On the Internet you can find at least a hundred articles about universal steam cleaners. Many of them claim that the equipment is suitable for cleaning and disinfecting all objects and surfaces in the apartment. The authors recommend cleaning not only hard items with hot steam, but also textiles - carpets, curtains, toys, pillows, blankets, bedspreads and upholstered furniture.
In this article we will talk about the advisability of using steam generators for dust collection in residential premises. Let us explain why the steam treatment method is not suitable for cleaning textiles and carpets in the bedroom, living room or nursery. We’ll tell you in what cases it’s worth turning on the steam cleaner, and when it’s better not to waste time on a useless activity.
Photo by Aaron Yoo (source – flickr.com)
For cleaning upholstered furniture
While a regular vacuum cleaner can handle dust, it can’t do anything about stains or greasy upholstery. A steam cleaner is the opposite. Therefore, to care for furniture, ideally you need both devices.
First, thoroughly vacuum the sofa or chair, then treat it with steam. By the way, this is how you can get rid of dust mites in the near-surface layer of the seal (and there are most of them there).
To work with furniture, you can take a manual cleaner like Bort BDR-2800-RR. The main thing is to have an appropriate nozzle.
Pros and cons of a steam cleaner
There are serious benefits to cleaning with a steam cleaner. Among the advantages of the device are:
- high-quality disinfection of surfaces;
- effectiveness against old deposits and stubborn stains;
- elimination of unpleasant odors;
- versatility.
When working with the unit, it is not necessary to use household chemicals. Accordingly, there is no need to use personal protective equipment - gloves and respirators.
Despite the useful functions of a steam cleaner for the home, it is necessary to note its disadvantages. These include:
- low efficiency in removing rust and limescale;
- potential danger - you can easily get burned by hot steam;
- high cost.
The disadvantage of the unit is its increased sensitivity to water quality. When using tap fluid, the device quickly fails due to scale formation on the internal parts.
For kitchen
Cleaning your kitchen takes a lot of time and effort. We mean hobs, oven, kitchen hood. Fat accumulates directly here, which is quite difficult to remove. You need to steam clean the surfaces and remove soaked dirt with a sponge or cloth.
For this purpose, a special narrow brush attachment is suitable, penetrating into the most difficult to reach places. A solution is pre-prepared, which consists of water and a detergent composition. During processing, the nozzle is periodically wetted, after which the softened dirt is collected with a soft cloth. It is optimal to use manual steam cleaners with a power of 1 kW and above.
What is a home steam cleaner and why do you need it?
A home steam cleaner is a special device designed to remove stubborn dirt from hard and soft surfaces. The device easily copes with greasy and stubborn stains, and allows you to disinfect furniture and floor coverings.
Steam cleaner device
The simple unit consists of only three parts. The basis of the design is:
- liquid reservoir;
- a heating element;
- flexible hose.
Good models are equipped with a safety valve that allows you to relieve excess pressure. The kit usually includes a variety of attachments and telescopic extensions, rags and napkins.
Some steam cleaners come with an iron attachment for ironing
How does a home steam cleaner work?
The operating principle of a home steam cleaner is very simple. The unit is used according to the following scheme:
- Pour boiled or filtered water into the tank in the volume specified in the instructions.
- Wait until the device reports that it is ready for use.
- Connect the desired nozzle to the flexible hose.
- Place the tip of the device at a short distance from the surface to be cleaned.
- Press the steam button.
Under the influence of high temperature and mechanical pressure, contaminants quickly soften and peel off from hard surfaces or fabric fibers.
Attention! It is not recommended to pour liquid from the tap into the unit’s reservoir - it contains many hard impurities.
What can be washed with a steam cleaner
A steam cleaner can clean a wide variety of surfaces. In particular, at home the unit is used to process:
- upholstered furniture and carpets;
- curtains and heavy drapes;
- glass and mirrors;
- tiles and kitchen tiles;
- sinks and toilets;
- laminate and linoleum.
The device not only reliably removes dust and complex old stains, but also fights bacteria and allergens.
