There is no doubt that the popularity of steam mops are increasing these days. Compared to traditional cleaning solutions, they offer easy and convenient cleaning for your home. But do they perform and work as advertised? Can the innovative cleaning tool replace your classic mop and bucket combo?
The right steam mop takes the daunting task out of rejuvenating the surfaces and floors of your home. In this article, we’ll dig a little bit deeper to learn all the essential facts about these cleaning machines before you make your purchase. You can get more on cleanup.expert if you’re looking for the best floor mop for your home.
How Does It Work?
All steam cleaners work the same way. Every unit has a water boiler inside which creates the steam and then pumped out in the attached cleaning head. The steam released is high in temperature and can kill harmful bacteria, as well as get rid of dust mites that can cause allergies and asthma.
You don’t need to use toxic chemicals to clean your grimy floors and wipe away germs and dirt with this home appliance. The cleaning cloth pad that comes with it can do the job pretty well, thus making it better not just for your home but the environment also.
How Do I Decide Which Is Best For Me?
There is a wide array of brands, models, and styles available in the market, which makes challenging to know where you need to begin. Asking yourself the following questions will help you determine the type or model suitable to your home and needs:
- How much are you willing to spend? Keep in mind that a higher price tag does not always mean it’s the best, so stay within your budget.
- What type of surface or flooring will you use it regularly? Laminate, tiles, or wood? There are models that work better on hard floorings than others like the Shark Genius.
There are also several things you need to consider before making the decision. And we’ll walk you through each of the factors you should prioritize to help with your choice.
Things To Remember Before Buying
Are you still having second thoughts if a steam cleaner is the best appliance for your bathroom or kitchen? They may not be ideal for all types of floors, but it may just be the solution you’re looking for if you’re always wiping away spills or muddy and dirty paw prints on your ceramic floors.
Here’s a list of what you need to consider when shopping for one:
- Floor safety. You can use this gadget on different types of hard floors such as sealed wood, tile, and laminate. However, it may leave some moisture residue if your wood flooring has crevices which may get damaged when water seeps in. There are some old waxes and wood finishes that may haze over. Make sure to check with your flooring manufacturer if it’s still under warranty to ensure it will not be void by using the unit.
- Every unit available in the market comes with a removable cleaning pad at its bottom part which can only hold so much dirt and grime before excess debris is pushed by it. These pads are washable, but it is not advisable to mix a dirty pad with your children’s school clothes or bed lines, and running a whole cycle just for it seems wasteful.
- Killing germs. Steam cleaning can prevent disease, and steam mops are known to sanitize floors and surfaces, making it a great choice if a family member is prone to allergies and asthma. In fact, most of these machines can produce steam above 175°F, a temperature hotter than what you can obtain from using plain tap water.
Features You Need To Lookout For
- Steam control. Most models have this feature, which allows you to control the amount of steam the unit can deliver.
- Water tank or reservoir. Look for a unit that has a water reservoir that you can refill without the need to turn it off first and wait for it tool down.
- Cleaning pads. These accessories are typically microfibre which can trap sifted dirt and carry it away. There are models that have at least two pads, and sometimes of various types. This can come very handy if one needs washing and you need to sanitize your home right away or for swapping when you’re doing a lengthy cleaning task.
- Carpet glider. This attachment is useful for using the machine on carpets. It can get rid of light soiling on your carpet and refresh it at the same time.
- Telescopic wand. Adjusting the want to fit your height will eliminate the need to bend your back a lot when reaching under furniture and appliances.
- Pad rest. You may want to consider getting one of these to sit your mop in one place for a bit when you need to have a quick break without damaging your floor.
- Power cord. Look for a model that has a power cord long enough for you to have a good reach from the power source. Make sure to know and check your power sources before shopping for a unit.
- Steam-ready indicator. This helpful feature will tell you when your machine’s steam generator is all heated up and ready for use.
