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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

What flooring is OK for a steam mop? Anyone used one on unglazed tiles?

3 replies

Smidge001 · 18/06/2018 19:23

I just bought a highly rated 'shark' steam mop from amazon. Very excited for it to arrive.

Am sitting in front of the footy with the instruction manual and pieces to put together. Thought I'd better read the manual, and to my dismay it says I can't use steam mops on unglazed tiles. Like the ones in my hallway that I'd specifically bought it for Sad

I've now done lots of googling, to make sure they're right, and certainly, everything I've read seems to suggest the steam will get into the porous tiles and make them go blotchy.
My googling has also suggested that steam mops ruin grout. And shouldn't be used on laminate flooring. Or even lino. And it's pretty dodgy even to use on wood.

What exactly can they be used for?!
(Instructions also say don't use on vertical surfaces, or outside.)

I'm usually a bit gung ho... . Has anyone used them on unglazed/unsealed tiles despite the warnings and can tell me about the disastrous (or otherwise) result?

OP posts:
Amalfimamma · 18/06/2018 19:28

You can't use it on them as they leave water marks and encourage mould. The fact that they are unglazed means the tile is porous and needs to be treated gently.

Smidge001 · 18/06/2018 19:46

Oh, booooo.
But I mop them with a bucket of water - how is the steam mop any different from that?
I thought it was going to be great coz it wouldn't use chemicals. Sad

OP posts:
Amalfimamma · 18/06/2018 19:54

The steam deep cleans and will mark porous surfaces because it infiltrates the tiles surface. i can't use my steam mop in the kitchen because there's stone floors and it has the same problem.

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