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I’ve run out of elbow grease and my knees are creaking. Is a steam cleaner the answer?

(49 Posts)
Feelingmyage55 Thu 05-Nov-20 06:12:50

I just cannot crawl around scrubbing the floors any more. Mops push dirt into the corners. Should I buy a steam cleaner? Will it clean the corners of the floor, the edges in the shower and the cooker/oven. Which one should I buy. Some of them are hundreds of pounds.

Dwmxwg Thu 05-Nov-20 06:16:44

Look forward to some comments on here as I too have been thinking about getting one.

kittylester Thu 05-Nov-20 06:35:22

I had one but gave it away.

Lucca Thu 05-Nov-20 06:39:41

I’m embarrassed to say I see no need to scrub floors. Dyson and then mop thing seems ok to me.

NotAGran55 Thu 05-Nov-20 06:47:54

I had a Polti one several years ago when I worked full time with a younger family. It was brilliant until it broke and proved expensive and difficult to repair and it went to the tip. It was great for loo , taps , limescale and cooker cleaning .

I have more time on my hands now as I no longer work and currently use cleaning as a form of exercise . Bending , stretching, running up and down stairs etc.

I would definitely get another one though when I am less mobile

vegansrock Thu 05-Nov-20 07:04:29

I have a Karcher steam cleaner and it’s brilliant. Don’t need cleaning products and kills bugs, great for tiles and attachments for curtains, rugs etc.

kircubbin2000 Thu 05-Nov-20 07:13:12

Scrubbing floors??

Marydoll Thu 05-Nov-20 07:43:11

I had a floor one for years, which gave up the ghost about a year ago.
I replaced it with a hand held one, which has been invaluable. Due to my RA, cleaning the cooker etc, has become so painful. In fact I ran amok with it the other day! ?

Puzzler61 Thu 05-Nov-20 07:50:53

Lucca and kircubbin I’m with You !
Never scrubbed a floor and don’t intend to. A quick spray with cleaning agent and a mop over.
I’d rather go for a brisk walk outside for exercise.
Oh, and never had light floor tiles in any rooms.

Ashcombe Thu 05-Nov-20 08:00:23

I have a floor steam cleaner, bought in Aldi, and find it easy to use apart from the water reservoir. It’s supposed to be detachable but not for my arthritic fingers! I’ve solved this by filling it in situ and emptying it in the walk in shower. It does a good job and the floors are dry almost instantly.

Grannynannywanny Thu 05-Nov-20 08:10:32

I would love a Bissell Crosswave. It’s not steam, it’s a revolving roller. It vacuums, washes and dries the floor and rugs in one action. 2 water tanks, so the dirty water goes into second tank. There’s even a self cleaning mode for the machine once the tanks are emptied. It looks really impressive. Reviews are great for it. Sadly the £249 price tag means I’ll be sticking with my mop and bucket.

Aldom Thu 05-Nov-20 08:14:05

My first steam cleaner had a curved head. I gave it away because it didn't get into the corners. The current steam cleaner has a larger, oblong head, made by Shark. I like the idea of the latest ones which are a vacuum and steam cleaner in one. They are easier to push, if like me, you have arthritis in your hands and shoulders. I think Vax make them.

Georgesgran Thu 05-Nov-20 08:14:36

I think they are brilliant! I’ve sealed hardwood in the hall and lounge and tiles in the bathrooms, kitchen, utility room and conservatory.
There is a lot of choice and a wide price range. I’ve had 3 mops in about 10 years - started with one just under £100, then £70, but my current one is a basic model and was only £40. They just give up the ghost and aren’t repairable!
On the plus side, they clean and sanitise using plain water and leave floors almost dry, but you’ll still need to wipe the corners/edges with a bit of kitchen roll. Most have a detachable unit to turn them into a hand held for fiddly tasks too and the best one had a variety of extras for cleaning windows, stainless steel, grouting etc.

If you can get the shopping channels on tv - try and watch some infomercials, or google online, and if you get one through QVC and don’t like it for any reason, you can send it back, even if you’ve used it.

