The steam cleaner is the god of purity. It disinfects, degreases, washes and irones. The principle of operation is simple: the device produces steam, which breaks down even stubborn dirt. The handheld heats up in 3 minutes. The floor-standing model takes longer - in 8 minutes. The hot jet easily penetrates into narrow crevices and hard-to-reach places, the steam without chemicals destroys microorganisms on hard surfaces and upholstered furniture.
The manual model heats the water with a heating element. The liquid boils up to 135 ° C and flows under pressure to the outlet nozzle. The appliance generates continuous steam for an average of 5 minutes. Handy for quick cleaning. Fortunately, the variety of attachments "unties the hands" to maintain order. The steam pressure indicator depends on the model, but it is optimal and varies from 2.1 to 3 bar.
The device in the form of a vacuum cleaner is more serious. Water from the tank is pumped into the boiler. The steam literally knocks dirt off surfaces and removes plaque from sinks and metal faucets. It's a pleasure to work with. The device completely dissolves old layers. For the purity of the experiment, treat them with concentrated citric acid, wait 30 minutes and use a steam cleaner. You will see the plaque dissolve. The device generates a continuous supply of steam for 20-40 minutes. It is more powerful than other types of steam cleaners, as it produces a maximum steam pressure of up to 4.2 bar.
Many of us have underfloor heating. Washing the seams on the tiles is another quest! On a heated surface, chemistry evaporates faster and this is not good. Just have time to wield the brush. And the steam mop is more delicate, it cleans not only the floor, but also the air: it destroys 99.9% of bacteria and germs without the use of cleaning agents. Clean! The design of the device is thought out to the smallest detail, so it is convenient to change the attachments. The 2: 1 steam cleaner has a fleecy steam glove that is handy for cleaning furniture and plumbing. One touch. There is enough water in the tank for 11-15 minutes. The average steam pressure of the devices is 3.2 bar, it gives out discharged steam, so protect your hands from burns.
How to choose the right steam cleaner
Choosing a good steam cleaner is real. Look at 4 parameters to keep your money out of the way.
Maximum steam pressure
It is the force of steam injection that determines the temperature of the jet: the stronger the pressure, the hotter the steam. It is logical, do you agree? For models from three bar, the steam flow is heated up to + 133 ° C. Up to four bar - even higher: + 143 ° C, even stubborn stains are washed away from such an onslaught of steam. Remember two points.
- A steam boost of 10-30 g / min is enough to maintain cleanliness.
- For serious work, choose professional models that produce a powerful steam cloud with a volume of 80-100 g / min.
Tank volume and features
Steam cleaner steam cleaner strife. They are divided into models with built-in and removable containers. Each of them has its own nuances that affect the speed of work and usability.
- A device with a built-in tank - rapid-fire. It works until the water in the container runs out. To add a new portion, you will have to wait until the device cools down, because the reservoir lid does not open under pressure.
- This is good, you will not get burned.
- And bad: you have to wait 5-10 minutes.
- Consider: the larger the tank, the heavier the device, which is difficult to hold in an outstretched hand. Try to hold 1 glass. A capacity of less than 0.5 liters is even heavier.
- It is convenient to add water to the removable tank at any time, so you will clean without distraction. The optimal volume is from 1 to 1.5-2 liters.In professional units, the reservoir is more spacious - more than 2 liters, there is enough water in it for an hour of cleaning.
Appliance power
The warm-up time of the device depends on it.
- For hand-held devices, the optimal one is 1000-1600 W, you should not choose with less, you will not get the proper result in cleaning.
- For oversized ones, 1500-2300 watts are acceptable. To shorten the heating time, pour boiling water into the tank.
After finishing cleaning, be sure to drain the remaining water from the tank and rinse the attachments with running water. Less limescale.
Equipment
The higher the cost of the unit, the more varied the set of nozzles: be guided by the needs.
Required minimum:
- brushes for furniture, fabrics and floor cleaning scrub well;
- the nozzle concentrates the steam jet. It is convenient for them to knock out dirt from cracks and tile joints;
- terry covers - for careful and thorough cleaning of household appliances, floors, mirrors and windows. They are easy to remove from the attachments. Can be washed by hand and in a washing machine at + 30 ° C.
To choose the right steam cleaner, analyze for what purpose you are buying into your home. Let's figure out the differences.
Steam mop or steam cleaner
Both devices clean up with steam. But the mop's main task is to clean the floor, and it does it brilliantly.
- A mop is more compact than a steam cleaner. The brush body is easy to disassemble and takes up less storage space.
- Microfiber absorbs a lot of moisture, does not get too wet and washes away dirt well.
- Velcro - masthev. The velcro cloth can be removed from the attachment in seconds. It is designed for 100 machine washes at 60 ° C.
- Works at an angle of 90 ° C. In an upright position, steam does not flow, the mop turns off. And this feature plays into the hands of adults, you can entrust the child with cleaning the floors, he will not get burned.
- Weighted mop base. The attachment is gravitationally magnetized to the floor and is difficult to detach. It remains only to move along the surface and not to miss the unwashed areas under the furniture.
- But! There is nowhere to put the truth: the mop leaves uncleaned gaps in the corners.
Explore the 4 differences between a steam cleaner and a steam mop in the table below and draw conclusions.
Steam Mop | Steam cleaner | |
Microfiber cover | Dense, moisture wicking | Slim, gets wet quickly |
Steam supply | Constant at an angle, locked in a vertical position | Served by pressing a button. Blocked when needed |
Steam boost | ≈50 g / min | ≈200 g / min |
Steam pressure | 1-1.5 bar | 3-4 bar |
See the Polti steam cleaner overview
Steam cleaner or steamer: which is better
The steam cleaner - cleans, the steamer - iron. Both devices eliminate germs, odors and allergy pathogens, but the difference is enormous.
Steamer or steam cleaner - see table.
Steamer | Steam cleaner |
Ironing fabrics | Removes dirt from surfaces |
No additional attachments | Includes a set of attachments for different purposes |
Equipped with a rack and clothes hanger | No boom |
Generates steam at minimum pressure | Provides powerful steam jet |
See what Thomas is capable of
Steam cleaner or vacuum cleaner
Everything is obvious - the vacuum cleaner sucks in dirt, but the steam cleaner does not. Remove garbage - you cannot do without the first unit, clean and disinfect - the second has no equal.
- The washing vacuum cleaner sprays water. Then, together with the dust, it is drawn into the container. But he will not clean the kitchen of greasy splashes and will not get rid of the fungus in the bathroom.
- The steam cleaner cannot cope with debris. First you need to walk with a broom or vacuum cleaner.
The advantages of both devices are united by a steam vacuum cleaner, which supplies hot steam under pressure and at the same time sucks in dissolved dirt. But this is an expensive pleasure. The average price of a universal "fighter" is 700-800 USD.
Interesting article: "Steam mop: feedback from real users"
See an overview of the Karcher steam cleaner