Using a steam cleaner, you can wash finned radiators from dust.
What not to clean with a steam cleaner
Despite the versatility of the device, using a steam cleaner for your home requires some restrictions. The unit cannot be used for processing:
- polished and varnished surfaces;
- waxed wooden parquet;
- soft plastic and synthetics susceptible to high temperatures;
- jewelry.
Before processing fabrics, it is necessary to study the manufacturer's recommendations. If the label indicates that the product is suitable for dry cleaning only, it is better not to use the device.
The steam cleaner is not recommended for use on electrical appliances. Even if you first unplug them, hot, humid steam can damage the internal parts of the devices. Moreover, it is forbidden to handle switched-on equipment using the device - this will lead to a short circuit.
Can I iron with a steam cleaner?
A steam cleaner can be used to clean not only furniture and curtains, but also outerwear or towels. If the device is equipped with an attachment in the form of an iron, then it can be used, including for ironing.
If a special tip is not supplied with the device, it is used for simple steaming. Using the device, you can eliminate folds and creases on jackets, coats, curtains and drapes.
For plumbing
What else does a steam cleaner clean? For example, plumbing. To do this, you can use a steam cleaner, which removes rust without the use of aggressive chemicals. The advantage is that at the same time the device ensures proper treatment of plumbing fixtures, eliminating pathogenic microflora.
Handheld or floor-mounted steam cleaners are suitable for this purpose. It is necessary to go through the plumbing with a narrow nozzle, and then rinse off the condensation with water.
What about carpet or carpet?
After steaming the carpet, you will get the same effect as after “steaming” the sofa upholstery. The pile will acquire a richer color and rise slightly, and some unpleasant odors will disappear.
Using a steam cleaner, you can clean the carpet from some types of local water-soluble stains that have not yet had time to set. Hot steam will soften dirt and push it to the surface. All that remains is to remove them manually or using a special nozzle.
Steam carpets correctly
► If you want to soften a stain, use a narrow cone nozzle that will direct a steam jet to a small area.
► If you just need to refresh the pile, treat the surface with a wide pad with a moisture-absorbing microfiber cloth, which turns the device into a steam mop for carpets and floors.
► Before steam treatment, thoroughly vacuum the carpet to remove dust, hair and loose dirt from the surface.
If the coating has old stains and wear, a steam cleaner is unlikely to help. To remove stubborn stains, you should order carpet dry cleaning, during which specialists will remove stains with stain removers and clean the entire surface using deep extraction.
Cons: some inconvenience to use
The steam cleaner is the size of a vacuum cleaner. Some cleaning movements are hampered by the presence of a long hose and the device itself. You need to adapt and get used to the device.
In addition, it is difficult to hold your hand up for a long time - it gets tired and periodically requires rest. This increases cleaning time.
And you should be careful when operating the steam cleaner - the device gets very hot: touching the boiler or putting your hands under the stream of steam is dangerous.
Middle price segment (up to 10,000 rubles)
The cost of a steam cleaner depends on the brand, power, and the number of additional attachments included in the package.
Model KARCHER SC 2 EasyFix
The volume of the SC 2 EasyFix water tank is 1 liter. The power of the unit is 1500 W. The highest steam pressure is 3.2 bar. Heating time - 390 seconds. The period of non-stop operation is 25 minutes.
Advantages:
- Reliable.
- Removes greasy stains well.
- Significantly reduces cleaning time.
Flaws:
- Inconvenient storage of nozzles and tubes.
- Fragility of replaceable brushes.
- There is no automatic cord rewind.
- Old limestone cannot be removed.
The powerful KARCHER SC 2 EasyFix steam cleaner works great on most stains. It is light and maneuverable, removes dirt from the surface of doors, floors, washable wallpaper, ceilings, ceramic floor and wall tiles.
It is inconvenient at the beginning and end of work due to the fact that it turns on immediately after connecting to the network, there is no reset button, or automatic cord rewind. The price of the purifier is about 8,290 rubles.
