Which is Better: Floor Steamers or Mops?
Of the several types of steam cleaners for home that are on the market, one of the most popular are the floor steam cleaners, also known as steam mops. These devices are concentrated on cleaning one thing and one thing only – hard floor surfaces. While many steam cleaners come with mulitple attachments for all sorts of hard surfaces, these only come with attachments to clean different types of floors. If you get one of these with the expectation that you will be able to use it for something other than floors, you will be disappointed.
It is because they are so dedicated to cleaning only floors that many people get these types of units over the others. These units are much lighter and very easy to use and move around with. Still another great feature is the price. They do not cost as much as the multi-function units since they don\’t have to worry about trying to clean everything.
Steam mops are great at cleaning most types of hard surfaces, and are even great at cleaning carpeting. Some of the other types of surfaces these steamers clean include, but are not limited to, cement, marble, linoleum, tile, hardwood, and laminates. Because the steam mops use vapor with low moisture content, water is not left standing on the floor. Whie it is not the constant rinsing and wringing of traditional mops, the steam mops pads must be monitored when cleaning large areas. They will eventually get saturated and should be changed when needed for the best cleaning.
It should be noted that you should never use a steam cleaner on waxed floors or unsealed wood floors. With unsealed wood floors, high heat and moisture can cause much havoc. And the high heat on waxed floors, well, you can just guess what kind of mess that would cause.
One place where floor steam cleaners fall short is in cleaning the grout between tiles. While they will sanitize the grout, the way the pads and mop head are, it just can\’t get a deep enough connection with the grout to really get the dirt off. What many people do is steam the grout and then wipe it with a rag, where you can get good contact with the grout.
While it can clean carpet, it is not the way most people think about it. The first thing to realize is that there is not a vacuum feature on floor steam cleaners. While carpet cleaners and carpet steam cleaners are referring to the same thing essentially, this is totally different from steam cleaners for floors. Carpet steam cleaners for the home, actually, do not use any steam. They are considered a hot-water-extraction method of cleaning. With carpet steam cleaners, the hot water is combined with chemical shampoos and are worked into the carpet with moving brushes on the device. Then everything is vacuumed back up. The problem with this is there is actually a chemical film that is left on the carpet, which really just attracts more dirt.
On the other hand, floor steam cleaners apply a very low moisture steam vapor and sanitizes the carpet. It is great for killing molds, bacteria, and invisible pests like dust mites. Stains, odors, and allergens are all easily removed with the dry steam. Although not necessary every time, if you vacuum before and after steam cleaning you will get the cleanest, freshest smelling carpets.
For a really deep down clean, floor steamers are the way to go. With very little water left on the flooring, and the surface actually being sanitized, these floor cleaners are simply the best. For more tips to find the best home steam cleaner, visit home steam cleaners.
For a really deep down clean, steam floor cleaners are the way to go. With very little water left on the flooring, and the surface actually being sanitized, these floor cleaners are simply the best. For more tips to find the best home steam cleaner, visit http://besthomesteamcleaners.net
Author Bio: For a really deep down clean, floor steamers are the way to go. With very little water left on the flooring, and the surface actually being sanitized, these floor cleaners are simply the best. For more tips to find the best home steam cleaner, visit home steam cleaners.
Category: Advice
Keywords: floor steamers, home steam cleaners