New Ways To Use Steam Cleaners

Tell me why you might want a steam cleaner?

For starters, you would if you want to stamp out the mold, dust mites, germs and allergens lurking on to your blinds, rugs and sofa cushions. Or if you or family members are allergic to dust. In those instances a steam cleaner is a good choice for you.

They also come in handy for removing set in stains. The heated vapors literally help you dissolve away those tough stains.

Best of all when you steam clean your shower curtain, the shower stall and toilet area you are in fact sterilizing those surfaces! Flushing out the hidden bacteria and germs with just plain tap water – no chemical cleaners required. (Just be wary of cleaning your soft plastic stuff or any painted surfaces with hot steam. You may just melt and ruin them in the process.)

Now there’s not much to a steam cleaner really. Most are not much more than a water reservoir with a heater to boil the water. This produces steam. And this steam is then released under pressure through a hose and unleashed on dirt and grime.

Usually steam cleaners are about the size of a canister vac. And while hand held models are easy to operate, they are best suited for smaller jobs. Often making them more hassle than they are worth.

If you’re thinking one of these is worthwhile then be sure to check for certain features.

Look for the on/off button. It’s easier to operate if it’s on the wand itself. That way you don’t have to reach for the button on the unit itself.

What are the accessories that come with the unit? A jet nozzle, hand held and floor brush are pretty common. Other tools and brushes might also be included.

How much of water can you fill at a time? More is better as that will let you avoid the cool down time involved in refilling the unit. Too much waiting can be frustrating when you want to clean, right?

Any unit producing steam within six to ten minutes is another good sign.

What’s the boiler made of? Stainless steel is rust proof and hence preferable.

Does it have a long enough cord?

If storage space is a concern compact models would be best.

Keep in mind that while steam cleaners are decent enough for cleaning carpets and surfaces laden with grit and dirt sometimes they can leave behind a mess which can be a headache in itself to clean up.

Larger jobs may require more steam than your unit can produce. So again you’ll have to kill time until the machine’s has cooled down so you can safely refill it or about 30 minutes.

Still steam cleaners do have their place. So if you are convinced that you can’t live without one go ahead and see how clean your home can be.

Vacuumologist Aiden Mundt enjoys writing articles that make it easy to keep your carpets clean. Be it an depth Miele vacuum cleaner reviews, a closer look at the most popular models, or his hard hitting canister vacuum reviews. Get the help you need when vacuum shopping at AskTheVacuumGuy.com.

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