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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

370 replies

AngelieMumsnet · 15/04/2014 14:50

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

OP posts:
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18
SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 24/04/2014 17:45

Rhino Sad Hope it all gets cleared up.

CakeyCakeyCakey · 24/04/2014 17:58

I have discovered that I look an utter tit on camera. Off to clean now.

SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 24/04/2014 18:02

Cakey I know I will, too.

mjmooseface · 24/04/2014 19:23

Non-tester:

The gaps in between the fridge and the wall and the floor either side of the oven are places I still haven't cleaned in 18 months of living here! The very thought of it makes me shudder... I do peek at the damage sometimes, write my name in the dust and grime and then pretend I never saw anything...

I put off cleaning the oven for as long as I can get away with. I cleaned it the other day - inner glass plate included - and it felt so good after! I can see through my oven door to see what is cooking now. Small victories, eh?!

CakeyCakeyCakey · 24/04/2014 19:47

I have finished my outhouse, it's all clean and tidy and waiting to be painted.
I officially look dumb on camera and have a weird accent I'd not noticed before, I'm southern but moved to Yorkshire as a child so I still sound quite southern but drop in northern pronounciations quite often.
- Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?
I found it easy enough to set up but was quite confused by the instructions, I had to ask Dh to clarify a few things for me, he's by far the more technically minded one!

- What were your impressions from the first few uses?
I was very impressed with it it was more powerful than I expected and where I had been concerned that the body of the machine and the pipes etc would get very hot I was pleased to find they didn't, I easily changed nozzles seconds after stopping the steam. It cleaned off things I never expected and Dh delighted in telling me lots of other things it does that I'd not seen in the gargantuan instruction manual

- Where have you used the Steam Cleaner? I used it to clean the outhouse/utility room, the tiled floor was filthy and the walls mouldy, I tried it on a window too and tested out a bit of the greasy lid to the deep fat frier all cleaned really well, the paint did strip of the walls but we were planning to paint anyway so that didn't bother me it got rid of the mould which is what we hoped for.

- What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner? All of it really, the one that excited me the most was the windows, a quick wipe over with the steam then buffed up with newspaper (your nan did have a point) and they were sparkling and not a streak in sight, I'll be taking it round all to he windows in the house very soon!

- Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?
So far, no as I was filming I just did what I had intended for the video and a little play with a greasy lid, Ive decided to try it out on my curtains and mattresses very soon.

All in all I'm really impressed, had I paid full price I'd still be impressed but there's a few things I'd have liked to change, namely the cord storage, more cloths and a longer cord.

I will continue to use it daily in my day to day cleaning and look forward to trying it out on lots of different things.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 24/04/2014 20:32

Ok, so I've just cleaned the bathroom sink plughole and around the taps. It's been video-ed and DH is uploading it now :) I'll do a load more cleaning over the weekend.

We already have a Polti Vaporetto Evolution steamer so I'm already familiar with using one. I've compared against the Polti below were appropriate.

Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful?
Intuitive to set up and I naturally released the steam from the steamer at the to depressurise the tank. There didn't seem to be obvious mention of this in the book. I also emptied the tank at the back but I wasn't sure if I needed to do this every time or only when descaling. Other than that, I guessed how to continually refill the tank and it was easy.

What were your impressions from the first few uses?
It's small and light. I like that the tank can be refilled but it is small, so I guess that's a must. I don't think I'd get much cleaning out of one tank. The locking mechanism for the attachments seems okay but the joints wiggle a little, I wonder if they might leak steam over time.

Compared to our Polti, the Karcher seems a little plastic-y. The Polti is a similar price yet has more sturdy feeling, however it is heavier. For example the bristle nozzle only clicks into place on the Karcher but it screws into place (with metal threads) on the Polti. However, the Polti has no water indicator and takes 15mins or so to refill. The big bonus with the Karcher is the continuous cleaning ability.

Where have you used the Steam Cleaner?
As yet only the bathroom sink plughole and around the taps. Over the weekend I will give a floors a go and the detergent drawer in the washing machine. I might try the patio doors but the Karcher didn't come with a squeegee.

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner?
Will update on the question after the weekend when I've had more chance to play with it.

Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned?
No. Our Polti steamer has a window cleaning attachment with squeegee and also an iron. The Karcher being tested didn't come with either of these so I therefore won't use it for anything more than I intended.

Overall, I'm impressed. It's small, light and the continuous cleaning water tanks are a clever addition. I like that the attachments all clip onto the machine too, but there's no where to put the cloths if you've put the power cable in the storage area on top, this would be something to improve on. I would have liked a glossy flyer of all the attachments you can buy. I've used it, I'm excited at the possibilities, give me something to look at all the things I can buy to go with it Grin

CONS: only one cloth of each size included which is pretty poor. I use a clean side of the cloth per floor area cleaned, so with only one cloth I would only want to clean two floors. You can obviously use any other cloth you have lying around the house, but surely including two of each size isn't a big additional cost, especially with a machine costing the best part of £200.

crazybutterflylady · 24/04/2014 22:13

It has arrived! Hurrah! Sadly just as I put it together our neighbour knocked on the door asking for DD1 to play out on her bike. Gah. Then the ILs arrived. Gah!!
So it's sitting in the corner of the room looking at me. Is it rude to steam clean rather than chat to the ILs?! I'm meant to be meeting a friend for a run tomorrow morning but I'm starting to think a steam clean would be better for my health, from your posts!!

