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

561 replies

KathrynMumsnet · 23/12/2014 10:21

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

OP posts:
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Flowerpower222 · 28/12/2014 16:51

I'd like to give the kitchen a good clean - pull out the appliances and clean behind them.

Wolfcub · 28/12/2014 17:20

Non-tester. I'd like to use a steamer to clean the floor to ceiling tiles in the bathroom. It's exhausting doing it with a cloth up a ladder and it never comes up as shiny as I would like. They are white tiles so it's really obvious if they aren't sparkling clean

vixxx666 · 28/12/2014 18:45

Non-Tester: I'd love to use it to clean my sons Lego! He was given a huge amount by a family member but it's a bit grubby!

educatingarti · 28/12/2014 19:19

I'd love to steam my bathroom floor, plus round taps and those bits on the shower screen seal that always grow pink mould, even if you wipe them regularly which I don't !

cheryl100 · 28/12/2014 20:10

My kitchen floor, as soon as I have cleaned it....it looks dirty again arghhhh!

thewomaninwhite · 28/12/2014 20:52

Does anyone know when the next set of questions are being posted or testers? I didn't get an alert to this thread via email and don't want to miss them.

DH is having a go with this tomorrow too so I will see what he thinks. I have posted some feedback already but remain impressed. Still have not got to the oven but it is on my list for this week. Needed to clear toys first to make room for pressies.

sammylea80 · 28/12/2014 21:00

Non tester

I could definitely use the steam cleaner in the kitchen, between 2 cats and lots of feet I am always cleaning up !!

icklekid · 28/12/2014 22:12

Non tester- my kitchen floor as baby just started weaning and crawling simultaneously so in need of steam!

Also struggling to find a link to purchase one - can anyone help? There is an ad on this page on mobile site but takes to home page and can't see the steam stick listed... Thanks!

ChristmasEva50 · 28/12/2014 22:22

Non tester. My kitchen and utility room could desperately do with a steam clean. The dog brings in muck every time he is out in this weather.

TheSpottedZebra · 28/12/2014 22:27

Non tester. I'd most like to tackle the bathrooms - the crevices in the shower, and the pipes behind the loo.

Patilla · 28/12/2014 23:13

Non tester here:

Where do I begin? Well I think the showers and all the corners that collect black gunk that's a nightmare to clean.

Then the oven, so it can't grow legs and walk out of the kitchen.

After that well there are kitchen floors and windows calling for my attention, to name but a few!

SASASI · 29/12/2014 00:16

Non tester

I would love to try this out. The first thing I would do is steam clean the bathrooms, especially the semi circle shower tray & door frames - it's so difficult to clean.

Next I would attack every every tap in the house. And every bit of tile grout - the entire downstairs is tiled with white grout - looked good in the display!

I would then move into the kitchen - Inparticular the oven - it was probably cleaned about 2 years ago! Then all the cupboard door frames & handles. Next the bin - I can just imagine what gunk would be removed from it!

I'm off on maternity leave with a wonderful baby who sleeps all night but not through the day so anything that can ease the housework would be a very welcome addition to our house!

pussinwellyboots · 29/12/2014 09:05

Non tester here; I'd love to use it all over the house especially in the kitchen getting into the corners and grime off the cooker. I'd also love to use it to really clean toys ( we've inherited lots of lego etc which comes with a lots of sticky grime included) - and also to give the bathroom a good clean -taps especially.

3boystaxi · 29/12/2014 09:19

Non Tester

I would love this for my oven and the entire downstairs which has a lovely tiled floor, with hateful depressed pattern which can only be cleaned on hannds and knees Cinderella style. It never looks clean despite taking hours to scrub... maybe Karcher can save me hours, if not days of my life.... failing that I am considering dropping something very very heavy on it so it has to be replaced!! Figuring new floor is cheaper than new knees....

teddygirlonce · 29/12/2014 10:37

Tester: update!

Done some sprucing up of shower grouting using the correct brush end. It does make a marked difference! Also 'blitzed' the bathroom window which has a tendency to get black mould around the window frame during winter months because of poor air flow issues.

Am I just a 'wuss' or does anyone else find it quite hard applying pressure on the 'on' button for prolonged periods of time? I find I keep wanting to swap hands for a rest but then everything starts getting tangled up!

But I've hurt my back so not able to kneel to test its abilities in nooks and cranies currently!

