked in CLR and sprayed with WD4. Any suggestions. Great instructional video by the way.
Thanks for the video. I did try ripping apart my Model S3101CP (Canada) and testing each section. All teh components appeared to work, but no steam. Further investigation found that the nozzle at the end of the steamer was clogged. I tried pushing a coat hanger wore up but it was apparently too large. I took it apart and used a drill bit (by hand) to carefully remove the clog material. Presto! Mop works again. Just wish it wasn't the last thing I tried as I did shortened the hose as removing it damaged the ends.
Glad I could help - you learn by doing - so now you know what to check first. FWIW I had the same problem with the nozzle and I also had to use the drill bit - not because the wire was too big but because the calcium build up was too much to push through.
An update.My mop was not generating steam - I found that my mop head clogged up.
WARNING: SCALDING HAZARD ! I made the mistake of popping the head off while the machine was hot.
I examined the construction and its basically a flexible tube and where it seems to clog is right at the point of connection with the main body, BUT I found that the tube itself got fouled. A straightened paper clip long enough to push all the way through seems to work fine in clearing the clog.
thermostat...hum. most probable Tim. Will send to a repair shop to check this out. tks a lot
very helpful thank you
The hose to connects from the pump to the moped head broke. I can't find a replacement anywhere. Do you have any idea where can I find it?
Is there a method for removing and reconnecting the hoses?
Good vid.
I have a Shark Model S3601 steam mop that has a built-in water pump. It stop putting out much steam and the body of the unit was getting real hot. We have soft water here in the South, where I live, so I suspected something else besides corrosion. After quite a time of taking it apart I found on the last hose outlet connection where the steam is discharged that the hose bib had broken so steam passing through was minimal. Is why it got so hot. I used some Gorilla glue and re-attached the hose with part of the bib inside. Let it set for awhile and re-installed losing one screw somewhere. Gave it a test and now we have plenty of steam. I don't know for sure how long the fix will last. I figure that putting the pad attachment on and off weakens the plastic bib on this unit. A poor design here. Shark should try a better connection point for that outlet hose. Plastic is too week and locking the pad attachment is a chore. I did not clean the core.
There is another S3601 I know of not working and I bet it's the same problem
thanks for your info
Thanks for the video.
This is all fine if you have a garage or shed to work in. I don't and am not comfortable with tearing down that far.
I have a VAX steamer and it seems that the electrics have some how been sealed off from the water tanks and the pipes - I guess I will have to spend another hour looking for a take-apaart video !
I saw this happen even when distilled water is used instead of tap water. But regardless of what type of water is used, it seems that some kind of buildup will clog the unit. I read that using vinegar and water mixture after every use will keep it clean and clear of buildups and it won't clog like yours did. What sort of maintenance are you doing now to keep it from clogging? And did you really have to open the unit to clean it or could you have just ran some of the CLR through the mop to unclog it? I saw another video on youtube where running CLR through the mop worked just fine and they didn't have to open the unit at all. It just looks like a lot of trouble for nothing to fix this problem.
The quality of parts can be poor and result in little bits clogging things as well. I hate throwing things out so I made this video so you can fix the unit
Excellent video and commentary. I have a model S3601CO. The cover does not come off so nicely as the model shown in the video. I am afraid some portion of the cleaner is clued together. Has anyone had success in disassembling?
Hey man, what really happened with Natalie?
I have the same one. There are so many hidden screws it is ridiculous. Took everything apart. Nothing clogged. Still doesn't work. When plugged in it just makes a soft drum roll type of sound
hi Tim. I removed the module but I am reluctant to remove the 2 electrical connection from module. It seems glued or isolated by silicon . what's the white "glue" in the wire connection?
sight unseen I have to guess that it is some sort of high temperature silicone that is used to protect the connections. if you have an electric multi meter you can at least check if there is continuity through the circuits. there is not much inside....if I recall there is the blue led indicator, the heating coil and a thermostat switch - it's possible that the 220v fried the thermostat.
