Steam cleaners - are they worth the cash, and if so which brand should I buy?

[slackrunner]

Tragic question I know...

I saw one on a shopping channel this morning and was transfixed...cue much eye rolling from dh.

I want one, to clean my manky floor tiles...so - are they worth it?

PIL bought us one for when we moved in together. It's still in it's box along with the ice cream maker, sandwich maker and slow cooker!

Just to say I bought the KC1102 and it's brilliant (it arrived yesterday). The grout on my kitchen tiles has come up 20 x lighter and looks like new. HTH.

Can you get attachments for the steam mop?

I want one predominantly for the kitchen floor tiles but, now someone's mentioned it, I'd like to clean my buggies too.

How big are they? Do they last longer than the 1 year warranty?

I'm confused about steam cleaners, where does the dirt go?

no idea!

bump

For rugs - just soak it in the bath overnight, for as long as possible, rinse well and hang outside to drip dry. Concertina it in, if you know what I mean.

I used to do this all the time and my rug smelled lovely (fabric softener in last rinse for good measure!)

You can do this with both synthetic and wool rugs. It's a bit of a hassle, but well worth it as the dirt is properly washed out (and it does come out) and it brings a great result.

Saves buying steam cleaner if it's only for this purpose. Having said that I'd LOVE a steam cleaner - no chemicals, it would really pay for itself (Flash spray addict here, and trying to reform oops!)

thanks for the handwashing rug tips

another bump

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My steam cleaner has little special fabric sockettes that attach onto the brushes etc and the steam losens and lifts the dirt out at high pressure, which is then trapped in the cloth attachment. Or you can just wipe it up with a cloth afterwards.

bumping this old thread as want to buy a steam cleaner - Karcher or Polti? Expensive ones worth the extra?

Experiences please!

The Polti Eco Pro 3000 ones are calling too me but are pricey...

bump - come on you ocd cleaners! tell me which steam cleaner to get!

Befuzzled

I've had my Karcher (from argos) for about a week so haven't had much time to test it out but the following:

Works a treat on my laminated floors.

I have a small bathroom and I've managed to get the water marks off the window and some of the awful hard water deposits on the shower door. But that is so old it will never come up new but the steamer will help us keep the darned thing for another year or two. Ditto the mould and grime on the blind in the bathroom (our window is next to the shower so it takes a bashing).

All tiles - fantastic.

Kitchen - we have lots of nooks and crannies and they've come up a treat.

PVC window - blasted off the mould spores a the bottom of the window frames. Cleans pvc very well (i give it blast and then wipe off with a cloth).

Rugs -well I'm not sure how you use it - I'm unsure whether I should use a spot cleaner for stains and go over with the floor attachment with a cloth next to it .. who knows.

I'm very pleased with my purchase - it wasn't to expensive and seems to do what it says on the packet (although you do still need elbow grease) and it's small and very easy to store.

But if anyone has tips on how to use them - I'd love you to share them with me.

Just marking my place to peruse thoroughly later

thanks give it a go! Which model Karcher is it? Sounds exactly the kind of thing I need. Am moving to a new house which is all laminate floors for now and want to give the bathrooms and kitchen a good clean/sterilisation before we move in and then just keep on top of things (can't get the image of the large man that lived there bending over to get something with his builder bum hanging out when we viewed). Don't really want to spend a fortune if I don't have to.

I must say I was really unsure how you use them and it seemed that it would just dissolve the dirt, mould etc and then just make it all run everywhere which didn't sound great - but then I watched this strange, and slightly disturbing in a Stepford wife way video on you tube and it does show how you can use the steamer and cloth to catch the dirt when doing rugs etc.

Yup it is funny! Certainly don't know why she was sterilising the air. But hey ho - that model looks fab and the karcher (can't remember it's the basic one and they sell it in argos right now for £100) one doesn't have the window scraping bit but has everything else and what I'd say is that the rubbish thin towelling they use will last erm once so you just cut up your old towels and cloths and use them instead.

I'm happy with mine.

Also I now know that in theory I can put a cloth and sort of steam the rug. I'll give that ago tomorrow!