Gingster Thu 05-Nov-20 08:14:39

Luuca I’m with you! Vacuum and mop and bucket. I find all gadgets to be a faff and a fiddle. Can’t be bothered with them. ?

Charleygirl5 Thu 05-Nov-20 08:28:20

There is an electric scrubber on the marke tby Beldray advertised on TV, it is expensive but appears to do everything without using dirty water. I may try a handheld one which is under £20 first. I see them advertised a lot on Pinternet cleaning.

I would like a handheld one for shower corners and cleaning the oven, Amazon has mixed reviews but I have not given up yet although like the other poster do not intend spending £250 for a product I know little about.

Spangler Thu 05-Nov-20 08:37:05

Our Thane H2O X5 5-in-1 steam cleaning mop with accessories is perfect for the tiled floor in the kitchen. One of the accessories cleans the splash back, behind the cooking hob, a treat.

We also have the Vax Platinum Power Max carpet cleaner. It revives carpets like new but you need to leave the room well aired for hours to allow the carpet to dry.

petra Thu 05-Nov-20 08:45:15

We clean our carpets on the day we are going on holiday. It's the last thing we do before closing the front door.
This way we know it's completely dry before it's walked on.

cornergran Thu 05-Nov-20 08:47:13

Our basic (Argos cheapie) steam cleaner (floor convertible to hand held) gets a lot of use. I steam curtains, use it to freshen wool coats, blast the corners of cupboards, the glass door on the oven, wall tiles in the kitchen and bathroom - Mr C uses it monthly for the bathroom and laminate floors - yes, they are cleaned more frequently, just not with the steam mop grin. We’re on our second, the first more expensive version died after about 8 years, this one has been with us for 6. We think living in hard water areas reduces lifespan.

FannyCornforth Thu 05-Nov-20 09:10:22

I've bought a few steam cleaners over the years, all of them useless.
In my experience they just turn any dirt into mud and transfer it around the floorconfused

I've recently bought a Flash Speed Mop - £12! It's brilliant!
It comes in four sections which you fit together and fits in a small box when you've finished.
It has wipes which you attach.
I've got awful mobility, with poor upper body strength, but it's so easy to use and works.
A fantastic buy! smile

SpringyChicken Thu 05-Nov-20 09:24:31

My floors are a lot cleaner using a steam mop. Previously I used a sponge mop.

Charleygirl5 Thu 05-Nov-20 11:51:04

FannyCornforth I also bought one, put mine together and it was so wobbly it fell apart the first time I attempted to clean the floor. Also, the floor wipes which were stuck on were so wet when changing I ended up putting everything back in the box and it is in my wardrobe until I decide what to do with it.

Feelingmyage55 Thu 05-Nov-20 11:57:25

Maybe handheld is the way to go as I have arthritis in my wrists and cannot get my steroid injection just now. I have a lot of nonslip tiles (fell once on a hard floor) and they occasionally need to be scrubbed as they are textured. I don’t mind the porches not looking pristine but in the bathroom and shower room I like super clean. As I live in a tourist area I normally have a lot of visitors and just want to make it easier on myself. There is also a lot of tramping in and out of the garden. Cleaners here charge £20-£25 per hour cash?. I’d rather do it all myself with gadget assistance. Which one do you have Marydoll? I’m thinking about the Flash Speed mop recommended by FannyCornforth and combine some mopping for me, some steam cleaning before and after guests.

FannyCornforth Thu 05-Nov-20 12:01:35

Yes Charley the wipes are very wet.
I get out an old towel to put in all together on. Mine wasn't wobbly at all. Luck of the draw I suppose.
At least it's a cheap mistake, unlike a steam mop (or three!)

glammanana Thu 05-Nov-20 12:02:36

Charleygirl5 I also bought one and found the floor wipes where far too "wet" and I had to go over the floors again with a noodle mop to dry it off certainly no good for laminate floors as the flooring will lift after time.

Auntieflo Thu 05-Nov-20 12:09:26

We have one from ARGOS, a BUSH, and have found it very good. Although I think the handle could be a bit stronger.