Steam Cleaning is the Awesome

[Ruby the Liberal]

Been on third shift time for a few weeks now, and being too lazy to change the channel, saw an infomercial on a steam cleaner that does floors, appliances, windows, clothing wrinkles, and even has nozzles for grills (wire) and sink fixtures (soft), etc etc. Normally I avoid those shows like the plague, or my mind goes all sarcasmo and smirks at them, but I thought I would give this a shot given the number of attachments and uses.

O. M. G.

Finally got it and tried it and I am floored at how well this works. I even cleaned one window inside and out with blue cleaner before trying that attachment just to see, and the difference is amazing. The amount of dirt on the steamer cloth was stunning. It did a better job on my tile floors than the cleaner the floor place sold me.

I don't know why I never tried this method before, and it can be a bit messy/drippy, so good to have towels on hand for when you stop moving and it sits for a minute, but I am SOLD.

There will always be things that need cleaning solutions, but for basic household cleaning - this steamer method is the shizzle.



Anyone else a fan?

[Denninmi]

1. Yup. Bought a steam mop a couple of Xmases ago.

Liked it so well on the floor, I started using it on the walls. Did such a great job on the walls, I started looking online for a more versatile unit for general cleaning. By New Years Eve, I had a Shark Europro model.

Love it. You will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. Walls? Oh just great.

Now I have something new to obsess about when I am standing with that puppy in my hands just looking for something to clean.

[Little Star]

2. I've had a Shark steam cleaner for..

years and love them. I recently upgraded to the Shark® Lift-Away™ Professional Steam Pocket® Mop and love it.

Yea!! for steam cleaning!

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. Who knew?

I never looked into them before as they all seemed to have a single purpose (this one for floors, that one for carpet, the other one for wrinkled clothes...) and expensive to boot. I don't recall the manufacturer as I tossed the box already, but this thing was only $99.

I'm like the proverbial kid at Christmas right now. That, or I feel like I have been on another planet this whole time. LOL

[Little Star]

5. I'm saying who knew in the C&B forum over..

chocolate angel food cake. LOL

Sharks have improved a lot since their $99 debute. I had one of them back then and loved it except I wished for one that could do the shower stall too. Never satisfied, that's me! LOL

[LiamRich]

19. Spam deleted by cyberswede (MIR Team)

[beac]

6. I haven't taken the plunge yet, but it's on my "actively considering" list.

We have really hard water and very old fixtures in the bathroom and the porcelain is a disaster. It's hard to get everything clean and everything gets dirty looking in what feels like seconds and I refuse to clean the bathroom every day-- life is too short.

Do you think the steamer would work for this kind of challenge?

Also, what brand/model/etc. do you have?

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. I don't know if it would or not.

My water is so hard here, I could pan for minerals right out of the tap, so definitely feeling you on that one. I did try a pass at the tiles in the shower when I did the floors the other day, but didn't seem to make a big dent. I need to try again with the right attachment. Hard water may be one of those things that you always need a CLR solution for, or it may be that once under control, they are easier to keep clean. Not sure.

What I do like is how QUICK it cleans, and without residue or wet cloth/paper towels to deal with, so less cumbersome for more frequent cleaning (and its more like playing with a toy than cleaning, so there is that )

I not sure if this is the brand or the model, but it says X5 on it and is a lime green color. The floor attachment is a triangle shape. Definitely not Shark or Eureka - I would have remembered that. I should try to find where I put the manual.

[gkhouston]

13. Our tiled shower can turn into a Superfund site in no time flat.

If you have success with your tiles, I'll have to speak to my husband about getting a Shark.

[Ruby the Liberal]

14. Heres some ideas on that:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1158419

[gkhouston]

15. Thanks. I'm willing to try anything

except coffee grounds.

[NMDemDist2]

8. we just got the cheapo Shark to try out at my housekeeper's request

i have messy dogs and that dratted plastic laminate flooring (Dog, was that a mistake!)

I actually tried it out this morning and it worked pretty well. I have a hand held unit, but never really used it for cleaning. i might need to dig it out and try it on the baked on stuff on the stove top.....

