Mumsnet Talk

am interested.... does anyone use one? can you tell me about what it does and doesn't do, please! thanks

I have one (Shark - they sell them in Lakeland) and I love it. My floors get cleaned a lot more than they used to because it's so easy. I use it on my sealed wood floors, my tiled bathroom floors and the vinyl on the kitchen floor. It heats up really quickly and dries really quickly too. You do have to hoover or at least sweep up first because it doesn't get rid of 'bits' but that is true of normal mops too. I think it's better on vinyl and tiles than on the sealed wood, which still seems to have smudges after I've mopped, although there is a duster attachment which I don't really use which might be better. The way the head rotates to get into corners is really handy and I like that you don't need to use loads of chmicals.

I have this one from Lakeland.

I would strongly recommend you get one if you have a lot of wooden or tiled floors. Wooden floors have to be sealed to use one. Dont use it on bare unsealed wood. I use it to clean our wooden floors and tiled floors which it does very well although I have never used it on a carpet but you can do. I very miuch doubt it will clean a carpet like a proper carpet cleaner though as it has no suction. It works by just squirting steam through an absorbent pad that soaks up the small amount of condensed water with the dirt.

can you use it on wooden laminate floors?

If it's laminate, it's not wood, it just looks like wood. I am not sure if you can use them on laminate.

Yes you can use on laminate and any natural wood that is sealed.

Sorry have just noticed that this is posted in allergies. DS1 has problems with dust and I also suffer in eyes and nose with dust, in a very dusty house. The steam mop definitely seems to help - cleans better than a regular mop or a hoover alone I think.

This is really helpful! thanks for your comments. sorry i haven't been on for a while.

What about painted floors? does that count as sealed?

The only things my steam cleaner is good for are shifting grease (ancient or new) on splashbacks etc, the sort of places which I have never before been able to get properly clean, and cleaning loo bowl and carpet in the downstairs loo - it gets rid of the smell of pee!

Other than that I don't find it much use at all. It's cumbersome, takes about 20mins to heat up, has several design flaws, and is generally no better than wiping with a cloth wrung out in hot water.

I've got a Polti Vaporetto. It seems very basic. Perhaps other models are better.

Thinking about getting a steam mop too - have anyone noticed if it makes a difference to the grout lines of the tiled floors? Mine are getting darker, I know they can be scrubbed back but suspect simple mopping will make them go dirty again. Wonder if the steam which is always clean (unlike the bucket water) will keep them in check?