KARCHER SC 2
The floor-standing model of the German brand has a maximum steam pressure of 3.2 bar. The volume of the bowl is 1 liter. Power consumption – 1500 W. Water heating time is 390 seconds.
Advantages of the device:
- Availability of attachments included: brush attachment, spot attachment, floor attachment, extension tubes, microfiber cloth, soft cloths.
- High quality assembly of parts, density of the body material.
- Removes various types of stains.
- Kills germs on treated surfaces.
- Cleans glass.
- Refreshes outerwear.
- Blows dust and debris out of grooves in wardrobes and aluminum frames.
Minuses:
- copes poorly with old limescale deposits;
- cannot smooth out dry clothes or bed linen;
- works noisily;
- short power cord
KARCHER SC 2 is an excellent gift for the hostess to constantly maintain cleanliness in the house. It is not suitable for removing old stains, stubborn limescale and stone. It is used to treat children's toys, pillows, and furniture. Prices start from 7,540 rubles.
Karcher SC 2 EasyFix Premium
Another device from the German brand is the SC 2 EasyFix Premium steam cleaner. The floor-standing device consumes power equal to 1500 W. Maximum steam pressure – 3.2 bar. Bowl volume – 1 liter. Water heating time – 390 s.
Strengths of the model:
- Lots of attachments included.
- There is a compartment for storing additional brushes.
- The length of the steam supply tube can be increased to 2 m.
- 5 years warranty
Weak sides:
- Short power cord.
- Do not add water during operation.
- There is no liquid level indicator.
KARCHER SC 2 EasyFix Premium is suitable for cleaning houses inhabited by small children and people who cannot tolerate the fumes of household chemicals.
The model does an excellent job of smoothing curtains thanks to the extended tube. It perfectly cleans the kitchen, bathroom, surfaces of cabinet and upholstered furniture, mirrors, and glass. After cleaning, the air remains slightly humidified. Prices for it start from 9,490 rubles.
Ease of use
The steam cleaner is easy to use, has an ergonomic design, and comfortable handles. You can easily adapt the device to your own needs, thanks to the possibility of upgrading with numerous accessories. Useful features:
- lack of water indicator;
- a sufficiently long power cable;
- ready to work 30 seconds after switching on;
- no need to descale.
Pro: you can reach hard-to-reach places
It is able to remove dirt from even the most invisible corners and crevices. A stream of steam from the nozzle flies out to a distance of about half a meter and knocks out any formations of dirt and dust, no matter where they are located - in the corner, behind the radiator, in the cracks between the tiles, under the rim of the toilet.
See tips for cleaning hard-to-reach places.
Flaws
- Price . Most models are presented by German manufacturers. Therefore, the cost of a steam cleaner with a set of additional functions or attachments is high.
- Compliance with safety regulations . The work takes place with steam whose temperature exceeds 100 °C. If there are cracks in the supply tube or visible damage, do not turn on the electrical appliance and start working. It is important to handle steam carefully while cleaning.
- Not 100% effective . Even a powerful steam cleaner will not remove old, deeply ingrained dirt.
- High humidity is dangerous for some surfaces . It is not recommended to use a steam generator to clean the seams of MDF cabinets. This leads to swelling in the area where the film is applied. Do not steam the joints of the window sill and the wall or window cracks with silicone. It lags behind and loses its insulating properties.
Cons: high cost
Steam cleaners that can provide high cleaning efficiency cost a lot. If you buy a cheaper device, you can only get disappointment and problems: the device will be low-power, take a long time to heat up, the steam will be of insufficient temperature, will not operate at the required distance, etc.
Check out popular dishwasher myths.
Water tank
Before purchasing, you need to think about the need for various functions, read how to use the steam cleaner correctly. The steam generator needs to be adapted to the needs of the family, this primarily concerns:
- working hours,
- size of surfaces to be cleaned.
Inside the device is a reservoir that is filled with water before operation. You need to choose the right tank capacity and determine whether it is removable.
- For large rooms, a steamer and steam cleaner equipped with two containers is better suited, ensuring continuous operation over large areas.
- For small homes, a single-tank model is sufficient.