Can I remove the heating element and keep using the rotating feature of the mop and cold water?
hi cool vídeo. I screw up my shark steamer by over voltage ,is, put in 220v instead of 110v and led blue does not work, neither steam. it's repairable? there is a fuse or other components that can be replaced?
the steamer module is just a heating coil you might have burned it out (which is likely why the blue led me is not working either) I do not recall seeing any internal fuses but the if you take it apart you might find a burnt connection to repair. since it is broken you can't make it worse!😉
Need the shark portable handheld repair video :-(
Hello ! great video... I have a question & was hoping you could save me some time. I have a shark steam mop & the hose going to the top of the heater keeps popping off, steam comes out the handle instead of mophead then after about 1 min. the hose pops off. I have only used it about 6 times & used tap water which I see now was a mistake. Anyway... do you think its the heater or the mop head thats stopped up ? Thank you for any thoughts-ideas...& video.
The hoses are attached by small spring clips. I bet there is a blockage causing pressure build up (which is why steam is coming out of the handle) you need to clear that first and then you might need need to replace the spring clip (you can find replacements at autoparts store or use an adjustable hose clamp of appropriate size). My mop head was blocked in the neck part - I had to take it apart and use a small diameter drill to clear the clog in the small pipe.
Hello Tim & thank you for reply ! The hose on top of the heater that goes to the mophead is the only one popping off, I took it apart once & reconnected the hose. The clamp is fine & Very tight but as soon as it heats up & I pump it a few time... BOOM it pops off again with a load POP. So Im guessing its stopped up somewhere between the heater going to the mophead ? So I think you mean for me to start at hole in mophead ? Feel free to add any thoughts & thank you again for your reply !
Dale Brown Sorry for the slow response. I would bet your mop head is clogged as mine was - see my comment below - I had to take it apart to clear the little pipe that connects the mophead and the flexible tube.
No steam coming out. Vinegar mixed with a little water, turned it on and off, left it standing a few hours. Voila! It worked. Try this first.
Marilyn Magnes bThe
Can i just put some diluted CLR into the tank and shake it, let it sit, then rinse with water?
alright so my mop worked last week.. went to plug it in and no light comes on.. no wires are loose/cut on outside.. the plug is fine.. I saw you post this video as a fix for this problem but I didn't hear you mention why you did this to your mop to begin with.. and if I should waste my time trying to fix mine the same way?
This guide is for mops which light up but produce little or no steam m8, if your mop is completely dead first thing to try is rewiring the plug, worked for me in some instances.
There is not much electrical inside these mops. The plug or wire could be the culprit - the wire can break near the plug or near where it goes into the unit (particularly if you have been creating tight loops putting it away or yanking it out of the wall. Also possible the bulb is burnt out. If you have a multi-meter you can check for continuity across the internal connections to track it down.
Fabulous
Vinegar does the same thing without the worry of crazy chemicals :)
Do the heat washers have to be put back on for it to not melt
Yep,,,bad to have any parts left over.....thats why I made the video.
is it true that ETL claims all its stuff is made in the USA? because i am pretty sure none of it is. thank you for the instructional video, i am doing a similar DIY project on a SteamFast from Walmart, so your video will cover a lot of stuff i need to do.
Do you know how I could obtain a new check valve, because mine broke during cleaning.
Unfortunately no I ended up buying a new unit after my valve failed. I now use only distiller water.
I put it back together with the broken check valve and so far it is working fine! We shall see...
Same question as I tore the check ball out of the heating tank to get the water into it, too. I have cleaned the inside of the tank by scraping the mineral deposits with a knife and dremel wire brush. Used high temp RTV to seal the unit's silicone o ring, and let dry. Will reassemble the unit today and see if that check valve was blocking all of the water inlet, as certainly it was.
How do I screw the heating core back on with the spacers? It wont fit right
You need the spacers ... go back to the beginning of the video to watch the disassembly. What I recall is that I needed to loosely attach those brackets so that I could spread them apart and slip the heater core into place.
My heater core had a silicone gasket between the two aluminum vessel flanges
Must be a new design thanks for the update.
Ok, I tried it and it didn't work. This Shark steam mop has been used only a few times and I empty the water each time before I put it away. I had one Shark steam mop that blew up in my kitchen putting water as far as the ceiling in my kitchen. Glad I didn't get burned. I bought another one (same model, but a #3) but I will not buy another one. I have always used distilled water. I cannot afford a third one with the premise that it may not last long.
