Kärcher SC1 Steam Stick - Review thread - non testers - chance to win one of your own! NOW CLOSED

[KathrynMumsnet]

This thread is for the 30 Mumsnetters who are currently testing out the Kärcher SC1 Steam Stick.

Kärcher say "The SC1 Steam Stick is the UK’s first handheld steamer that can also be used to clean floors. The Steam Stick cleans deeper without chemicals killing 99.99% of all bacteria just using tap water, making it an environmentally and family friendly alternative to chemical cleaners. It’s an innovative new way to help you effortlessly clean the most difficult and frequent household hotspots; whether it’s cleaning everyday dirt from floors, limescale from bathroom tiles, spot cleaning stubborn carpet stains or eradicating tough, dried-on oven grease."

Non-Testers: If you’re not an official tester but you’d like another chance to be in with a chance of getting a Steam Stick (RRP: £99.99) for yourself then please share on this thread where in your house could really benefit from a deep steam clean? Is there a task or area you always avoid? Where would you most like to put it to use?

Testers: We'll be asking you to add feedback twice - we'd like your first impressions now and once you've had a bit of time to test out your Steam Stick, we will add some more questions.

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

• Where have you used the Steam Stick?
• What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using the Steam Stick?
• What were your impressions from the first few uses?

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Non-Tester

I would use this in my kitchen and bathroom. Im a childminder and after painting or just a messy meal, im sure this would help me out with the cleaning wonderfully.

Non tester, the kitchen! With a toddler and three cats in and out I'm forever cleaning the floor. Would love the steam cleaner to do the cleaning faster.

I would use it to clean the tiles in the bathroom as it would be much easier than scrubbing to clean the tiles and grout.

Tester -
I have just read a few reviews which mention the issue I had to beging with, there is a button that locks the steamer opinto the 'on' position!

Just hold the button to steam down and press the lock button... Saves on the thumb!

Tester here. I am finally well enough to test the steamer

First impressions: once unpacked it looked very complicated and the instructions didn't look great, but it actually turned out to be quite simple. I was worried about it exploding or burning me but it seems safe.

The bag for accessories is a great idea, pity they didn't make it big enough for all the parts though.

I used it on the kitchen floor and on the kitchen tiles so far. It did a great job of cleaning the floor, I think I need to find the correct attachment for the tiles, I'll have another go tomorrow when I have more time.

I struggled with having to hold down the button, so will a look at locking it to 'on' tomorrow, as mentioned above.

I'll be back with more feedback soon

Non-tester:

I would like to try the steam stick on the "crusted pit of despair" behind my toilet. I have no idea what lurks behind there- trolls and pond-scum I imagine- but it leaves me shuddering everytime I attempt to wipe it away
Help!!

Non-Tester: I'd love the tackle my bathroom! No matter what I do, the grout and whatnot are just manky!!

Ah, thank you for that tip Gaga, it's a pity I didn't see that mentioned in the instructions. Illness not giving me the common sense to work things out properly at the moment.

I think a good scraper tool for the bottom of the oven and for little spaces that need more than a brush would be good.

My blinds for sure!
We have them everywhere and they're so hard to clean. I keep looking at them and feeling depressed as they look awful but i never get chance as i will have to tske them down and scrub them.

Non-tester

I would love to try in the bathroom! it gets so grubby!

non tester my teenage sons bedroom could do with a deep steam clean they always seem to permeate a smell in their bedrooms that thankfully stays in the bedroom funny creatures teenage boys

I would love one for my bathroom as I live in a hard water area and the build up of mould etc is a nightmare, am sure this would help tackle it.

Non tester - I'd use this in the kitchen, dining room, bathroom I can see this would get a lot of use, keeping fingers crossed

Non-tester. I would love to give this a go on my oven. It's a job I detest and I hate using chemicals on it, as it just doesn't seem a healthy thing to do around food! This would be ideal.

non tester: we have a joint living room and dining room. I'm always cleaning after the kids. The steam stick would make life easy killing any bacteria and making the house germ free!

Non-tester
Would love to tackle the grotty lime-scaled bath and shower tiles as it's such a horrible job bending down & scrubbing with stinky chemicals at the moment!

Tester here!!!!

• Where have you used the Steam Stick?

Ok so I've been ill for a few days and the box has been winking at me. Opened it and so far simple to put together. Decided on the kitchen floor. Piece of cake once I got used to it and worked out how to put the cloth on. Floor came up beautifully and it was much better than the cheap mop I never used.

• What were your impressions from the first few uses?

Love this. Simple to use and blasts the dirt away. Did weird jobs like the stoor at the front door and radiators. Whole family had a bug. Totally blasted the bathroom and floor tiles look great. White fronts on kitchen cupboards are clean as a whisper. It's perfect tool for a tiny house as you can see the difference.

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

Oven. Got all the grime around the doors. Look like I have a new oven. I actually love this more than my kindle. Perfect for the lazy mum and love the fact the house feels hygienic. Actually great at blasting trodden in raisins (toddler hell). Also really impressed at cleaning the plethora of happy land toys. I now get 2 microfibre cloths plus the steam stick and tackle a room at a time. It's addictive.

Only niggles. More cloths and a measuring jug would be nice. Plus it doesn't tell you when it's really ready. Little things really.

Good point Strawberry about it not telling you when it's ready to use. The measuring jug I didn't feel was necessary as most houses have measuring jugs and tbh you could just fill it nearly to the top to guess the right amount.
Did you feel that it left your floors a bit wet? Maybe I haven't used it correctly as there are no instructions really.

Non-tester. I'd give it a whirl on the tiles behind the hob which are always grimier than I could have imagines when I get around to scrubbing them.

Non tester - I would love to use this on my bathroom tiles, kitchen hob and my sofa. I can already imagine the difference it would make.

Non-Tester

I would love to use this in my teen daughters room! She has a furry, hairy persian who has had fleas and no matter how many bombs, treatments etc I am adament the blighters are hiding withing the teens room!

Non tester, but I'd like to try it under the dining table - the floor gets really grotty from my toddler dropping food and I always seem to miss bits when I wipe up. It sounds like a great gadget!

Non tester: I would use it to blast of the grime from around the taps on the sink and bath.

It would have to be my oven its a right state!

Non tester.
I'd use it everywhere but I'd mainly use the steamer to clean the kitchen and bathroom tiles and floor.