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. I haven't tried it on the laminate

It did say not to hover too long at seams or if there is a tear. Not sure how that is going to fly with laminate tiles - I guess just move with a little more quickness/frequency than slower and less passes?

[NMDemDist2]

10. mine is the 'floating' laminate fake wood

linoleum they are probably worried about melting the glue...

[Paper Roses]

11. Reply to bookmark later( I Hope)

Just thought of something. Think this steaming method would work on my varnished kitchen cabinets?
I am going to buy a new Vac and one model of Shark gives you a free steam cleaner with the order.

http://www.sharkclean.com/products/shark-navigator-lift-away-nv350/cpc/ogiiicweb/ogiiicwebcpc.shtml?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=NV350Offer3C199NoBareFloor10yrWar&utm_term=shark%20vacuum%20navigator

Does this illustration show the type of steam cleaner you mean?

[Ruby the Liberal]

12. That steamer's bent handle is really cool.

Two comments. One, that will be a bit awkward to use for cabinets, but theoretically, it could be done. It would be like trying to clean them with a lightweight upright vacuum though, and you can't use them upside down or they will stop producing steam (and could leak back toward you).

Second is the description on the mop's feature page: Shark® Light & Easy Steam Mop makes cleaning and sanitizing your hard floors easier than ever. (Emphasis mine).

It wasn't until I read the manual for my steamer that I saw they do not recommend it for real wood (with a gazillion disclamers about how long you hold the unit on the wood, what temperature to use, wipe moisture immediately...)

Given that, I read the "hard floors" to mean tile, wood laminate, linoleum, pergo, etc... as opposed to "hard WOOD floors", so would be careful about the cabinets. Guessing that the challenge to steaming wood is the heat + moisture could cause them to warp?

That said, that looks like an awesome deal on the vac + mop, and the nice thing about a steamer like this is that you can use it to get stains out of your carpets, so acts as a spot remover as well!

[Irishonly]

16. I have a small hand held steamer

I love it. I am diabetic, cancer survivor and try to limit the use of chemicals in the house.

[emilyg]

20. Same here. Diabetic and two

time cancer survivor. Hate chemicals.

[Irishonly]

21. Me too

One time survivor here. I try not to have chemicals around.

[emilyg]

23. I finally got mine - small -

works like a dream. Bathrooms are sparkling clean. Can hardly wait to try all over the house.

[Whisp]

17. I think I want one of these

I think I NEED one of these.

walls?

oooooo. I have walls pleading for steaming.
Going googling now.

[Whisp]

18. thanks, Ruby. I got a Shark Steamer yesterday

and I love it.

I don't usually get attached to appliances but this one is special. Still have to try it on the carpet and see what it does. It's super on linoleum - we have a smallish area of lin - paid high coin for it tho years ago and must say it has held up amazingly. Its the kind of texture that doesn't really show dirt (which I think they came up with in their secret labs) so I thought the floor was sort of clean but Ms. Shark said no no no. ha!

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Yup

And since parrots walk all over...no chemicals for them to walk on.

[otohara]

24. Steam Mop is Da Best

love it - melts away the dirt!

[mopinko]

25. nothing like steam for bird shit.

i have a lory. her poop should be studied by nasa for re-entry tile glue. soak with a little vinegar spray and hit it with the steamer, and blooooooey.

[Grateful for Hope]

26. Kicking this as I just read this group for the first time

I just bought a small steam cleaner with attachments, and really like it, although I don't like that it needs refilling frequently. I bought a small one because I needed something light.

I do love my floor steam cleaner, though.

I think steam cleaning is the only way to clean!

[grasswire]

27. does a steamer work on painted walls?

My elderly aunt has been a smoker for many years. Her apartment reeks of old smoke. I have been thinking of offering to deep clean for her. I realize it won't make a lot of difference and that it's impossible to get rid of smoke odor. But maybe it would slightly freshen up the place?

[Ruby the Liberal]

28. I have no idea, but have heard it works.

Haven't tried it on drywall - yet.

If it is possible, maybe zinzer (sp?) them and then a coat of paint?