CakeyCakeyCakey · 25/04/2014 08:58

Who's up for a full days cleaning?
Admittedly I do that most days but whoop steamy!

HolidayArmadillo · 25/04/2014 09:08

I'm on night shift tonight but this morning will be steam tastic starting with the bathroom.

SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 25/04/2014 09:14

Whole day is dedicated to steam! And filming.

Flossiecrossie · 25/04/2014 10:11

Cleaning the oven has got to be the worst cleaning task ever, so it gets avoided. How does it get so dirty!

JodieLauren · 25/04/2014 10:16

Non-tester. I hate cleaning my oven, always put this off until absolutely necessary because I hate having to be so close to the grime that accumulates there. Would love to know how well the steam cleaner handles this task :) I also have a dislike of cleaning the top of cupboards but being short I use the excuse that I can't see/reach haha

Lillabet · 25/04/2014 10:19

Non tester: I hate doing the oven and hob (grease and grime and I have to use stinky horrible chemicals), not a fan of the top of the kitchen cupboards either! I wonder how well the steam cleaner would do with the gaps between the floorboards in my uncarpeted front room; the floor is sealed but the gaps are manky!
The highchair is the one hate doing, baby led weaning with one that doesn't just go in the shower was perhaps not the wisest (and the highchair has some really fiddly bits on it Confused).

lpbarton · 25/04/2014 10:23

nontester: Has to be the oven! I dread it!! That and the bathroom. With two boys who seem to live in mud and a dog who follows them through anything its a continuous battle between me and the bathtub!! For the sake of my nails please send me one :D

preety18 · 25/04/2014 10:30

Personally I dread cleaning the bathroom with all the mouldy side no matter how many times I scrub it, it just comes back in no time.

stec0111 · 25/04/2014 10:36

I hate scrubbing the bath especially after my son comes back from football and leaves a dirty great tide mark after having a bath.

HolidayArmadillo · 25/04/2014 10:41
  • Did you find setting up the Steam Cleaner easy, were the instructions helpful? The instructions were too big, the illustrations need to be next to the writing, I'm definitely more a visual person though so maybe what works for me doesn't work for others, tbh I read the instructions a few times and gave up and just cracked on myself, referring back to the instructions if I got confused.
  • What were your impressions from the first few uses? Brilliant, it's made really light work of the bathroom - I didn't realise it was so grotty, quite satisfying seeing it all stream down the tiles, was good for the grouting and I no longer have orange patches, although there are still some bits of darker colour where even the power of steam can't reach. Couple of things though, definitely needs a retractable cord, is crazy not to have one and meant I had to spend a couple of minutes untangling the various bits and pieces, also a previous poster mentioned a device for keeping the steam feature pressed down when in use as you do get a bit if hand ache after a while, also it's quite heavy in your hand when reaching up but I expect it is as light as it can be.*
  • Where have you used the Steam Cleaner? Just in the bathroom and the toilet at the moment.
  • What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using a Steam Cleaner? The grouting in the tiles has come up great as has the shower head and the toilet floor (with pre school DS misfiring regularly) looks fabulous now.
  • Did you you use this for more functions than you originally planned? Not really although I found aiming it at the toothpaste and blasting away the manky bits of paste very satisfying although I suspect that's not what it is meant for!

This may be because I haven't read the instructions properly but I wait until the green light stops flashing to start yes? And then as soon as I start steaming the green light starts flashing again, is that supposed to happen? Because the steam definitely gets cooler.

HolidayArmadillo · 25/04/2014 10:42

Oh and I'm glad I'm not a filter as I had to take off my top to do the bathroom comfortably as it was very moist in there! Not what anyone needs to see!!!

HolidayArmadillo · 25/04/2014 10:43

*filmer

MrsBPhD · 25/04/2014 11:21

It's the grouting on the work surfaces in the kitchen that i avoid and find hard to clean, especially near the sink Blush . I also find cleaning the oven extracter fan somewhat of a challenge with all the grease and residue.
I try my best to clean the top of the kitchen cupboards every week but unfortunately the grease mixed withdust gets very tough to move, so it would certainly come in handy for that :) x

mrswildey123 · 25/04/2014 11:34

I'd love to try one of these on the walls in our back garden...they're starting to look like they were built back in the stone ages....(hahaha..ha...)

imustbemadme · 25/04/2014 12:01

The toilet seat, those little spaces you can't get into with the cloth.

CakeyCakeyCakey · 25/04/2014 12:25

I'd not thought of it till Dh suggested it but clothes! Look a his work shirt after just a waft!

I'm in love! My kitchen is like a sauna and ds is wary of the "dragon" but he's not too bad now it's his job to watch out for the light that says it's thirsty.

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
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
hannonle · 25/04/2014 12:27

I hate washing the kitchen and bathroom floors. I have to do it by hand and the hard surface hurts my knees. Plus, who wants their face near a toilet, ewwww!

Tortoise · 25/04/2014 12:59

Has to be the oven. Last cleaned sometime last year before engineer came out to fix it!