Trib tested: Hurricane Spin Mop
The claim: The Hurricane Spin Mop is the amazing mop and bucket system that cleans practically anything. Just dip the mop head in the washer side and the dirt releases into the bucket. Then place it in the dryer side and push the pedal to spin away excess dirt and water so you get a clean mop head that's practically dry and ready for more. The microfiber mop head absorbs 10 times its weight and still won't drip or streak. The mop head pops off and can be washed more than 300 times. Hurricane Spin Mop even picks up dust, dirt, pet hair and more without sweeping. It works on any surface — hardwood, marble, laminate, travertine and ceramic tile.
TeleBrands is running a national jingle-writing contest for the Hurricane Spin Mop. The winning jingle will be featured in the next infomercial, and the writer will receive $1,000 and a trip to the 2015 International Housewares Show, from March 7 through 10 in Chicago, where the song will be unveiled. The deadline is Feb. 2. Details: hurricanemop.com/contest.jsp
Cost: $39.99
Where: hurricanemop.com or retailers such as Bed, Bath and Beyond
I was hoping the Hurricane Spin Mop would transform my kitchen floor into something sparkly and new, but alas, it just did a good job cleaning up the dirt. The mop system's pitch is that you can wring it out in the spinning part of the provided bucket to your desired dryness. The spinner was kind of fun, and I didn't have to dip my hands in dirty water. But I didn't think it really got the mop as dry as I wanted it. I could still wring out water with my hands even after spinning it several times at the end of the job.
The round top worked as well on my floors as other mops, but nothing spectacular. The bucket is pretty bulky, what with the water, the spinner and the foot lever for spinning. All in all, this mop worked fine, but I don't think it's worth the $30 to $50 I've seen it priced at local stores.
From the first time I saw a commercial for the Hurricane Spin Mop, I've been oddly fascinated. I think it was all the gunk they ran it through — then dunk it in the bucket and spin, and the mess is gone. My time with the Hurricane wasn't quite so successful, but I plan on keeping it handy. My house has hardwood and two kinds of tile, smooth in the bathroom and textured in the kitchen and dining room. The Hurricane glided over the smooth surfaces, and the small amount of water remaining dried quickly. On the textured surface, it left behind a little more moisture, but nothing messier than a normal mop. The low-profile of the mop head reached a reasonable distance under the kitchen appliances, too. I couldn't get it to spin like in the commercial, but that might just be a matter of practice (The mop head also wasn't so nice and fluffy when wet like in the ads, either.)
The spinning wringer does quite the job. One spin, and it's a little drippy. After two, you can barely hear any more water coming out. And at three, I held the mop over a towel and shook it hard, and it took six shakes to get one noticeable drop of moisture. This got me to thinking: It says you can dust with it.
So a fresh bucket of water and cleaner later, and I was mopping down my — also textured — hallway walls. So much easier than a bucket, sponge and rubber gloves, and no need for a stool or ladder. One quibble: The commercial shows the mop cleaning pet hair. Maybe it's that my hair is longer, but while the mop picked them up, the spinner didn't dislodge my tresses from the mop head. Also, when I used the Hurricane to pick up some dropped herb leaves, they never left the mop after cleaning, either. I hope they come out in the washer.
Another note: The bucket is a bit awkward to handle with the weight of the spinner on one side, which is probably why you can order an optional dolly. You want to be careful not to use water past the maximum fill line so that bucket doesn't become unwieldy.
The Hurricane Spin Mop was a great success for me and my floors. Beyond the fun factor of pressing my foot against the spinner to whiz away dirty water, my floors — from hardwood to vinyl tile — looked great!
I was a bit concerned when I first opened the box. The mop head is probably about a third smaller than my regular rag mops. But the scrubbing action and control over how much water remains in the mop made a huge difference. It took a bit of adjusting to get used to the different mopping technique, but I got it before you could say lickety-split. The floor surface dried more quickly than usual and left a gleaming surface.
I also like being able to clean with scalding hot water without resorting to rubber gloves to protect my hands. This spinner is a winner!
