Steam cleaners: Do we need to clean up after steam??

Surely you have ever seen commercials about steam cleaners and steamers, in which the happy owners of this technique in one movement conquered any dirt in the house and put in order things. We decided to find out: can these devices really perform such miracles, or is it an exaggeration?. What is a steam cleaner?

This is essentially a boiler that heats water and delivers it under pressure. The family of steamers is not very numerous, a limited number of companies deals with them, most of it consists of products little-known to the Americans brands.

Got the job

The purpose of the device is determined by its set of nozzles. There are two versions: the universal cleaning appliance and the garment steamer.

The universal model has several cleaning nozzles: a nozzle with a narrow spout, an angled nozzle for getting into difficult places, a nozzle with a brush on the end, a window cleaner with a rubber strip to collect water, a nozzle for cleaning large surfaces, sometimes a floor nozzle with the ability to attach a rag.

The models offered by telemarketers use cunning mop heads of unusual design. In addition, the kit steamer-universal always has a nozzle for textiles and not very often – an iron.

Garment steamers have an attachment to handle things, often with a fluffy insert, a brush attachment. The larger models are equipped with a rod and hanger for placing clothing, a device for fixing pants, sometimes a form for steaming collars of shirts.

A kettle or a wheeled house

In commercials we see how easily the steam copes with any dirt. And yet what a powerful stream of steam can do? On reflection, any housewife will realize that steam can only cope with those contaminants that can be handled by hot water and mechanical action.

In addition, with its high temperature, steam can soften dirt, reduce its adhesion to the surface and thus make it easier to separate. So the steam can soak a long unwashed stove or oven, remove stubborn dirt from the perimeter of the sink, freshen a tile, etc.

A plus of steam is that it can work on any surface – smooth and rough, paper and metal, hard and soft. Nozzles can be used to send a jet of steam into those hard-to-reach places where you just can’t get the dirt out the normal way.

The softening power of steam also helps you to fight unusual enemies, like a sticking scotch, a drop of wax on the floor, or algae in an aquarium filter.

So, the steam softens, but it does not collect and, accordingly, in the full sense of the word does not remove dirt! So claims like “steam removes dust and allergens” are fundamentally untrue! You have to do it with the steamer head or the device itself in one hand and a soft dry flap in the other. Wet dirt should be picked up right away, so that it doesn’t “stick” to the surface again once it has dried.

That’s why microfiber cloths and cloths appear in advertisements. This amazing material is able to absorb moisture very quickly due to the special cone capillaries in its fibers.

The benefits of steam

The most obvious advantage of steam – disinfection: high temperature helps to remove not only bacteria and fungi, but also other invisible creatures that live in carpets and soft toys, on kitchen shelves and closets. Steam cleaner allows you to treat a specific thing or place: for example, a puppy’s sleeping mat, breadbox, mattress and pillows. This makes it possible to achieve maximum home disinfection. At the same time we not only fight with bio-cleaning, we can also cope with odors: for example, we restore the freshness of a kitten’s corner or an old armchair that spent several wet seasons in a cold storage room.

Let’s help steam

The second well-publicized benefit is the ability to reduce your use of household chemicals. This is true, but only partially: some dirt, such as chips and stains on wallpaper or dust, comes off easily even without a steam cleaner, and fresh dirt on smooth surfaces like glass, enamel, ceramics, and plastic is quickly removed.

But very dry and stubborn dirt, especially on highly porous surfaces, can be a challenge for steam. Our household chemicals can help. Let’s heat up the dirt with the steam, apply the liquid, leave it there for a while and then put the steam back on. As you understand, the effectiveness of the gel or paste with the help of steam will increase many times, and therefore it will be easier to reach the peaks of cleanliness, but try not to breathe chemical vapors: such “inhalation”, to put it mildly, is not useful.

Steam and appliances

Steamer can be useful in the care of other household appliances, in this advertisement is right. It can be used to clean oven surfaces, cast iron or enameled burner grids, cooktops, microwaves, steamers, roasters, bread makers, air grills. It is better to treat the walls with a soapy solution or a special agent – it goes faster. Steam will help return complicated parts of your food processor and juicer such as the strainer to their full function.

Steam jets quickly remove grease from filters when servicing the hood. Steam also comes in handy when cleaning your fridge: it cleans the walls, shelves, boxes and removes odors, helps melt ice from the freezer very quickly.

The steam will remove musty odors from your washing machine if it has been closed for too long , it will clean rubber bands from mold, and it will put in order the detergent pots.

There is only one rule for using the steamer on appliances: unplug the appliance before washing and let it dry well before plugging it in.

Steam and textiles

Here’s another advertising ploy: steam makes things so smooth that the iron can’t use its talents. Let’s get this straight. When steam hits the fibers, it softens them and restores their volume. An ordinary iron works differently: it presses down on fibres and fabrics, giving you the smoothness you need.

Steam straightens and removes creases, but the surface is not as flat as with an iron. So for things for which it is so important ironing, such as starchy tablecloths, office shirts and blouses, pants with arrows, skirts with rigid folds, the steamer is not suitable.

But with its help one can quickly bring knitwear, especially complicated shirts, democratic shirts, skirts, dresses and coats “to the sense”: they are hung on hangers and treated with steam. The steam takes effect almost immediately, it takes seconds per item, but the fabric becomes damp after the treatment, and it’s not very pleasant to put on a blouse or jeans right away.

The steamer is suitable for taking care of draperies and tablecovers. Steam brings the fabric back into shape, refreshes it and removes the smell of perfume and smoke… Steam is very effective for woolen items, because all their beauty is in the naturalness of fiber, and the steam, unlike the iron, helps it to unravel and “play” with new force.

Dry cleaner at home

That’s the end of the competition between the iron and the steamer, and opens up an area that is inaccessible to this esteemed device. With the steamer you can take care of fur, restoring the shape and direction of wool, shine and freshness for things made of leather – natural and artificial, smooth, suede, nubuck.

This means that bags, jackets, and shoes will receive a whole new level of care from you, which will prolong their active life and preserve their appearance. Steam will help straighten scuffs, remove dirt, soften. You can perfectly clean your shoes, including the outside and inside soles, disinfect their insoles without any chemicals.

Steam cleaner will help improve your home dry cleaning: steam will remove some fresh stains, while the rest will succeed by combining steam and special agents ammonia, peroxide, soda, benzine .

A steamer comes in handy for carpets and upholstered furniture. Due to its action on fibers, steam allows you to refresh paint, straighten nap, clean up fluffy areas, faster and more effectively clean upholstery sofas and chairs, carpets from dirt and stains.