We test out the latest in hard floor cleaning technology, designed for homes with pups!
Introduction
I’m a proud dog lover and the lucky owner of two spirited greyhounds, Maggie and Georgia. Our inner west home is not generally the sanctuary we aspire too, given 8 legs plus 2×2 human ones all living in one house. We have a blend of wooden floors, tiles in the bathroom and carpets upstairs. Maintaining any kind of pristine balance is no walk in the park. So I am excited to meet my cleaning soulmate: the Tineco Floor One S7 Steam.
Unboxing & Preparation – the great reveal
Unboxing the Tineco is like unwrapping a sleek, futuristic gift. Its elegant design promised a revolution in my cleaning routine. My greyhounds circled it, curious yet cautious. Would this contraption be friend or foe?
I fill the back tank with water. Don’t make the mistake I did as the dirty water tank is at the front and you fill the back tank. The dual-tank system keeps clean and dirty water separate for continuous cleaning with fresh water at the back. This means, no more pushing around dirty water like a traditional mop. The other benefit is that it doesn’t require any cleaning fluids which others in the Tineco range require. So there are no ongoing costs of solutions to buy and store. It sits in a charging stand and is cordless which is a big bonus for the freedom of whizzing around the house. Once plugged in, I power up the Tineco.
The Features
I have used a non-steam Tineco before and I really love the iLoop™ smart sensor technology. I wouldn’t buy a Tineco now without it.
As I move across the floor cleaning becomes fun -honestly trust me on this. A few months ago I loaned the Floor One S7 Pro Tineco to our beauty editor, Michelle and she was hooked! Gamified circle of light illuminates red and shifts to blue depending on how dirty my floors are, it’s deeply satisfying to find ‘red’ = ‘kill’ and neutralise the baddies in your home so you are left with blue. Who needs a Game Boy?
The iLoop tech automatically adjusts suction power, brush roller speed, and water flow for more efficient cleaning. It has larger tanks than some of the other models which means less back n’ forth to add water to the cleaning tank or empty dirty water – Did I say how bossy the system is? It tells you when you have to do each task.
I like that it is cordless, lightweight and the self-propelling cleaning feature means this is like walking an excited Maggie on steriods. I am almost running to keep up with it. It has foward, (but not backwards), momentum so it’s much better cleaning as you would mowing a lawn – in long lines. Double edge cleaning also helps with small rooms, getting right to the tricky spots.
The Clean
I start in the living room, the greyhounds’ signature trails —fur, dust, and a hint of mischief await. The steam jets dissolve the mud, caked on kibble from Georgia’s less than perfect bowl manners, while the suction whisks fur away. No more tumbleweeds of greyhound fluff!
It claims to kill 99.99% of bacteria with 140°c hypersteam. I don’t have a lab kits at home and can’t test that one out, but the 3-in-1 Vacuum, mop and steam leaves my floors without streaks.
Next, the kitchen. Paw prints could be interpreted as abstract art in my home. I switch to “Steam Mode” directing the Tineco around feeding stations. Upstairs in the bathroom the steam penetrates grout lines, moving them a shade back towards the original color. Far better than the S7 Pro. The Greys inspect my activities, mildly unimpressed.
I am shuffling though four cleaning modes. Its really easy to flick to the one you want from the hand control and the LCD screen let’s you know what is going on. Auto Mode (every day), Steam Mode (which I use to target localized stains by the front door), Boost Steam Mode (takes on larger messes and I use this in the bathroom and laundry). Suction Mode (is acheived via the App) and converts to a dry vacuum which is possibly the most AWESOME new function to the range.
Cleaning System
Sydney’s water is soft, so scale isn’t really a big deal but the scale removal system works a treat. Greyhounds love water bowls, and spills are inevitable. But the Tineco handles them like a seasoned pro. No more limescale buildup—just crystal-clear floors that reflected sunlight streaming through the windows. Once on the stand I can choose clean or deep clean and all I need to do is to empy the tanks, wash and leave to dry.
The Verdict
What we are addicted to: The LED light at the front as I clean up messes means I can see exactly where to go, it’s lightweight and the iLoop cleaning signals are so much fun. It also self cleans which means no nasty smells. No cables! My greyhounds give it the two paws up as they hate robot cleaners.
What we need to be more addicted?: Not much, if they could add three sides to cleaning that would enable the edges to be super clean, or an attachment to get into tricky corners like behind the TV stand etc. The voice prompts are REALLY loud and annoying, so volume control would be nice, though I did mute.
Now available at JB Hi-Fi and other Australian retailers, the FLOOR ONE S7 Steam has an RRP of A$1199.
