Distilled water for steam mop - huh?

[mumblechum1]

Last week on this board (which I rarely venture onto being a bit of a slob), there was lots of raving about a steam mop, so I bought one online and it arrived today.

Haven't unpacked it yet as it says I need soft water or distilled water. We have hard water and I haven't a clue where you'd buy distilled water or how much it costs - I'd need gallons, it's a big house and downstairs all wood or tiles.

Is it worth the hassle or should I send this thing back and carry on with my tactic of never wearing my glasses in the house?

It's very cheap. You buy it in independent hardware stores and I THINK chemists possibly

You do need to use it or the steam mop will fur up. Dont use the steam mop on your wooden floors as it will wreck them. They should sell distilled water in the supermarket, well at least they do here?

Thanks for the replies. When I came to unpack it, it does contain some crystals which make the water soft, and I can buy more for £4.50 a go, so panic over.

homeaway, will it really wreck my wooden floors? It says it's for tiles and wood. Maybe I'll do a little test on a bit under a sofa or something. The floors in the reception rooms are all either oak or herringbone parquet.

It's not wrecked our wooden floors, was it supposed to?

Umm steam and wood in my mind is not a good combination. I wash our wooden stairs with a special wood cleaner but with no heat. If the instructions say it is ok for wood then it must be. My steam cleaner would get too hot to use on mine :(.

You're both right... it depends on the floor. Ye olde bare floorboards can take a lot of water with no trouble, but newer tongue-and-groove floorboards that fit together v tightly (and are usually varnished) will expand and warp quite often.