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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Will this break my steam cleaner?

21 replies

LongWordsBotherMe · 26/09/2013 10:55

Just wondering what would happen if I put a few drops of essential oil in with the water. Does anybody know? Thank you in advance!

OP posts:

Pointeshoes · 26/09/2013 10:58

Haven't done it , but I don't think your supposed to ....don't know how it breaks it though.

CMP69 · 26/09/2013 18:00

I put ironing water in mine (I never knew that existed) you get it in the laundry aisle I have strawberry atm it's luverly

PigletJohn · 26/09/2013 18:13

I suppose the oil would accmulate and eventually leave a gummy deposit in the water tank and element, as it will cook rather than evaporating. I don't know if it would clog the valve.

I suppose if you used body spray or eau de toilette it would all evaporate, being alcohol not oil.

SilverSixpence · 26/09/2013 18:33

Is it for the floor? I put some febreze flash on the floor and then mop over it which makes the kitchen smell nice

Daddypigsgusset · 26/09/2013 19:22

I used to put a bit of fabric conditioner in my steam generator iron and it got clogged up and broke so I wouldn't do it in a steam mop. Ironing water or water from a condenser drier might be good though

SoupDragon · 26/09/2013 19:24

Ironing water or water from a condenser drier might be good though

I have a feeling the instructions for mine expressly say not to use either of those things.

Original poster

LongWordsBotherMe · 26/09/2013 19:36

Thank you everybody for your help. The instructions say to use distilled or de-ionised water, so I thought better of it. I was just hoping to be able to give a gentle but pleasant scent to the place, but have decided not to risk it. Dh would kill me if I broke a new steam mop in the first week!

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 26/09/2013 19:44

water from a condensor drier can be contaminated with fluff particles.

viperslast · 26/09/2013 21:08

My steam thingumy says you can use essential oils in the instructions so I would say if you could it would tell you. I guess it depends on how good the filters are etc?

DipMeInChocolate · 26/09/2013 21:11

I use direct floor cleaners first for a nice smell

WhoNickedMyName · 26/09/2013 21:15

I add a few drops of Zoflora to the water in my steam cleaner. It doesn't seem to have damaged it yet - only had it 6 months though.

e1y1 · 26/09/2013 22:51

You can actually buy scented water for steam mops, they have it on Amazon :)

viperslast · 28/09/2013 02:25

Is the scented water chemical scent? I just wonder because it occurred to me that using it probably negates the whole chemical free cleaning thing? (Not that it bothers me that side of things is a nice bonus not my main aim) it just seemed slightly incongruous

viperslast · 28/09/2013 02:25

GagaJanet · 04/09/2015 21:23

I used essential oils in my last steam cleaner and it stopped working! I bought a new one and won't be doing it again. I have a spray bottle which I fill with water and add a few drops of essential oils, give it a shake and spray it on whatever I'm cleaning. It also makes a fantastic air fresher which you can spray around the house or on your carpets and soft furnishings between cleans. ????

Eyelovemen · 27/10/2015 00:52

NEVER add anything but distilled H2O. If you want a fragrance place a drier sheet or a non oil fragrance on the mop portion.Place the sheet inside the mop pad this will diffuse the fragrance. Or spray a water based fragrance on to the mop head. Start with a small amount at first as to not over power your home with too much fragrance.

gaggiagirl · 27/10/2015 03:26

I use zoflora and tap water in mine. Only had it a month though.

Euripidesralph · 27/10/2015 03:30

I use zoflora in mine as well and it's lovely, even for steaming the carpets no issues so far, like the idea of the ironing water though as well

Ulra · 24/12/2015 16:01

Just put some drops on the steam cleaners cloths and NOT in the water cause yes it will damage the steamer. I put the drops on the mop cloth and it diffuses in the whole space that way so be careful not putting too much cause it can get rather strong. works wonderfully imo.I use the other side of the mop btw and not the side where I put the EO on it.

Belina · 29/08/2018 17:52

Zombie thread but didnt want to make a new one

Can I put ironing water and zaflora will the steam cleaner be okay?

James71 · 18/04/2019 09:09

For anyone still reading this....
I found out that the OIL in essential oils can be emulsified (broke down) by adding rubbing alcohol to it... add the mixture to water and heat up on your stove to evaporate the alcohol.. You will be left with non oily but SCENTED water mixture that I believe should be safe to use in a Steam cleaner... I have done this with water vaporizers to make a room smell nice and it eliminates the oil completely so there is no residue.. I have also done this to make a spray mixture for cleaning.. The alcohol does not get rid of the scent that is in the oil, but it does completely break down the oil so that it is water soluble! Scented water is probably made the same way!

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