Steam Cleaning - Which Machine?

One of the first decisions you need to make is which machine is right for you.

You could go for a multi-function all purpose machine, the problem is they are sometimes more time-consuming to set up and can be cumbersome to use. Probably the best is the McCulloch Steam Cleaner

The alternative is to buy specialist machines.  I personally have a steam mop, the Haan Steam Cleaner which is just so easy to use, you can literally steam through all your hard surfaces and be confident they are fresh and sanitized.  I also have a small hand-held machine that will spot clean and blast dirt off any surface around the home.

My steam mop has an attachment that will allow me to sanitize and freshen carpets but it it not the best carpet cleaner for that I use a Hoover Steamvac with Clean Surge.

It may seem a lot to have three different machines but it means that each one is quick and simple to set up.  It is designed to do a particular job so it is really fast and efficient.

I also know the job has been done properly.  Having said all that i have a friend who uses a McCulloch heavy duty steam cleaner and is happy with it for all the steam cleaning jobs around the home.

I will admit the McCulloch is great for jobs outside; degreasing the car, removing break dust cleaning the BBQ etc.  It really comes down to what you will mainly need the steamer for

Best Steam Mop

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The Eureka Envirosteamer

At Discount

The best steam mop that I have found is the Eureka Enviro Steamer.

As I said in an earlier blog I now prefer to have two machines; a steam mop for cleaning hard floors such as tiles, wood or laminate and a handheld steamer for all other tasks.

I started with an all in one machine but it was large and cumbersome and didn't seem to either job as well as dedicated machines.  The problem I had was the large machine was not easy to move about and it was too fiddly to keep changinging hoses and nozzles.

When you want to steam clean a large floor area you need a machine that is easy to  get out and set up.  Quick to use and easy to put away.  Basically I don't want to spend any more time than I need to get the job done.

I particularly liked the Eureka model as it ticked all the boxes for me.

• It heats the steam to 220 degrees.  Some other models only manage a measly 110 degrees which is just not hot enought to melt all the grime
• With 25 feet of cord you can complete just about every job without moving the plug from one place to another
• It holds more water than any other model which means you can go on steaming for longer.  I manage my kitchen, utility room and hallway on one water bottle
• The steam comes out of several holes and so it is spread across the surface of the mop.  I tried one model that had just one hole that would mean a concentration of steam in the centre and possible side areas that would not sanitize
• Its a tough machine.  It feels solid and I'm not exactly gentle with it
• The head swivels which makes moving around the floor easy
• The height of the actual head is low so you can get right under cupboards

Overall the Eureka works for me because I can get the job done really quickly with the minimum of fuss.  I steam-mop from my frontdoor (laminate flooring) through the hallway (hardwood flooring), across the kitchen and utility room (tiled flooring) in just about 20 minutes.

I just fill the machine and mop.  I don't bother using a vacuum first as the floors are steam-mopped twice weekly so every bit of dirt is removed.  I steam mop right through without stopping then remove the cleaning pad and throw it in the washing machine.  One extra tip: Never tumble the cleaning pads, I had one shrink.  I hang the pad to dry and it is ready for the next session.  You get two pads and can buy more but I have had mine for over a year and they come up clean every time. 

Steam cleaning your floor is not only effective and hygienic it will save you money on expensive cleaning products and it is much better for the environment.

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Steam – One of the most effective cleaners

When you are cleaning you want several things;

• You want to sanitise
• You want to freshen
• You want to remove marks and dirt
• And you want to do all these things efficiently and with little effort.

For years chemical manufacturers have sold us the idea that to get things really clean you need to add more and more chemicals.

That message is just baloney!

One of the most effective cleaners you can possibly use is steam.  That’s right just plain water raised to high temperature.  The benefits are numerous;

1. Steam kills just about all germs and bacteria
2. No bacteria means smells are eliminated
3. High temperature steam melts just about any stain and allows you to wipe it away.
4. Steam power allows you to glide through cleaning tasks.
5. Your surfaces are left looking clean and they are completely sanitised.

If you think about it, it makes such good sense. 

What do hospitals and dentists do to sanitise their instruments?  They place them in steamers that kill all bacteria.

What happens to grease when heated?  It melts and becomes less sticky

Do smells come from your spills and dirt?  Actually most smells come from the bacteria feeding on the dirt.

I use stem power on just about any cleaning job.  You need to use a little common sense and avoid any surface that could be damaged by heat but other than that steam will clean hard surfaces fantastically.  It will sanitise soft furnishings.  Steam cleans carpets really well and one of the best things is that steam will get to areas and cracks that you just can’t get a cloth into.

My daughter recently moved into new student accommodation.  Unfortunately like many students the previous tenants had not left the house in a very good state.  But a day with my steam cleaners and we soon had the place fresh, clean and bug free.

We removed gum that was stuck on the carpet easily – one blast of concentrated steam and the gum could be lifted away.  We steam mopped all hard floors and wood work.   I steam cleaned the carpets and sofas; I even steamed the mattress to ensure the dust-mites were killed.  After thoroughly steaming sinks and the bath I directed a jet of steam down the plug hole and watched it rush out of the overflow.  How else would you sanitise the inside of pipes?  In just one day we transformed a dump that I would not have allowed my daughter to stay in to a bright clean home that she can be proud of.

I actually recommend you have two steam cleaners; a specialist stem mop and a portable hand steamer.  It is so much easier to clean this way and they work out no more expensive than one multi-use machine that is not so good with either task.

I’ll be adding more steam cleaning tips to this blog so make sure you bookmark me and keep checking back