Should I perseve with this steam mop?

Fusspot

Just got a steam mop after months of trying to decide and now I want to send it back! I so wanted it to work, was looking so forward to it making a difference but now I feel so deflated.


I first used it in my cubbyhole and it worked fine in there, so tonight I tried it in my kitchen. It did nothing to remove the dirt on the tile grout, just looks the same as before. I tried to do the oven but it got so full of steam that I couldn't put my head in there to see what I was doing so I gave up. I found taking off the attachments and putting others on was fiddly, also waiting for it to cool down every time.


So then I thought right, I'll just use it as a floor cleaner. Tried to do the kitchen floor and it was like having a workout. It would hardly push around the floor, though it was fine on the lino in the cubbyhole. I rang my sister in law to ask her as she has a steam mop also and she said it will be because the kitchen floor is more matt than the other floors in the flat and has build up as hers was the same at first and then she persevered and it works fine now so she advised me to give it time.


So should I just use it for the floors? It was a present from my partner so I haven't paid for it but I don't want to just not use it. I think it will be fine on the floors once it gets going on the kitchen lino, it is more hygienic than using a normal mop.


Anyone else having these issues? Mine is a Morphy Richards 9 in 1, I read lots of reviews before getting it and also had feedback from someone who work who has the same model and said its good.

Horace

If your grout has ingrained dirt then the steam mop won't be able to clean it, you will have to re-grout.

I have a steam mop that only does floors anyway and find that if I have let the floor become quite dirty then it takes ages to clean it but once it is clean and I clean the floor once a week it is fine.

I never use a steam cleaner on the oven (the steamer I had for that job is hanging up in my shed) as I prefer to use old fashioned methods of cleaning.

[Deleted User]

I have a shark floor mop and a stone floor with a matt rough textured surface. The mop is very efficient and makes a noticeable difference but it does not whizz around, like it does on the bathroom floors, which are smooth tiles. I take my time on the matt stone and use 3 fills of water and altogether 5 cloth heads. My mop has a sonic setting which I use with the scrubby side of the mop. The dirt does eventually go but it takes time and patience. I don`t tend to push it on the matt floor, I move it but slowly.

I use a hand steamer on the showers, it does an amazing job around the shower doors. I don`t use it for anything else but showers and floor and have had a steamer of one make or another for 12 years. I wouldn`t be without one

lillibet_dripping

I soooo wanted a steam cleaner, so bought a Vax which worked fine - for about 3 days. I took it back for a replacement - which didn't steam at all! Took it back, feeling very disappointed as I so wanted them to work.
Was recommended a Karcher, at some considerable cost. After much deliberation, I bought one AND LOVE IT! It glides around the floor, does tiles, glass, windows, cupboards, woodwork - you name it, it cleans effortlessly.

If you can find the cleaner which is right for you and your budget they are brilliant. It sounds like you might need a different make (not easy as it was bought for you).

System

Anyone else having these issues? Mine is a Morphy Richards 9 in 1, I read lots of reviews before getting it and also had feedback from someone who work who has the same model and said its good.

Mine is the same model as yours and it was bought just a couple of weeks ago. Ive had a few issues with it and have learned its limitations by using it daily.

Firstly I would leave it to heat up for too short a time before using it. 5 minutes I found was not really long enough to get the steam going. Mine works better if I leave it for 7 minutes minimum. Its brilliant on my tiled floors and on the vinyl in the veranda.

Forget it as a hand held steamer. Even with the tools its blasted useless. My small cheap hand held steamer is much better. Not only does the 9 in one break my arm its that heavy, I find even with the directional nozzles its not as good as my cheapie. In fact I'd hoped I could do away with my cheapie but its sadly not the case.

However, although I cleaned my kitchen and bathroom floor daily with a bucket with bleach, boiling water and a mop it didn't clean my floor half as well as my steam mop.

With all its limitations, I will not be going back to a mop and bucket ever again.

[Deleted User]

I gave my karcher to dd as keeping hold of the grip while doing my floors was just too much and made my hands too sore. My shark has a push button that is so easy on my hands now. I no longer have a mop and bucket either

pollypenny

I have a Bissell steam mop, which is ok only. The floor dries quickly is the main advantage and it's good on the vinyl in the bathroom, which has a slight texture.

For real cleanliness, I resort to bleach and hit water.

Queen81

I have an H20 steam mop, and two different cloth attachments; a towel-like one which I use on my safety floor in the kitchen, and a "noodle" one which I use to whizz across the laminate. Maybes try a different head on your floor?

Fusspot

Thank you for your replies. I've decided to try and persevere with the steamer. This morning I got up and the tiles seemed to look better, plus the floors. I think I was so stressed up last night that I didn't notice anything positive about it. I was that tired with changing nozzles and pushing the steamer on the kitchen floor.


I shall mainly use it for the floors every week but use the handheld part when I think its needed. I shall whittle it down to using just a few of the attachments though.