Have you ever had a problem with cleaning without getting stubborn dirt? A steam cleaner is useful in such cases. This time, we will introduce how to choose a steam cleaner, tips on how to use it effectively for home cleaning, and recommendations for steam cleaners.
What is Steam Cleaner? Is it really effective?
Steam cleaner, as the name suggests, is a generic name for cleaners that lift and remove dirt by vigorously ejecting high-temperature steam close to 100 ° C. It is characterized by high cleaning power due to high pressure even with steam alone and also has a sterilizing effect.
Even without using any detergent, it has become a popular product because it can remove dirt quickly. It is especially recommended for those who have been suffering from persistent stains for many years and for families with small children, considering sterilization.
Home areas that you can clean with a steam cleaner
It does not matter where the steam cleaner can be used, indoors or outdoors. You can use it anywhere, but there is one thing you want to keep in mind. Because it applies 100 ℃ steam directly at high pressure, try to avoid areas that are sensitive to heat. The following are the main places where steam cleaners are used.
1. Kitchen oil stains
2. Spots and stains on fabric products such as sofas
Fabric products such as sofas have the disadvantage that they are difficult to fall off due to frequent use. I want to scrub it with detergent, but it can damage the fibers. So you can use an upholstery steam cleaner to make the dirt stand out. Wipe it off with a dry cloth to clean it.
3. Mold in the bathroom
Cleaning the bathroom requires considerable effort. If you do not wash the corners of the room, mold will form and it will become dirty again. Isn’t stubborn mold stains a problem because it is a humid place? Repeating rubbing with detergent and sponge is also a difficult task.
Therefore, it is possible to remove tile’s grout mold and dirt in a short time by using a steam cleaner. After that, just take a shower and it will be beautiful. However, please note that if the ventilation is not enough after cleaning, mold will be easy to propagate again.
4. Flooring and cleaning of tiles
You can also clean the tile floor using a steam cleaner. It can be used for vinyl flooring, laminate flooring, and hardwood flooring. Especially in the case of flooring, it is said that it is more effective than a vacuum cleaner because it can remove mites and molds that are needed in the back by lifting them with high pressure.
At first glance, I suspect that it would be okay if the floors were wet with water vapor, but high-pressure steam does not seem to bother so much because it dries quickly.
5. Cleaning windows and screens
You can also clean windows and screens with a steam cleaner. Windows are especially good for cleaners, so it’s a good idea to do them regularly.
It is also effective for the intricate parts of the sash. Cleaning the screen door can easily remove the dirt on the mesh, but be careful not to concentrate and spray the same part for a long time, which may damage the mesh.
Steam Cleaning machines and their importance in sanitizing and cleaning upholstery
- Although daily or once a week, depending on the use, we always recommend vacuuming the upholstered elements, to prevent the dust from penetrating more and more deeply, caking the tissues and creating the best conditions for the proliferation of pathogens harmful to health. , with the passage of time, the fabrics begin to lose their initial appearance and the colors go out, being the ideal time to do a wash for upholstery cleaning.
- In addition to a domestic vacuum cleaner, it is not possible to extract the dust accumulated under the surface of the upholstery, which gradually accumulates in the fluffy material, so it is necessary to perform a full wash with steam cleaning.
- But the problem is that this type of textiles can not be washed as if they were clothing, being installed on large rigid surfaces, so you have to use other systems such as steam cleaning.
- The presence of stains is another factor that determines the need to proceed to a total cleaning, because usually when trying to remove them in isolation they always end up leaving fences in the place they were before, deteriorating the appearance of the piece.
- To date, Household Steam Cleaners are the most effective procedure for cleaning sofas, furniture, curtains, and more, which is professionally carried out with steam washing machines that have a liquid extraction injection system and products to achieve cleaning and total disinfection, similar to the work done with a washing machine, but externally, and of course using the powers, temperatures, and application of products more appropriate to the genre with which each upholstery was made.
- With this system, the elimination of bad odors, deep disinfection and return of the colors to the upholstery is achieved, minimizing residual moisture, which can be evaporated more quickly with professional drying procedures.
- Always prior to steam cleaning, you must perform a vacuum with powerful machines, to remove dust, hair, and other types of surface waste.
Types of Steam Cleaners aka Steamers and their Benefits
There are various types of steam cleaning machines, each adapting to the different cleaning needs and also adapting to the economic needs of each user.
1. Conventional Steam Cleaners
They are the aforementioned vapors. Its exterior appearance is of a vacuum cleaner, but, of course, it has a very different operation.
Instead, it releases high-temperature water vapor through an articulated steam mop with which it is possible to easily clean and with very good results elements of the whole house, from the kitchen to the bathroom, including the living room or the bedrooms.
They also have different accessories for different surfaces and areas, such as, for example, toilets, sinks, upholsteries, windows, … the latest models have included an accessory that allows steam ironing to be used on clothes.
These steam cleaning machines are widely used for industrial cleaning jobs in warehouses and factories where we find stains that would otherwise be very complex to remove.
2. Steam mops or brooms (perfect for cleaning floors)
If you want to focus steam cleaning only on the floors and make it quick, a steam mop is the best option.
Its functionality is very similar to steam cleaners, however, its more ergonomic formula being similar to that of a broom, allows us to handle it with less effort.
Thus, if we want to leave our floors really clean, we can achieve it in a few minutes thanks to the depth of cleaning and disinfection of steam cleaning. Once you stop using it, its size allows you to easily store it with other utensils such as a broom or mop.
Its weak point is that, if on any other occasion you opt for steam cleaning of another element of your home other than the floors, it will not work for you.
3. Vacuum cleaners with steam function
The vacuum cleaners including a steam main function exceed the deficit of traditional Vaporetto: vacuuming function. They allow us to aspirate all kinds of waste, whether solid or liquid, and then activate the steam function to achieve the best results without using any type of detergent or additive.
Of course, it’s steam function is smaller than that of a steam cleaning machine itself, but it is a good option if we want to reduce the presence of household appliances in our home.
4. Portable steam cleaners
If you find steam cleaning in your home attractive, but, on the contrary, you don’t want to introduce another dish at home, a suitable choice is portable steam cleaners.
Despite its small size and not using cables, in the market, we can find truly powerful models that will help you eliminate that dirt that resists on tile floor and grouts, joints, rails, extractor hoods, windows, gas stoves, ovens, blankets, carpets, … even, having no cable, we can use it to clean the car, both upholstery and other elements (doors, dashboard, …).
Portable steam cleaners are most effective for killing pests and insects, hidden in small gaps and corners of our house. We also did a test to find out the Best Handheld steamers for killing bed bugs. You can check it out!
Tips for Removing Hard stains with a steam cleaner
Rather than using a steam cleaner alone, cleaning with a special detergent improves the cleaning power. The method is to apply a detergent to the soiled area and clean it with steam from the steam cleaner. For maintaining efficiency, be sure to do the proper maintenance of your machine.
Alternatively, it is possible to float the areas where dirt is particularly noticeable. In that case, try using a toothbrush or toothpick. Decide where you want to use the steam cleaner, and choose the type that suits your purchase. For cleaning very messy stains, we suggest using a Heavy Duty Professional Steam Cleaner.
Choose from a wide variety of devices, from handy-type to near-business use. It is also a point to make good use of the attachments that come with it.
The kitchen is where steam cleaners are most likely to work. Above all, it is the place where oil stains are most noticeable, and it is possible to use water, and the oil can be melted and cleaned by spraying high-temperature steam.