steam cleaners such as H20, shark etc

It's taken me a while but I now realise that the floor ones just push the dirt around the floor unless you change the pad whilst you are cleaning. I suppose you could take them off and rinse them out. So now i use several pads to clean the floor.

Thanks for this insight, iloveshopping. I still haven't decided which model /brand to buy. I will bear in mind what you have said and consider just how they work.

I always sweep the floor before I use mine (shark)

Ellaaa said:

I always sweep the floor before I use mine (shark)

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I sweep the floor too before I use the steam cleaner. The white tiles in the kitchen look clean after I have steam cleaned but really all it does is even the dirt out all over the floor. I conclude this because with an ordinary mop you would be rinsing it out so you would remove dirt from the floor into rinse water whilst with the steam mop the pad does not get rinsed out so you were just pushing the dirt around the floor. I suppose the germs are gone because of the temperature but not the actual brown dirt.

iloveshopping said:

So now i use several pads to clean the floor.

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Me too. The kitchen is long and thin, and I reckon 3 pads will do the whole area. One of the pads just does the cat/dog feeding frenzy/drool zone.

Mind you, I still think steam cleaners are better than anything else. I used to think my floor was fairly clean, but the first time I used a steam cleaner... well...
:mysmilie_466:

Never going back to chemicals and mops. Ever.

Just wish the water wasn't so hard around here!

I love my steam cleaners. I couldn't find one that did everything I wanted, so I have the very original H2O, still going strong after many years, which I use for a quick floor clean. I have a £20 hand held bought from Woolies which is great for the sink/worktop areas. And I have a big Vax which looks like a cylinder vacuum cleaner and has masses of attachments, and that's fantastic for a thorough spring-clean-type of cleaning session. Great, chemical-free, easy cleaning.

Crinkly said:

Me too. The kitchen is long and thin, and I reckon 3 pads will do the whole area. One of the pads just does the cat/dog feeding frenzy/drool zone.

Mind you, I still think steam cleaners are better than anything else. I used to think my floor was fairly clean, but the first time I used a steam cleaner... well...
:mysmilie_466:

Never going back to chemicals and mops. Ever.

Just wish the water wasn't so hard around here!

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I used my Shark cleaner today and noticed one of the heads wasn't letting any steam through, when I had a look found that the hole was all bunged up with what seems like limescale and won't budge at all.

Nora said:

I used my Shark cleaner today and noticed one of the heads wasn't letting any steam through, when I had a look found that the hole was all bunged up with what seems like limescale and won't budge at all.

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Try using cillit bang grime and lime on the hole, it works a treat on the limescale on my shower-head, I have to prop it up, saturate it and leave it - and when I go back to it the job is done (I do give it a good old scrub with a washing up sponge too) - but worth a try on your steamer.

Do they create a lot of condensation? Holding back from getting one for this concern. Thanks.

Loveinamist said:

Do they create a lot of condensation? Holding back from getting one for this concern. Thanks.

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My beldray floor one doesn't. I like it because the floor is dry in2 mins. I have very old 'Earle' one too that does generate more condensation but it removes wallpaper, steams carpets and is much more powerful so it does generate more condensation.

My 5-in-1 Shark from Tesco doesn't, either. Very pleased with it overall - no grumbles. And I use the hand-held part for defrosting the freezer - works a treat and saves having bowls of steaming water inside.

I never thought about defrosting! Bonus!

Those who live in a hard water area - I buy tesco value mineral water (it's about 15p for a litre) specifically for my steam cleaner and it stops the problem of hard water clogging up your cleaner

(I know paying for bottled water is silly, but seems worth it to prolong the life of my steam cleaner as I live in a very hard water area! A litre bottle lasts a while)

I got a steam cleaner for the floor on ebay and it works a treat best thing i have had for cleaning the floors and freshen rugs add a spot of zaflora and the house smells great.

thatu said:

My 5-in-1 Shark from Tesco doesn't, either. Very pleased with it overall - no grumbles. And I use the hand-held part for defrosting the freezer - works a treat and saves having bowls of steaming water inside.

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I use a handheld for defrosting the freezer too.... I am now onto my 3rd floor steam mop, and am quite annoyed that the H2o x 5 only lasted just outside it's warranty before dying on me. Thane direct said have to buy new one, but have chose a different model plus bought it from Amazon which was delivered in 2 days after ordering. I now have the Morphy Richards 9-1 which is much sturdier than the H20 and more importantly, has a 2 year guarantee and is cheaper than the H2o

I have a beldray floor steamer. I think it was recommended by Frazzled. I think I paid around £30 for it including postage.