Mine clogged, I have never used anything but distilled H20.
Never use tap water in these steamers, always I mean ALWAYS use distilled water..... A gallon of distilled water cost about 89 cents at any grocery store . Will add years of life to your steam mop.
Do you have diagram or schematics? I took mine apart, can't remember where every hose and wire goes?
Harley Davidson I took pictures of mine before taking it apart if you want those.
Sorry no, each model is a little different. Best I can do is explain the principle. There is a hose from the water tank goes in the top of the unit, then there is a hose from the heating chamber to the mop head.
Do steam mops clog up even if you use purified water?
"Purified" can mean several things (filtered, chemically treated, etc.), so we stick with DISTILLED water, which is simply water that has been boiled into steam vapor to separate it from any suspended minerals or other particles, then condensed back into liquid form. It's widely available and relatively cheap to buy, at least where I live.
Manufacturers have recommended distilled water for decades, for use in any appliance that requires water, like steam mops/cleaners & clothes steamers, room humidifiers, irons, CPAP humidifiers, etc., to help prevent mineral build-up and possible clogging over time. I remember my mom used distilled water in her old Steam-heated hair curlers when I was a kid (which is a lot further in the past than I really like to admit lol).
Distilled water is also the best natural "universal solvent", so it's an excellent choice to mix into concentrated cleaners for use.
Thanks, I tried to repair my hand model. Found a filter in it. Cleaned it out but it didn't fix it. I was getting ready to throw mine away! I'll work on it some more now. People should be aware though, if you don't put it back together correctly. Someone could get electrocuted.
Interesting I had not heard about a filter before, what model do you have ?
Its possible that the filter got some but not all the calcium and your heater core is clogged up like mine was. I also had a problem with the mop head itself getting clogged - see my comment below on that.
model sc630. The handheld steamer with all the attachments. Not a mop. The filter has a couple of screws and can be dismantled and the filter cleaned. I had lost or misplaced the instructions and didn't know it needed distilled water. I tried vinegar,doesn't work. I had some zep, It's similar to CLR. It's been bubbling away all day.
I didn't realise until watching the video again... that the fitting going into the heater was reverse thread. Spread my wrench, then I tried a vise grip, had to stop, chewed it up a bit. That's important!!
The spring is to keep away the mineral build up or to give flexibility and not letting it bend and get blocked, it will keep the water flowing. I am trying to fix mine and the pump doesn't push the water at all. I will allow myself to say that this mop is a piece of shit.
I've bought if new and it work for several months and bam,junk! For this mop we should use distilled water or reverse osmosis only to avoid this headache.
You describe the classic problem with these devices. The only thing to do is open it up and clear things out. Which is why posted the video. The best defense is distilled water which is what i have been using in my second one -so far so good.
Tim Durniak I was able to get it to work but the main silicone tube is fried because of the heat. Do you know where can I get that? Been looking for something similar but I couldn't find it. Thanks for responding!
the simplest will be an auto supply store, ask the counter person for help. you need a tube that can handle the heat of boiling water. the tube will likely be black not translucent. a nother source is an appliance repair store they may a reel of that tubing.
Uog🤔
If distilled water was used this won't be a problem
YES ! You are absolutely correct. BUT if you made the mistake as I did this will at least give you a chance to repair the unit.
if your going to use tap water add some vinegar
Video Sub-Title: "What to do if you disregard the manufacturer's directions, and use tap water instead of distilled water" If you use tap water, it will just clog again, and it was not designed to be easily cleaned
Piece of GARBAGE!! 1st "Shark" never produced steam, returned and got new one. The replacement worked a few times then quit. New out of the box it never worked as advertised. This is the biggest ripoff out there! Complete JOKE!!!
Byron Baum I used my Shark for 8 years with no problems. And I use it at least twice a week. Just stopped producing steam this week. We are soaking the heater in white vinegar do dissolve the mineral deposits. If that doesn’t do the trick, I will definitely buy another Shark again.