Steam Mop Basics: What They Are And How They Work

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  • Author Chris Harmen
  • Published October 15, 2010
  • Word count 760

Compared to the conventional mop and bucket, a steam mop simplifies sanitizing hard surface floors. There's no heavy bucket to drag around. Plus, there is no drippy mop to be wrung out, keeping hands clean and germ free. Along with removing dirt and grime, a steam floor cleaner disinfects without using any chemicals. The machine houses a small water tank that normally holds about 750 milliliters of water. When plugged in, the tank heats the water to about 120 degrees Celsius and begins to produce the hot mist. A microfiber pad placed underneath the jet where the vapor shoots out catches all the dirt and grime when it is set in motion. In most models, the dirt seeps deep into the pad so that it doesn't get drenched quickly. In addition, these mops can also restore a surface’s shine by getting rid of residue. A steam floor cleaner kills an estimated 99% of germs and household dust particles with strong, focused heat. Most stains will also disappear when a mop using only natural warm mist is used on the hard surfaces.

What Surfaces Can A Steam Floor Cleaner Sanitize?

A floor cleaner that only utilizes the natural elements found in hot vapor is both green and designed to wash bare floors, such as ceramic tile, vinyl, laminate, marble, stone, and sealed hardwood. However, using this type of mop on waxed or certain un-waxed areas might result in diminishing the shine. It was not created to clean unsealed wood. Before using it on these types of surfaces, it's recommended to test an area that's not noticeable or read the care instructions from the flooring manufacturer.

How To Use A Steam Floor Cleaner

Using a green floor cleaner doesn't require many steps. Simply sweeping or vacuuming over the area before running the steam floor cleaner will prepare the spot that needs to be cleaned. While passing over the surface, press the trigger to release the mist. To thoroughly sanitize a certain area, leave the cleaner in one spot for 15 seconds, but not longer than 20. If the green mop quits emitting the hot vapor, unplug the machine and remove the water tank. Refill the tank with tap water and continue moving the steam mop over the rest of the area. After the first use, the steam mop will produce a warm vapor within a few seconds. During the initial use, it may take several seconds for the water to flow through the filter to the heater. The flash heating system uses a trigger system in the steam mop to replace the traditional boiler used in older models. This avoids burns caused from the built-up vapor when the cap is removed.

No Additional Equipment To Buy

With a steam floor cleaner, basic tap water will clean the dirtiest surfaces with little effort. No chemical solutions are required to operate this product. For the cleaning pad, terry cloth towels or even old t-shirts can be used. This saves a lot of money and prevents unnecessary waste from having to purchase disposable cleaning pads on a regular basis.

Besides cleaning hard surface floors, these cleaners can also serve as a steamer for clothes, mattresses, furniture, and more. By converting the mop into a handheld steamer, wrinkles can be removed quickly from an entire family's wardrobe. The squeegee hand tool washes windows and mirrors within a few minutes. Curtains can be refreshed and mattresses renewed with the garment attachment. The nylon brush set comes with three brushes to handle virtually any hard surface in a home. The large brush provides wide coverage for sanitizing marble countertops, tile, and grout lines. For tight spaces, use the triangle and detail head brushes to clean those hard-to-reach places. Even the favorite golf clubs can be made to look like new with the wire brush that was created to take the elbow grease out of those really tough jobs. The scraper nozzle makes removing wallpaper easy, cutting this daunting job in half by shooting mist directly onto grimy corners and crevices with the direct jet nozzle.

Additional Benefits Of A Steam Mop

Along with making the job much easier, these cleaners also produce a cleaner environment for children and pets. Machines that use chemicals or even mops drenched in bleach can emit toxins into the air as they evaporate. This greatly affects the air quality in a room or building. Children can become ill when exposed to these toxins on a regular basis. Those with allergies and asthma are especially susceptible to having difficulty breathing when they come in contact with contaminated air.

Chris Harmen writes for GrueneSteam about how a steam mop disinfects hard surface floors. She shares how the steam floor cleaner is a good investment for any home.

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