Porous surfaces such as brick and marble should be cleaned carefully by hand. Steam cleaners are not suitable for use on water-based painted walls and unsealed floors, including hardwood, cork, and unglazed tile as they may be damaged by the moisture. What shouldn’t you use a steam cleaner on? What you can use it on depends on the type of steam cleaner you have, along with the additional tools and attachments provided. Some examples include jewellery, shoes, toys, high chairs, eating surfaces, clothes, carpets, fabric, car dashboards, showerheads, grills, ovens, toilet bowls, tiled floors and walls, taps, fridges, mirrors and sinks. Steam cleaners can be used on many surfaces in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, garden and around the house. They tend to be more expensive and heavier than typical vacuum cleaners & steam cleaners. Some steam vacuum cleaners can be used to get deep-rooted dirt out from carpets. Steam vacuums cleanersĪ steam vacuum is a vacuum cleaner with the extra feature of using steam to help clean and sanitize floors more effectively than vacuuming alone. They are not suitable for use on big surfaces (such as entire floors) and the cordless kind will incur additional costs as their batteries will need replacing.
You can buy additional accessories to allow you to mop small sections of the floor with them when needed. Since they are compact, all they require is a cup of tap water and a few minutes to generate enough steam to remove many types of stains from carpets, rugs, cushions and furniture. They can be used for sanitizing items on and off the floor including decorative pieces, upholstery, stovetops and even clothes.Ĭordless versions that run on battery power are especially useful for use outdoors in the garden, in a car or on the move. Handheld steam cleaners work the same way as regular-sized steam cleaners but are small and portable, designed specifically for easy handling. Steam cleaners generally have quick heating times, an extensive steam range, are fairly quiet and efficient at sanitising surfaces. Some pads have scrubbing strips for cleaning tough stains. Pads can also come in different textures to allow for use on delicate floorings such as hardwood and laminates. Some steam mops feature a two-sided mop head that can be flipped, allowing you to clean twice as much floor before changing the mop pad. As an eco-friendly choice, you can opt for multi-use washable pads instead of disposable ones. Mop pads tend to get dirty over time and will need replacing. Vacuuming your floor beforehand will allow for the most effective clean with a steam cleaner. When using steam mops, it’s useful to make sure that the floor doesn’t contain heavy mud or grit first. Steam cleaners without bottom pads are useful when cleaning carpets or upholstery. Steam mops contain changeable pads that can be used to remove the lifted dirt. Steam cleaners and steam mops work in similar ways, by using a reservoir to boil water and release steam - killing nearby bacteria. They can’t replace vacuum cleaners entirely though, which are still very useful for cleaning up heavy spills and chunks of debris. While typically, steam cleaners have a higher price point than a bucket and mop, they can save you money in the long run since you do not need to buy cleaning liquids. Pads will need replacing - can incur additional costs It’s eco-friendly and more versatile than a vacuum cleaner or bucket and mop. Steam kills well-known bacteria such as e-coli, listeria, and salmonella.
#Best steam cleaner for tiled floors manual#
There are many benefits to using a steam cleaner over a vacuum or manual mop including the fact that it doesn’t require anything but water to provide a sanitised and effective clean, free of harmful chemicals and smells. Steam cleaners are a versatile tool to have around the house and can be used to sanitise a host of surfaces. The water in the water compartment can be boiled within 1-30 minutes and expelled as steam through a nozzle or brush which loosens dirt and kills bacteria at the same time. The heat of the steam melts away these adhesive qualities and loosens the grime which can easily be wiped away with a microfibre pad or cloth. What to look for when buying a steam cleanerĭirt and grime have adhesive qualities that enable them to stick to all types of surfaces.What shouldn’t you use a steam cleaner on?.