Practical tips for using a portable steam cleaner

Cleaning is an arduous task for some. But this can be made much easier by having a steam cleaner. With this device, you have a great arsenal that will clean nearly everywhere in your house. A steam cleaner cleans by use of steam. Yes, by steam. It does not use other chemicals to produce steam. Only water is needed. What it does is that it heats water to a temperature that produces steam, which is then released from a nozzle and used to clean the house. Dirt on the floor or on other surface has adhesive qualities, which makes it stick on surfaces. The steam melts these qualities and makes the dirt loose, which can be cleared by the help of a cloth. Most people are always unaware of how to use a steam cleaner or on places it can be used to clean. It’s for this reason that we came up with the practical tips on how to use a portable steam cleaner. Before going deeper into this topic, let’s look at some of the benefits of using a steam cleaner.

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Advantages of using a steam cleaner

1. It’s an environmentally friendly way of cleaning your house as there is no possibility of other side effects.
2. They have a wide usage as compared to other cleaners such as vacuum cleaners. This will show in this article.
3. They are known to kill bacteria and dust mites that might be on the surfaces.
4. By the fact that it is using steam with no other chemical used, means that it’s a clean way of cleaning the house
5. A portable steam cleaner is lightweight, and you can carry it around the house to clean whatever you desire.
6. It can clean those parts that are hard to clean, such as cracks and crevices.
7. It dries fast. Wooden surfaces are normally affected by moisture. A steam cleaner produces steam, which evaporates very fast, leaving no moisture on the surface.

Related Article: How To Clean Upholstery Using a Steam Cleaner?

Tips for steam cleaning

Generally, the following are the steps that are used in steam cleaning.

1. The first step before doing any sort of cleaning is to remove large materials in the cleaning area, say the floor or carpet. Furniture can also be removed. Sometimes you could move all the furniture to one corner of the house then clean the other side.
2. Then dust the floor, ceilings, or any other thing in your house to ensure that after cleaning, the dust does not fall back to where you have cleaned.
3. Use a vacuum cleaner. You should note that steam cleaners are not meant to remove certain large particles or hair. Such particles could clog your steam cleaner. The best way is to remove them using a vacuum cleaner. Make sure that you use a crevice tool whenever possible.
4. Fill the steam cleaner tanks with water. A steam cleaner uses water, fill it with enough water as required by the manufacturer. Again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how long you should wait for the steam cleaner to heat up.
5. The final step is to start cleaning. Generally, steam cleaners are slow. Therefore, take some seconds before you take another step.
6. Let the surface dry. It won’t take long but ensure that it does not come into contact with any dirt before it dry’s.

What places can a steam cleaner be used?

Most people only know a steam cleaner for cleaning floors carpets and windows. If you are such a person, let me help you breakdown the places that you can use a vacuum cleaner.

1. You can use it in your bedroom to clean the floor, carpets, windows, doors, and window frames.
2. The kitchen is another place that is regularly cleaned because a dirty kitchen will most likely lead to food poisoning. It will benefit greatly from the disinfecting power of the steam cleaner. In the kitchen, you can clean the floor, fridge, and remove the stubborn fats that remain on cookers.
3. Still, a steam cleaner can be used to disinfect the bathroom, clean the floors and walls, and disinfect toilet bowls.
4. Another place is the garden. First, you can disinfect the soil and also clean garden equipment such as the lawnmower.
5. A steam cleaner can be used to clean cloths. It helps remove the bad smell from clothes and wrinkles in clothes within a short time.

This was just a list of some of the places you can use a steam cleaner. In truth, there are lots of other places that can be used; an example is cleaning your SUV or a beehive. 

What not to clean with a steam cleaner

On the other side, there is the surface that a steam cleaner cannot be used. On these surfaces, you can opt not to use a steam cleaner or be very cautious when using a steam cleaner.

1. Wooden materials should generally be approached with caution. Always ensure that they are totally dry before steam cleaning. Test before you use it on the wooden surface. On painted wooden surfaces, the steam cleaner should not be allowed to linger for long.
2. Do not use a steam cleaner on the nylon mesh window screen. They might not be able to withstand the heat that comes with a steam cleaner.
3. Avoid antiques. This is because they have a shellac finish, which might not withstand the heat of a steam cleaner. Sometimes the finish might blister.
4. People who like steaming walls should avoid freshly painted walls.

Some safety guidelines

1. Like any accessories that you buy, make sure you use it for what it is intended for.
2. Since it’s an electrical device, wear shoes while using it.
3. There are so many steam cleaners out there. When buying only buy certified electrical appliances.
4. Always unplug the steamer when changing attachments or when refilling it with water.
5. Make sure all tools are properly attached before using it.
6. Do not direct the steam on tools or surfaces that cannot take too much heat.

Conclusion

From this article, you have learned a lot about a steam cleaner. You now know how it works, where or surface it can be used on the tips on how to use it, and safety guidelines on how to use a steam cleaner. By now, it’s obvious that with the steam cleaner, you have a very strong tool in your household cleaning. Before buying one, always ensure that you check on the boiler capacity, ease of use, mobility, and portability.