Kärcher SC2.500C review thread. Non-testers: Tell Kärcher about the cleaning tasks you avoid for a chance to win a SC2.500C Steam Cleaner! NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

This thread is for the 15 Mumsnetters who are currently testing out the Kärcher SC2.500C Steam Cleaner.

Kärcher say "The Kärcher SC2.500C Steam Cleaner makes light work of grease, dirt, stains and even limescale, delivering deep cleaning results with no chemicals or scrubbing. It kills 99.9% of bacteria with just the power of steam, and can be used on most surfaces around the home"

Non-Testers: What cleaning tasks do you have trouble with? Maybe you avoid cleaning the oven or dread scrubbing the bathroom? Are there any tasks that you think a steam cleaner could help with? Whatever your cleaning woes, Kärcher would love to hear about them.

Everyone who leaves their response on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win their own Kärcher SC2.500C!

Testers: We'll be asking you to add feedback twice - we'd like your first impressions now and in a week we will add some more questions.

So, for your first impressions, Kärcher would love to know:

• Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?
• What were your impressions from the first few uses?
• Where have you used the Steam Cleaner?
• What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?
• Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Mine still hasn't arrived :-(

I hate cleaning the oven, and try to get away with doing it once a year. But my other half has taken to using hot fat for the roasties and it is in desperate need now. Anything that makes this job easy will be my favourite tool!

Mine still hasn't arrived :-(

Whoops so sad I posted it twice, sorry!

When my dog eats, he splashes his food up the wall and it's like superglue and when I try to clean it off the wal, the paint comes off. Also where my dog sleeps against the wall, he makes greasy brown stains which are really difficult to shift - it seems to ingrain into the paint. We are hoping that a steam cleaner would make a difference.

should have said I avoid cleaning those bits because I get cross and scrub the paint off

Tester:

Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?

The instructions are ok, basic illustrations that I had to check a few times to make sure I was understanding. However, set-up is super easy and all the bits just click into place.

What were your impressions from the first few uses?

Super powerful! I jumped and said "whoa!" the first time I fired it up. It really blasts out the steam.

Where have you used the Steam Cleaner?

Downstairs bathroom, mostly, for purposes of this test.

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?

The tile grout! At first I didn't think it was doing anything because the grout was wet and looked the same colour (dirty!), but as the grout dried I could see it made a huge improvement.

Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?

Not yet, but I plan to! Especially seeing other MNers using it on wrinkled clothes!

Here are two shots of the tile grout before and after. Keep in mind the grout is still drying in the "after"!

Couple of before and after shots of our shower. I still hadn't finished cleaning the grout smears off the tiles after they went in.

These are the floor before and after shots. We have dark grouting, but some of it was a real mess with plaster dust that had been washed away, leaving bits of damp plaster setting in the grooves. I had already spent about an hour with an old borrowed steamer, and a scrubbing brush, on my hands and knees which brought up about half, but I gave up on the stubborn bits. Spent about 15 minutes with the steam cleaner and got the rest up. Then got a bit carried away and blasted all the limescale off the taps, cleaned the toilet, and cleaned out the shower drain.

My cleaner didn't come today so I had a good opportunity to steam again when I got home. Used a regular microfibre cloth clipped to the floor attachment which worked fine.

The lack of retractable cable is annoying me though - nearly tripped myself up on the stairs because I couldn't be bothered to fold it all into the doesn't fit brilliantly anyway bit on the back for storing it.

I got myself all twisted up while playing mopping the kitchen floor, got twisted between the pipe and the cable, fell onto the cleaner dramatically spraying steam as I went down and pulling out the plug with my arse.
The cleaner survived this blatant and unprovoked attack without a scratch and I survived mostly unscathed.
Wish I'd been filming that!

keep watch on your trailing wires ladies!

Now Dh has banned me from anymore cleaning today so it's cup of tea time and maybe a dash of codiene

Ouch! Hope you're okay this morning Cakey

Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?
I found the instructions a little confusing, having to flick back and forth between the pictures and description but the set up was easy and pain free.

What were your impressions from the first few uses?
I was really impressed with how well it cleans and how easily it works. The steam is high pressured and you can tell.

Where have you used the Steam Cleaner?
Throughout the house: kitchen, dining room, utility, hall, front room, landing, bedrooms and bathroom.

