To Really Want A Steam Cleaner <boring>

[JollyFrog]

I've just watched an Ad for the H2o X5 steam cleaner and it looks fab!
Has anyone got one? At £79 it's not cheap but it does everything!
I'm easily swayed
Then I got to thinking maybe there is another brand that's better? And do I really need a steam cleaner in my life??!!

Any experiences lovely MNetters?

I've had two steam cleaners - threw them both away.

I got one to do my kitchen floor with, but since the steam rises, as it does, it's very useful for unintentionally cleaning the bottom of the kitchen cupboards. As a floor cleaner? Not so much.

I have a vax (S7 i think) one with about a million attachments I bought on sale at Argos for about £40 which I really like.

It's good at getting tomato sauce and yoghurt off the floor and walls and the fiddly bits of the high chair. Also did a fab job of cleaning the microwave / oven with a spray of wd40 all the grease just steamed away in exciting patterns.

Hand held bit is a bit on the heavy / awkward side but it's ok.

All mine does is move the dirt around. I end up using a vileda mop to clean up after it. And I hate the hot steamy smell as well. Prefer the aroma of cif.

I have a vax steam cleaner and I really wouldn't be without it now.
I bought a box of extra pads and use one a day.
Love it.

My Shark one came free with my Shark vacuum about a month ago (think the separate price was £35).
I vacuum first while the steamer is warming up (the Shark vacuum does hard floors as default, you have to press a switch to get the brushes working for carpet) then I steam all the hard floors. It works very well and I am pleased with the results, but think I am detecting a slight decrease in steam power probably due to using tap water...

But you use them on the floor?? I though steam cleaners were for windows...
No, I don't have one, but I do have lots of windows I never very seldom clean.

Unsure about our floors though as they're Karndean and don't want them to come unstuck! Has anyone used on this type flooring please?

I've got a steam cleaner and Karndean on some floors - as far as I am aware these shouldn't be steam cleaned, as you said, in case they unstick.

My steamer came from lakeland many years ago (about £200 )and is just beginning to show signs of wear. I will probably replace it but don't expect to have to pay as much again. Mine is good on loosening all sorts of dirt but then most things need wiping over to pick up the dirt, apart from my kitchen floor which I steam regularly so I can just leave it to dry.

The H2O one is terrible in my opinion. I bought one having been swayed by the infomercial and didn't google it beforehand. I wish I had done. The reviews were terrible and the product was terrible also. Things like cleaning grout, the amount of time I had to stand there on each tiny part, might as well have used a toothbrush and bleach. I am sure it is OK on floors but I found it useless for everything else. I gave it away after a couple of weeks.

Mine is the H2o one and it's great. It heats up in seconds and because of the temperature of the steam, you don't need to use bleach or detergent to clean so especially good for allergy sufferers. (I have an asthmatic cat).

You can use the hand held bit without the long handle so it great for cleaning the cooker. I bought it when we were renting last year as the kitchen and cooker were a bit manky. In the new place, I've got wood or tiled floors everywhere apart from the bedrooms so after a quick vacuum, you can just go over with the mop part to keep it super clean. (Don't do this all the time apart from the kitchen and utility rooms as they get quite muddy.)

As I mentioned earlier, I add a small squirt of lemon juice to every tank of water to help keep it descaled and it leaves a fresh smell.

I used to have one of those cheapy tank steamers but it's not a patch on this one for ease of use.