TealCarpet · 29/12/2014 10:57

Non-tester. I'd use it on the shower enclosure. We've recently moved to a really hard water area for the first time and I hate it! We've had a lovely new shower installed, it gleams until it is used for the first time and then looks like it hasn't been cleaned for weeks. Grrrr Angry

jingscrivvens · 29/12/2014 11:02

Non tester here

I would really love to use the Karcher on my bathroom, I feel I clean and clean it and it never seems clean (maybe I'm just no good at the whole cleaning thing!). Would also love to use it in the kitchen for the floor, cupboard doors, extractor fan cover and top of the cupboards.

Can it be used on carpets? My hall carpet is an absolute disgrace, we kept the the cream carpets from the last owner since they were new and had DS on the way - feels a bit like a false economy!

I use the window vac and it's helped so much this winter removing the condensation, I use it daily and I feel like I'm doing something positive for the house!

I would love a steam stick Smile

26Point2Miles · 29/12/2014 12:37

where have you used the steam stick?

On flooring, tips, tiles and a bit on the carpets and rugs

What cleaning chore have you been most pleased with the results from using the steam stick?

Definitely my black kitchen flooring! It's a massive kitchen/diner space and it just cleaned it beautifully leaving a streak free mat finish. Lovely! Like when it was first laid. V v pleased with this

what were your impressions from first few uses?

Like a previous poster, I was surprised there was no water measure included. And I also have issues with just one cloth....can we purchase more? As well as the stability of the said cloth when using the machine. I also had cramp and the next morning my hand ached! Not great for those with a disibility or older people I guess. Sent my 16 year old son off to steam his bathroom floor and he was most impressed and posted on his facebook about it!! There was then a few conversations between teenagers about the pro's and cons of various steam mops! All the parents were 'liking' the comments, it was all a bit bizarre! The xbox chat was replaced with steam mop chat! Well done karcher UK for getting the country's teens in on the act!

angiesandhu1 · 29/12/2014 12:37

Non Tester: There are so many areas. Firstly the kitchen. all around the cooker and cookerhood, tiles and window edges. Then the bathroom tiles as my sister makes so much mess.

johnworf · 29/12/2014 14:23

NOn-tester

I'm a childminder so I'd do everything with it! High chairs, toys, floors, windows, shelving. This would save me literally hours of work! Smile

queenoftheschoolrun · 29/12/2014 14:29

Non tester. I would love to try this out on my light coloured kitchen floor tiles which always look grimy no matter how often I mop them!

BlueNile57 · 29/12/2014 15:59

I'd like to give my bathroom a deep steam clean, especially the shower door

mamato3luvleys · 29/12/2014 16:15

Non tester - I would use it right through my house but mostly on bathroom and kitchen tiles and floors, also in front passage as I am forever mopping that floor from mucky paws, bike and pushchair wheels!

BuzzardBirdRoast · 29/12/2014 16:52

Tester:

Am late to report, sorry, mucho illness in family.

After a very nervous start with it (as I was frightened I would burn myself or melt something with this very high powered for such a small tool) I found myself really learning how to make this baby work. There is no a lot of instruction for this gadget in the enclosed books but it is very simple to work out what to do, the only challenge being trying to find the right attachments for the jobs you want to do.

So, today I cleaned most post-Christmas oven. The combination of dishwasher cube along with steam stick on oven door made it the easiest it has ever been to clean. Wished it had got the brown staining off the racks but it has at least re-greased them.
Where is came into it's own for me was the cast iron stays on the hob. I have been trying for 2 years to find an effective way of cleaning these and this was brilliant!
It was great on all aspects of my gas hob/electic oven, it made cleaning the oven so much easier.

I also did the floors but think I need more practise as it left them wetter than I thought they would be, extremely clean, just wet.

I did the cupboard fronts and kitchen door, brilliant for removing the black mould around seals of doors and windows.

Now I have spend some time with it I think it is going to be really good, much better than previous steamers I have used. I think practise is definitely going to make perfect.

I love the power of it, the long cord, the add ons, the ease of adding the extras, the speed of warming up, the safety features (child lock and cap that won't remove if there is still pressure inside).

I wish it has a feature to hold down the steam button so that I could put it down to use it and more attachments for smaller areas that the round brush just doesn't get into.

All in all, I think this is a great product and out performs anything I have tried in a similar size before.

mistymorningmemories · 29/12/2014 18:29

Non tester - with 2 under 5's and a dh who has never in my knowledge cleaned anything I would use it everywhere! We moved into our new house 3 days before I gave birth to dd2 - that was just under a year ago and I have never really felt that I've had the time to give the house a good, deep clean. I would love to use it on the bathroom, the kitchen and for getting baby sick of the dcs toys!!