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?

Cleaning the grout in the tiled porch, I have found its natural colour and it did it with minimal effort.

Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?
Yes, I've used it everywhere, from cleaning grease from display shelves to cleaning fabric headboards, sofas and dining chairs. The attachments make it easy to clean most items in tbe home.

Ouch! Hope you're okay this morning Cakey

Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?
I found the instructions a little confusing, having to flick back and forth between the pictures and description but the set up was easy and pain free.

What were your impressions from the first few uses?
I was really impressed with how well it cleans and how easily it works. The steam is high pressured and you can tell.

Where have you used the Steam Cleaner?
Throughout the house: kitchen, dining room, utility, hall, front room, landing, bedrooms and bathroom.

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?
Cleaning the grout in the tiled porch, I have found its natural colour and it did it with minimal effort.

Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?
Yes, I've used it everywhere, from cleaning grease from display shelves to cleaning fabric headboards, sofas and dining chairs. The attachments make it easy to clean most items in tbe home.

I'm ok, I fall down remarkably often and as I often suffer from chronic pain I have a large selection of pain medication on standby.
Bit achy this morning but I've got a bathroom to clean!

Those of you that have cleaned the oven/oven door...what attachments did you use?

I've cleaned my ensuite this morning and it's great! Am really chuffed with the results...I've already used it for things I wouldn't have thought of including the fixed shower head. I also left some dried cat sick (!) on the carpet earlier in the week and it was a breeze to clean off. Thank god...I would have been so cross with myself if it had stained just so I could try my new toy on it!

The shower screen is a nightmare to clean as it is apparently self cleaning so you can't use products on it, water only! Usually I have to really go at it with an ecloth. It might be self cleaning for someone whose shower doesn't include a 1yo screaming to get out of her cot and therefore has time to clean it after each shower...but this is not me! So...before and after shots:

I've done my bathroom, it's clean, there wasn't any really dirty bits as it's cleaned almost daily but I was impressed that it cleaned the radiator, it's one of those towel rails ones with loads of bars close together, it's a nightmare to clean but it came up really well and really easily.
All the bathroom is clean I can see its clean and touching surfaces I can feel its clean but for some reason it doesn't feel clean enough.
It's probably just me, I'm used to a strong bleach smell and I like the smell because to me that means "safe" so although I know it's probably more hygienically clean than with the bleach it doesn't feel quite right, I shall persevere and I'm sure it's just getting used to a new way of cleaning.

I get through approximately 3lts of bleach a week so it's a big difference!

Crazy I have cleaned my oven door. I used the small round brush with a metal scourer on the end, like on their website: here

I'm back to report how I got on as a tester.....

Did I find the setup easy?
Yes, I am not an instruction reader, so got everything out and clipped it all together, which was problem free. I then read about how I could tell it was ready to use, ie. light on permanently.

What were your impressions from the first few uses?
First job was the glass in the doors out to the garden. The dogs sit there pawing the glass to come in, so it was pretty mucky.
The steamer made very light work of this. I was expecting more water after reading a previous review. I found if I did the initial blast away from the object, it minimised the water left behind.
I then moved on to the tiles behind the hob. Amazing, they look as good as new, really, they do!

Where have you used the cleaner?
Living room and kitchen so far. I will be tackling the shower doors in the near future though.

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?
Splash back tiles and oven door.

Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?
Not yet no but I plan on using it on the rug the dogs use, which I hadn't thought of earlier and I am going to give my full length curtains a blast.

Overall, very easy to use. No Herculean strength is required, it is all quite a gentle process.
So far very pleased, look forward to using it more.

Thanks Anne I remember reading that earlier now you mention it, I must pay more attention :)

Made no difference to my shower doors at all (disappointed) but with the brush attachment (no impact without it) it brought up my grouting v nicely and got rid of some of the grot in the "tracks" for the doors

What has everyone else done to get these great results on the doors?

What's on the shower doors hermione? If it's limescale type stuff you could try vinegar first? I think mine was easy because of this special glass it's made from which has a barrier on it so nothing 'sticks'.

I'm not entirely sure, crazy. It's a bit streaked. Might be limescale. Will try a product (hate the smell of vinegar)

I hate the oven and the toilet and sink pedastal :-(